Located 4650 feet above sea level, the temple is 20 km from Satara, overlooks the picturesque Purandhar fort. Devotees point out miraculous properties to a grove near the shrine. Local lore speaks that the Mandher Devi Temple, Satara is more than 400 years old and was built during the rule of great Maratha ruler, Shivaji. Though, the exact time and date of the temple`s construction is not known. The titular head of the land is in the name of Lord Mandeshwari and Kandeswari Devi. There is indeed very little tourist traffic during most of the year.
The Mandher Devi temple of Wai near Satara is popular amongst the lower caste Hindus who undertake the annual Kalubai Jatra pilgrimage over a 10-day period in January. The main event however, actually is a 24-hour long festival on the day of full moon, which includes animal sacrifices to the goddess. The remarkable event usually draws 150,000 to 200,000 devotees. The annual fair is held in honour of Kaleshwari Devi, affectionately called Kalubai by the faithful. The idol is decorated with two silver masks and silk finery. The members of the Gurav family, the hereditary custodians of the shrine, carry the masks in the form of a procession. Members of this family move in a cyclic formation to conduct rituals.
