“Ban” – Forest and Ishwar – God i.e. God within a forest. This is the origin of the name of the Baneshwar temple. The name looked inviting and looking it up on Google Earth, i saw that the temple was in the midst of a dense green patch. Not the size of a forest, but quite an expansive green patch. So, off we went on a Sunday afternoon to Baneshwar Temple, around 45 kms away from Pune.
How to go to Baneshwar Temple from Pune(Magarpatta): Go on Solapur road (towards Big Bazaar). Keep going towards Swargate. At the Swargate junction, turn left , towards Katraj. Keep going straight. This will take you past the Pune zoo towards Katraj Ghat. Once you get down from the ghat, you will meet NH4 coming from Mumbai. Join the highway. You will come across the first toll gate. Approximately 11 kms after the toll gate, you will come to a junction. On the right side of the road (strangely), you will see a green board with markings in Hindi for many places, the first three of which are for Shree Baneshwar – 3 kms, Rajgad – 20 kms and Torna Fort – 30 kms. You have to go inside this road to reach the temple.
On this road, you have to cross the Nasrapur marketplace which can be a mess during the evening (as we found out). it was almost like the Hadapsar market and it took at least 15 minutes to drive through this crowd. After the market, you will see an arch on the right and this road is the entrance to the temple complex. The two photos below will give you an idea of the surroundings of the temple (with the river and waterfall nearby). The second photo will give you an idea on where to turn on Nh4. Searching for Baneshwar will on Google maps will give you the wrong “baneshwar” which is located much further down on te NH4.
It is a small temple with a shiv ling inside. You can buy flowers outside to offer to the god. The dome of the temple is colourful and is a pretty sight in the evening light. Update (based on Ramesh’s comments): The temple has very strange things.. one of that it is built 400 years back. The temple was renovated by the Peeshwa maharaja who is said to be the cheif of shivaji kingdom after shivaji…The shiva linga is made in two parts, if you ask the Preist to explain.. he can allow you to see five lingas inside the main linga, when you remove the top one.. inside under around 1 feet deep you can touch & find it..
The gardens around the temple seem to be the main attraction rather than the temple itself. There are plenty of walkways created through this jungle with ample resting points and open areas for a picnic. Of course, there were lot of people practising the State Hobby of spitting (apart from the other hobby of trekking) in spite of the fact that there were inside a temple compound. The dense greenert is an excellent place to spend the evening with the family.
One of the trails will lead you to the river where there is a waterfall. This path is muddy and can be quite “yucky” to negotiate after the rains. This is a walk of around half a km. The waterfall was not quite spectacular as was writen in many blogs. Maybe, the monsoon is yet to arrive completely. The area around the waterfall was like a mini-Nighoj (because of less water) and people were climbing into the canyon which made for some good adventure.
Similar places around Pune:
July 9th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
hi!
The Baneshwar place is very cool & greenies.Baneshwar temple is old temple. Back side of Temple,the Waterfall and a grassful River.
Enjoy the picnic.
Thanks
August 21st, 2010 at 3:03 pm
i like Baneshwar temple too much,
i cant never forgets that place,i was gone over there in August 2009 with my jaan it was to nice moment at that time,still i m missing that place,that moment and my lovely jaan,nowhe is not with me but really Baneshwar is to nice and cool place n far from pollution area and there rainfall is also nice……………………
I AM MISSING IT TOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:31 pm
great place for one day picnic
February 11th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Thanks for sharing all the information. We went there today and found the place quite easily. Nice getaway from Pune. The only negatives would be the toilets there which are terrible. The vada pao’s were great.
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:53 am
RR I like and agree with your naming it… ” Maharastrian State Hobby of spitting”….
June 10th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
hi i would be travelling from mumbai will anybody help me with good and hygenic staying place in baneshwar or around it
please help me out coming for outing with my family
July 15th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Hello,
Thanks for sharing the information. We have also followed your directions towards Morachi Chincholi.
Thanks,
Saheb
August 4th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
This is really a nice place, one should vist this place at the time of mansoon, this rives looks very beautifull with water,
go there you will enjjjjjjjjoy a looooooooooooot
August 10th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
This Place is vere Nice place
Me & My Life Partner First Meet to This Place . So I Remember This Place.
& Vare Butyfull Natucher This Side
Aver Green & Freesh.
So Please Go to This Place.
August 17th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
To the writer…
The temple has very strange things.. one of that it is built 400 years back. The temple was renovated by the Peeshwa maharaja who is said to be the cheif of shivaji kingdom after shivaji…
The shiva linga is made in two parts, if you ask the Preist to explain.. he can allow you to see five lingas inside the main linga, when you remove the top one.. inside under around 1 feet deep you can touch & find it..
I believe that you have made a beautiful article about baneshwar to make people aware of lot many things…. but missed the history of Temple which you will come to know by th preist of temple… i feel you have not asked any body about this…
Wish you visit once again to know the above things are fact….
Puneri
August 20th, 2011 at 9:52 am
The road signs & boards are not in Hindi. They are in Marathi. The script is Devnagari which is the same for Marathi & Hindi with a slight difference.You are in Maharashatra so what you see written in Devnagari script is Marathi-not Hindi.IN UP & Bihat & MP it will be Hindi that will be wtitten in Devnagari.
Pl. correct your description to “Boards In Marathi”
November 6th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Nice Article. Liked it. I also agre with comments of Ramesh and Suresh Potdar. In the entrance of temple there is a big board where all details about temple are given. You can read them.
On more strange fact you forgot: This temple have a Bell which have a “Christian Cross” on it. To check the reason you have to check the history. This is because when Maratha force defeated portuguese and conquered Vasai in 1739 (Near Mumbai) they saw several Bells there on churches. So they took those bells and donated them to Baneshwar and Bhimashankar Temple.
November 7th, 2011 at 9:21 am
thanks for the details Jay.
November 15th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
i like Baneshwar temple too much,
i cant never forgets that place,i was gone over there in August 2008 & 2009 with my jaanu it was to nice moment at that time,still i m missing that place,that moment and my lovely jaanu,now she is not with me but really Baneshwar is to nice and cool place n far from pollution area and there rainfall is also nice……………………
Now i am alone and whnever i think to go thier i can’t go becz’s i start my love frm their and end of my love was their only….i miss my love and that place very very very very very much….
Memories are the most painfull killer for the person who knows wht is hurt in love…
I AM MISSING IT TOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH MY LOVE JAANU…………….
November 20th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Hi All,
We feel very happy after visiting this place. we went there for Karthika Masa Vanabhojanam with around 60 Andhra people. We feel very happy and enjoyed a lot there. Thanks to our Pune Andhra Association.
About the place,it is very nice and cool place which is having spelendid atmosphere. Temple is good and Waterfalls are awesome.
It is a good place to visit for one day picnic spot. However please take care while going to Waterfalls, there were no steps and the way in the water is slippery.
January 2nd, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Hi… After reading all these experience, I also want to visit the Baneshwar temple. Can somebody tell me how to reach there from Mumbai. is any public transport available??? Please reply.
January 3rd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Akshay, just come on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, cross Pune and go towards Satara. then you can follow the map given in the post. It is a long drive though, at least 3.5 hrs.