Vitthal temple: Awash with faith

PUNE: It's an unlikely potpourri of embellishments for a Vitthal temple: A large painting of a Sikh Guru on the gabhara's exterior face, a wall laden with mosaic mirror and glazed tile d?cor, a menagerie of brightly painted add-ons, including one that appears inspired by the crown of a Dravidian gopura or temple gateway. These aesthetic departures result from the dearth of conservation guidelines for heritage properties, but fade into inconsequence in a place awash with faith.
The original Vitthal shrine at Vitthalwadi is ascribed to the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Initially a crude Hemadpanti stone structure, the temple was subsequently expanded and improved. From the inner shrine and mandapa' (hall) dating back to the late 17th century, to the features added during renovation carried out in 2003-04, the temple embodies an assortment of architectural, material and visual characteristics.
According to the Peshwe Sanad, the temple land was allotted circa 1843 to the Gosavi family, which has since been in its possession. The riveting idols of Lord Vitthal, standing arms akimbo on a brick, and his consort Rakhumai, were created by Nibaji Abekar Patharvat (also the creator of the Nandi idol in the Parvati temple).
The east-facing temple consists of a stone gabhara' (sanctum sanctorum) and portico, and inner and outer mandapas', aligned along two courtyards. The inner mandapa has a pitched corrugated iron sheet roof, which almost hides the smaller shikhara' immediately below the principal Maratha-style shikhara'. The courtyards are defined by peripheral galleries, the older ones supported on Yadava order pillars and informing cells with a trabeate ceiling, comprising layers of thick stone slabs. The wooden portions of the inner mandapa' are encased in silver metal. Much of the original texture of the structure is veiled in paint and other finishes.
The temple also has the samadhis of Sambhaji Gosavi (died 1939) and Tukaram Gopal Gosavi (died 1969). Some of the other features include a statuary of Lord Vishnu's nine avatars; ancillary shrines of Ganapati, Dattatreya, Hanuman and Shani; a Garuda pavilion; several paintings, including those of Jay-Vijay, Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar and depictions of the warkari life; chandeliers; a nagarkhana' (drum chamber), and a tulas vrundavan'. The peripheral rooms house a medley of functions, from congregation spaces and storerooms, to the office of the Vadgaon Budruk kamgaar talathi, a music school and a library.
Towards the eastern gateway leading to the river is a Shiva shrine named Kashi Vishveshwar Mandir, with a Nandi seated atop a pedestal. Towards the river on the east is the temple of Vithoba's legendary devotee Pundalik. Its plinth often gets submerged under water. Looked after by the Vitthalwadi Vitthalmandir Trust, mostly comprising the Gosavis, the precinct has been used as a locale for several Marathi films. The temple's interface with the river looks neglected, much like the river itself.