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/Ekavirasini Shakti Peeth (Mahur Renuka)
Shakti Peeth
Ekavirasini Shakti Peeth (Mahur Renuka)
एकवीरासिनी शक्ति पीठ (माहुर रेणुका)
Location
Mahur, Maharashtra
Darshan
05:00 – 21:00
Deity
🪔Maa Renuka / Ekavirasini — Sati's upper teeth (dantavadana) fell here per Shakti Peeth tradition
Entry
Free entry
Approximate timings; temple typically open early morning through evening. Verify locally, especially during festival periods. Timings may vary seasonally.
Mahur (also Mahurgad) is one of the most important Shakti Peeth sites in Maharashtra, carrying exceptional regional significance as part of the Saad Devi — the 3.5 Shakti Peeths of Maharashtra tradition (Kolhapur, Tuljapur, Mahur, and Vani/Saptashringi as the 'half'). The presiding deity is Maa Renuka, also called Ekavirasini — the "One Heroic (Vira) Goddess." Per Shakti Peeth tradition, Sati's upper teeth fell at this site. The hill of Mahurgad also contains a famous Dattatreya temple, making it a site of both Shakta and Vaishnava-Nath significance. The Renuka-Parashuram myth is deeply associated with this site: Parashuram's mother Renuka was a chaste woman whose brief lapse in concentration led to a terrible command from her husband sage Jamadagni — and the resulting events are enshrined in both temple legend and ritual practice here.
History
Mahur's history as a pilgrimage site is ancient; the Renuka temple predates the medieval period. The association with the Parashuram legend places it in the Puranic-Vedic matrix. The Dattatreya connection links it to the medieval Nath-Shaiva tradition that flourished in Maharashtra. The town of Mahur developed as a pilgrimage settlement around the Mahurgad hill, which hosts multiple shrines.
Mythology
Two mythological threads converge at Mahur: 1. SHAKTI PEETH: After Sati's immolation and Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra severing her body, the upper teeth (danta) fell at Mahur, making it one of the 51 sacred Shakti Peeths. 2. RENUKA MYTH: Renuka was the wife of sage Jamadagni and mother of Parashuram. On one occasion her mind was momentarily distracted by a passing king, and the sage perceived her as impure. He commanded his sons to behead her. Only Parashuram, the youngest, obeyed. Pleased with his obedience, Jamadagni offered Parashuram a boon; he asked for his mother's restoration to life. Jamadagni complied. The decapitated heads and bodies, per various tellings, became associated with Mahur and nearby sites. The goddess Renuka here embodies the power of chaste motherhood, sacrifice, and rebirth.
05:00–06:00
Pratah Aarti (Morning)
Dawn aarti; first darshan of the day
~12:00
Madhyanha Puja (Midday)
Midday puja and naivedya offering
~18:00–19:00
Sandhya Aarti (Evening)
Evening aarti with lamps
~20:00–21:00
Shayan Aarti (Night)
Night closing aarti