Shree. Vyadeshwar, Guhagar

Among the Chitpavan Brahmin families, the family deity of most households is Shri Kshetra Vyadeshwar, located on the coast in Guhagar.  

Of the first sixty Chitpavan families who came to the Konkan coast, a Brahmin named Shridhar requested the then king to allow him to settle a village in the area between two rivers by the sea. The king granted Shridhar this land and permitted him to renovate the ancient temple of Shri Vyadeshwar. A Brahmin named Vyad created this Shivling to attain liberation, and he used to worship it and perform penance. Hence, among the awakened places of Shri Bhagwan Shankar on Konkan soil, the Vyadeshwar temple is considered very important. One popular legend of this Vyadeshwar temple is extremely interesting.

The cowherd at King Kamuraja's cattle shed started suspecting his supervisor that the supervisor must be secretly drinking milk from his Kapila cow. Since the strong and healthy Kapila cow was giving less milk than expected, one day, under the pretense of checking the supervisor, the cowherd sneaked behind him and saw that the Kapila cow had entered a small mound. It was standing calmly, relieving itself on a rock. Thinking his supervisor was hiding behind the rock, the cowherd struck it hard with a stick, and the moment he did, blood started flowing from the rock. Terrified, the cowherd ran to tell the king the truth. The king, along with all his officials and attendants, came to the place, cleared the nearby trees, and started digging there. After digging, they saw a Shiva Lingam there. Along with it, he thought that this must be the Vyadeshwar Shiva Lingam in the forest cave. After performing the appropriate worship, he immediately decided to build a temple. That night, the king had a vision in a dream that said, 'Tomorrow morning, whoever is the first person to enter your hall, build a temple as long and wide as the size of their two legs.' The king was astonished. The next day, the first person to enter the hall was a Yavana named Gangadak, who was hunchbacked. Seeing him, the king explained the dream and the vision to everyone present. Gangadak Yavana was also amazed and, to help the king make the temple wider and longer, he allowed both of his legs to be measured and doubled the area. After measuring this space, he sat down, and then a temple of Vyadeshwar of that size was built.

Among the Chitpavan Brahmins, a wealthy priest named Shridhara renovated the Shri Vyadeshwar temple and also restored the temple of his deity, Goddess Durga, and erected a pillar there. Since then, all the Chitpavans of the village Guhagar, where Shridhara settled, have considered Shri Vyadeshwar as their family deity and Goddess Durga as their family goddess.

This Shri Vyadeshwar temple is located near the bus stand in Guhagar village. The area around the temple is spacious and clean, and to the north of the temple is the devotees' residence. The devotees' residence has 8 rooms and provides tea and meals. Additionally, many lodges and dining places have been set up on the road behind the temple.

Behind the temple lives Mr. Chandrashekhar Bhave, and he takes excellent care of the arrangements for worship, abhishek (ritual bathing of the deity), and offerings. Generally, abhishek, maha pooja, milk abhishek, dahi-bhat pooja and abhishek, laghu rudra, and Brahmin meals are performed properly here. Also, if money is sent by post, the pooja and abhishek are done, and prasad and angara (sacred ash) are sent back. 

Mr. Chandrashekhar Bhave conducts the daily worship and Rudra abhishek at the temple.

The annual festivals of this temple are celebrated on Tripuri Pournima and Maha Shivaratri. The Tripuri Pournima festival is currently celebrated by the Marathi families who have relocated to Goa.

There are many buses from Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Mumbai, and Pune to Guhagar. Since it's a taluka place, the village has medical facilities and STD phone booths at various spots.  

Just five minutes behind the temple, there's a vast and wide beach, and Guhagar, adorned with coconut and betel nut gardens and natural beauty, is sure to mesmerize anyone.  

Courtesy - Family Deity: Ajit Patwardhan