Present in Maharashtra, Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temple are a great addition to the beauty, magnificence and splendour to the city of Latur. Legends say that Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temple were originally constructed by King Tamradwaj as an offering of respect, love and devotion to Lord Siddharameshwar of Solapur. The temples lie at a distance of approximately 2 km from the metropolitan of Latur in Maharashtra. The shrines have been devoted to being an abode for Lord Siddharameshwar Swamy Siddarama of Solapur who was a diviner of the Lingayat Veerashaivism cult of Hinduism. Lord Siddharameshwar Swamy Siddarama belonged to the Kulla Kadigi community and was not only a spiritual leader but also a renowned poet of his times. The poet penned striking verses in the Kannada language during the 12th century. Also during this era, he also played a part in the legendary Basavanna's Veerashaiva rebellion of 12th century. There are temples of Ramlingeswar, Bhuteswar, Keshavraj, Ram and Dutta which add to the medieval ethnic legacy of Latur city. Each year there is a vast fair and folks from all over the Latur district come to visit and enjoy the fair.
History
This temples symbolize the imminence of a sect of Shaivism, which is devoted to Lord Shiva, the demolisher in the holy trinity of Hinduism. Before the construction of the Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temples, Shaivism was a philosophical concept. These temples are the mark of becoming a conventional sect in practice. This occurrence in the 12th century convoluted a lot of confrontational movement. Skirmishes were brawled both on-field and in the scholarly dominion. This is the motive of this form of Shaivism coming to be known as Veerashaiva sect.
Getting There
You can avail from smooth transport from the major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Sangli and Aurangabad to visit Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temple, Latur. The place also has its own railway station from where you can avail rickshaws, bus or taxicabs to reach Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temple.
Things to Do in and around
Siddheshwar and Ratneshwar Temple are a celebration of the Shaivism coming to mainstream practice during the 12th century.
A lot of architecture has been based on the western Indian architecture and is a beautiful marvel in itself. You can offer puja and Dakshina as a sign of your respect and devotion to the Lord Siddharameshwar Swamy Siddarama.
Opening/Closing Timings and days
Opens every day between the hours 5.30 am and 8pm.
Best Time to Visit
Latur city is in a dry precinct. It is nearly equidistant from the east and west coasts of India and is at the west tail of the Deccan plateau. The summers can be very severe with negligible humidity and temperatures anywhere between 40 and 47 Celsius. There is a persistent issue with water resource. The best time is between October and February when the weather is enjoyable.
