Bhavani Mandap Kolhapur Maharashtra

Kolhapur is an extremely famous city for various reasons and one of them is history. Of the many things of historical importance in the city, Bhavani Mandap is one. It is a historical building and heritage site in the central walled portion of the city of Kolhapur. Bhavani Mandap is a famous building and the abode of the goddess Tulja Bhavani who is known as a guest in the city of Kolhapur, which is considered to be the city of her elder sister Mahalaxmi, whose temple the city is popular for. Bhavani Mandap is built according to the architectural style of the British Empire. An era of the Maratha dynasty, with relics of the royal era is found displayed here.

History

It used to be an important meeting centre in earlier days. There are various historical notions associated with the idol of Bhavani, worshipped here. It is said to be the idol of Bhavani that the great warrior Shivaji used to worship. This is however debatable, and the exact information is not available.

Getting There

Bhavani Mandap is located near the Mahalaxmi Temple which the city is well known for.

Timings

It is open throughout the day, all days of the week.

Things to Do in and around

Bhavani Mandap offers an interesting mixture of religion, mythology and history. One can reach the place to look around at a variety of things. The statue of Kolhapur’s dear prince Shahu Maharaj is also displayed here. There are a whole lot of stuffed animals like the bison, deer, panthers, all of which were hunted by the Prince himself in his days. The wooden throne that Shivaji is believed to have used when he came to Kolhapur is also to be seen here.