Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, Ambernath

Ambreshwar Shiva Temple of Ambernath, close to Mumbai, is known for being both a beautiful piece of architecture and a spiritually and religiously important place. The wish-granting god at the Ambarnath Shiva Temple is well-known. Many people with illnesses, those who want to have children, those who want to find lost people or lost things, and others with unfulfilled wishes go to the shrine. Some people come to this Temple to get moksha, which means to be free. The Ambarnath Shiva Temple is a great example of the amazing work that builders and architects did in the 10th century.

About Ambernath Ambreshwar Shiva Temple

The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple is another name for the Shiv Mandir of Ambarnath. It is 2 km from the Ambarnath (East) railway station in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is said that it was built by the Shilahara king Chhittaraja and that his son Mummuni rebuilt it. On the bank of the Vadavan (Waldhuni) river is the Temple. The Temple is made in the style of Hemadpanthi and has beautiful stone carvings. Some people also think that the five Pandava brothers built the Temple just one night out of a huge block of stone.

The village used to be called Hallyacha Pada but later changed to Ambarnath. Local digs have shown that people lived in Ambarnath as early as 200 BC. Guru Nanak went to the Temple around the year 1415. Each year, many people still go to the Temple for Shivaratri.

UNESCO has also said that Shiv Mandir is an important cultural site.

Overall, going to Shiv Mandir in Ambernath is a great way to learn about a place where a culture started. For going on trips and getting to know new places and people. Not to mention that you can dive into a sea of devotion and enjoy the sights simultaneously. Doesn’t that sound right?
It’s also a great way to get away from Mumbai during the week, as people can drive for a long time to get to the cute town.

When you leave the Shiva temple, you’ll be different and always want to return.

Ambarnath Shiv Mandir History

The Shiv Mandir at Ambarnath was built by the king of Shilahara at the time, Chhittaraja. He was a big fan of Shiva and wanted to honor him in this way. He had this Temple built in 1060 AD, which was the century of kings, rulers, and servants.

The Ambarnath Shiva Temple has many stairs, carvings, and designs. It has a main room, called the gabhara, where the shiv linga is kept. The Shiva Temple was made from a single piece of stone in the old Hemadpanthi style, which was the basis for many other buildings in that century. After much hard work, the workers finished building the Temple and making it look beautiful.

Legend of Ambarnath Shiva Mandir

About 1000 years ago, this Shiv temple was built. Based on the writings on the door that faces north, this Temple was built by King Chittaraja of the Silhara Dynasty. But if you believe the stories that have grown up around the Temple, it is said that the Pandavas built this Temple.

People say the Pandavas built this Temple from a single big stone in just one night. On the Valdhuni River, the Temple has been built. Even though, if we’re being honest, the river no longer looks like a river, it was still a river at that time.

Architecture

The architecture of the Ambreshwar Temple is in the Vesara style, a mix of north-Indian and south-Indian styles of building temples. At Ambernath, the Vesara style is made of pieces of black stone that fit together. This is called the Hemadpanti style. The outside wall has a lot of decorations, and the tower is made up of a stepped pyramid. Both of these things show off the tower’s bold design. The rough brownish stone common in this area was used to build the whole Temple. Along the edges of the Temple’s plan, there are ridges or flutes.

The style of the tower is typical of Nagara. The sculptures of Hindu mythology, most of which are about Shiva, are set at eye level and form a chain around the Temple. Above and below the sculptures, there are fluted edges. On the tower, there is a picture of Shiva dancing. Through a vestibule, the three porches lead to the central hall of the Temple. This part of the Temple carved very straightforwardly, is where the priests sit.

Many pillars are holding up the roof. In the middle of the west-facing main porch is an image of Nandi, a bull. One has to go down 20 steps in the main room, Garbhagriha, to get to the inner sanctum (interior of the sanctum Sanctorum). This underground Sanctorum, open to the sky, has one “Swayambhu” (self-made), Shiv Ling, in the middle.

Main Festivals

• Mahashivratri

Ambarnath Shiva Mandir Timing

The temple is open from 6 AM to 6 PM.

Local Culture

The cosmopolitan way of life heavily influences Thane’s culture in Mumbai, but it does a good job of keeping its traditional roots. Lavani is the most popular type of dance here. Other traditional dances like

Bharatnatyam, Kathak, and Odissi, as well as modern dances like Ballet, are also popular.

Regarding holidays, Thane celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with as much joy and excitement as the rest of Maharashtra. Aside from this, people also celebrate Holi, Diwali, Gudhi Padwa, Durga Puja, Janmashtami, Navratri, Dahi Handi, and Shivaji Jayanti with the same enthusiasm.

Thane has some of the best street food in all of India. The city is known for its Konkani food and snacks, especially its “Bhajjiyas” and “Pakodas.” Vada Pao and Pav Bhaji are the most famous dishes.

Best time to Visit Temple

Shivratri is when many people come together and give their best love to the Lord. People’s beliefs and ways of worshipping with milk, water, and leaves drive them crazy. On the other hand, when Shraavana starts, it’s time for people to worship their Lord again, and the Ambernati Shiva Temple is overrun with kind people during this time of year.

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