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Kurli is a
small village in Chikodi Talukaof Belgum District in
Karnataka. Kurliis hardly 3 to 4 kilometers away from Appachiwadi. Appachiwadi is a small
Wadi that is under Kurli village. The village has got the
natural beauty and heavenly calmness.
A
brief History
Shree
Halsiddhanath Maharajfirst came to Kurli from Chikodi. One
needs to cross theChikotrariverto reach Kurli. Shree
Maharajsaw Chikotra was flowing
fast and deepfull
in flood. He looked for a boatman but he was called off the
day. So Shree Maharaj decided to stay at Chikhalith at night.
Later on the people build the temple of Shree Halsiddhanath
near the river because this area is blessed with a holy stay
of Shree Maharaj.
In the early
morning, Shree Halsiddhanath Maharaj came to the river bank to
cross the river but still the boatman was not arrived. Now, he
decided to cross the flooded river, and threw his wool blanket
that is a Ghongadaon water
surface. He sat on the blanket, and with his spiritual power
the blanket floated on the water like a boat. Shree
Halsidhanath Maharaj crossed the river on the blanket and
reached to Kurli. People were very surprised to see this.
Maharaj stayed
at Kurli for some days, and then went to Appachiwadi. He chose
Appachiwadi as his Karmabhumi (land of destiny)even though
that is a very small village. Lush greenery, environment of
dark shadows of huge tamarind trees, calmness of green fields,
cold and cool water of streams in Appachiwadiattracted Shree
Maharaj. He decided to stay there and bless the place with his
pious existence. He used to perform penance in the caves at
lonely place. The door of such place is so small that one has
to bend horizontal to enter into the cave.
Fragrance of
his penance, miracles, and blessings spread in the nearby
areas so soon that people started approachinghim with real
trust and faith.People started respecting and trusting him. He
was always referred as an arbitrated in village disputes. He
also used to heal the diseases of poor people with his
spiritual power of quantum healing. He
became godfatherwith his philanthropicalnature cynosure of
eyes.He
started curing and caring people with mothers heart, and
people also started worshiping him as incarnation of
God.
Mahasamadhi
He stayed at
Appachiwadi for long time. After completing his divine tasks,
he decided to take Mahasamadhi. He took Sanjeevan
smadhi like Saint Dnyaneshwar Maharaj of Alandi.
The
concept of Sanjeevan Samadhi is still opaque.
Even the great spiritual scholars fail to understand the
concept of Sanjeevan Samadhi thoroughly. Those who are having
the power, go at this command. Such great personalities
disintegrate and return their body, which is made up of five
natural elements namely Prithvi (earth), Aap (water), Tej
(light-flashes of lightening into it), Vaayu (air), and Aakash
(skyuniversal void). This is just like burning camphor, which
burns powerfully and finally mixes in the air without
maintaining its separate existence than air.
Before His
mahasamadhi, one of the great devotees,
NippanikarSarkarapproached him with a very strange problem.
The Shiv Lingam situated at Jyotibatemple near Kolhapur
(Maharashtra), was distracted suddenly from its original
place. Indeed, this was not a good sign. People performed
poojas, arranged havans, gave
offerings, but the Shiv Lingam did not get back to its
original position. Finally, the scholars came with the
solution that if a holy and righteous king will try, the
Lingam could be placed back at its original place.They came to
Nippanisarkar, and requested him to do so.
Before
shouldering the responsibility, this great devotee of Shree
Maharaj went for Maharajs pious glimpses and asked for
thepermission to do so.Maharaj smiled and replied that Sarkar
would be definitely successful in this mission. But, before
leaving, Maharaj asked Sarkar to strictly avoid any kind of
honor after achieving the success.Sarkar went to Jyotiba
temple and tried to reset the Shi Lingam. And, with the grace
of Shree Maharaj, the Jyotiba Shivalingam was reset. This was
really a miracle that no one has ever heard or seen. Stunned
with the miracle, people lifted Sarkar with an honor, and made
him a chief of the procession.Before he realized, people put
him in the chariot. Sarkar was now a center of attraction of
all the devotees. This happened so suddenly and unknowingly
that Sarkarcould not get a chance to say anything or deny this
honor.He was not very happy with this honor because this was a
kind of disgrace of the order of Shree Maharaj. When the
celebration was over, Sarkar immediately went to Appachiwadi.
But it was too late. Before Sarkar reach appachiwadi, Maharaj
already had taken Samadhiat the destined place. With a great
repentance and melancholy Sarkar tried to uncover the smadhi,
but the threatening voice came from inside the Samadhi and
restricted him to do so.
Currently, the
Samadhi is known as Ghumat. As it was a Bahamani
regime, the Samadhi is constructed in a dome shape in a
mohammadian style. Both Hindu and Muslim devotees come for the
pious glimpses of Samadhi. They offer flowers, galeef (pious
cloth), chandan (sandalwood powder ), and burn camphor in
front of the Samadhi. In return, the pujaries give bhandara
(holy turmeric powder) to the devotees. Ambeel that is a soup
made up of nachani or finger millet grainsis offered as a
naivedyam to shreeMaharaj. This is the cheapest offering that
poor rustic can afford and easily offer to the god. And,
sympathetic and kind Maharaj also used to like this offering
very much. Nowadays, every devotee who visitsthe Samadhiat
Appachiwadigets the ambil as
prasadam.
Yatra and
Rituals
Every year, on
the Ashwini nakshatra there is
huge celebration and pilgrimage at Appachiwadi. Laksof
pilgrims come to visit this holy place. They perform Pooja,
Abhishek, put chandanlep, and participatein the palkhi
procession. The procession includes the horses, palanquins,
drum-bearers, and lakh of devotees. The palanquin performs a
nagarpradakshina
that is circumambulation to the village and enters into the
court of Shree Maharaj. The court is so huge that thousands of
people can stand and sit at a time. The devotees mostly
includefarmers and shepherdswho offer their crops and wool to
the god in order to achieve good profit in the coming future.
The temple gets filled with bhandara, which is symbol of the
blessings of Shree Maharaj. The temple filled with bhandara is looked
like theKailasmountain covered with the golden sunrays spread
over. The atmosphere is filled with the sound with hundreds of
huge drums that resemblethe holy sound of Soham of lord Shiva.
Mainly the farmers and people come to know the yearly fortune
of their crops, politics, weather, and livelihood. These days
the courtyard of the temple is full of bullock carts, people,
drums, wool, and blankets. Every year there is a huge fair in
the temple premises.People come with their families to take
glimpses and to sell and purchase good. They come to sale and
purchase and sell their cows, bullock, goats, and
pets.
The pilgrims
and devotees come every year to Appachiwadi. They offer their
offerings, pray for their wellbeing, health, peace, and
prosperity to Shree Maharaj, and return to come back next year
to meet Maharaj.
Now a Days
Appachiwadi Kurli became a
Thirthsthal in western
Maharashtra. | 
