History of Aundha Nagnath Temple deals with the lives of West Indian saints like Namdev, Visoba Khechara and Jnanesvar. They were the popular saints of Chalukya Dynasty which ruled the Western Ghats Mountain Range in India and the Madhya Pradesh in modern India from 6th to 12th Century AD. These saints are revered by the Varkari sect of Hinduism.
Namdev, the saint of Varkari sect of Hinduism met his guru, Visoba Khechara, at Aundha Nagnath Temple. He was advised to visit this temple by Jnanesvar. According to the text of Varkari sect of Hinduism, Jnanndev Gatha, Jnannesvar and Muktai instruct Namdev to journey to temple of Aundha Nagnath in search of a proper preacher. In the temple, Namdev finds Visoba resting with his feet on the lingam, the symbol of Shiva. Namdev reproached him for having insulted Shiva. Visoba asked Namdev to place his feet elsewhere and wherever Namdev placed Visoba`s feet, a lingam sprang up. Thus, through his yogic powers, Visoba filled the whole temple with Shiva-lingam and taught Namdev the omnipresence of God.
Once when he was chanting the bhajans in front of the temple with his gurus like Jñanesvar, Visoba Khechara and few more Varkari, the temple pujari told them their singing in front of the temple is disturbing their routine puja and prayers and asked them to go away from temple.
The temple priest told Bhagat Namdev not to chant the bhajans in the temple premises. It made him an insult. The priest of the temple told that he is of lower caste and why he has come to the temple. Then Bhagat Namdev went back side of Aundha Nagnath Temple and started singing bhajans there. But God, in order to be in the sight of the pining devotee and listen bhajans, revolved the temple. It is testimonial to that miracle why Nandi is located on back side of Aundha Nagnath Temple.
In the late medieval era, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism is said to have visited Audha Nagnath temple when he travelled in the Lonar Lake region and also visited Narsi Bamani, the birthplace of Namdev. It may be mentioned here that Namdev is also revered in Sikhism, as Bhagat Namdeo.
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Aundha Nagnath Temple
