Tulapur: The Seldom Explored Sanctum

 

Huddled away just past the suburb of Wagholi is a seldom explored hamlet with a gruesome history. For a place that closely guards grisly secrets of the Maratha empire, Tulapur is exceptionally peaceful and charming.

Perfect for a breezy road trip, Tulapur lies 30 km away from Pune station. We set off one cloudy December morning and watched the concrete city jungles fade away to welcome picturesque Tulapur.

Our first stop was Triveni Sangam, the blue-green river that was to us, the central attraction at this rustic haven. Its a juncture where three rivers – Brahma, Bhima and Indrayani converge, to flow forward as one. A splash of oars against the calm waters indicated the arrival of a boatman clad in a starched white dhoti and signature Gandhi topi.

Sambhaji Maharaj’s Execution

In March 1689, the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb battled Sambhaji Raje at Tulapur viciously dismembering him before tossing the pieces into the holy waters.
Legend states that the locals fished out the pieces to sew the corpse together.
They then erected a Samadhi for the Maratha leader. This earned them the moniker ‘Shewale’ i.e to sew.

He flashed us a toothless grin offering to ferry us around the waters. We clambered over the rocks onto his sturdy little boat only to glide across the cool water.

Our boatman turned guide, telling us all about how Chattrapati Shivaji’s son Sambhaji was brutally murdered by Aurangazeb on these very banks.

 

Up next, we made our way to the celebrated Sangameshwar Temple. Built at a time when this hamlet was called Nagargaon, the shrine flaunts 16th century architecture. Folklore states that this was the meeting ground of Rudranath Maharaj, Shahaji Maharaj and Murarpant Jagadev. Pleased with the villagers hospitality, the trio intended to gift the locals an elephant’s weight in gold.

The actual weighing ceremony earned the place its current name of Tulapur. The bespectacled pandit walked us to the ancient Shiva temple telling us about the tiny Shivling that was smeared with Kumkum and Haldi. He revealed that the shrine was busy with poojas round the clock come Maha Shivratri. Beguiling us to visit just after the monsoon, he mentioned that the rains ensure the river is thronging with a strong current making the riverside temple a mesmerising sight indeed!

We opted to head for a quick brunch in the temple complex and enjoyed a hearty snack of Kande Bhajjis and Spiced Mattha. Munching our food on the ghats, we caught sight of an artist working on a stunning sketch of the riverside. After a few merry moments of skimming stones across the waters, we made our way to the Dharmveer Sambhaji Smarak.

A short walk away from the temple, our stroll to the Smarak was a beautiful one along winding lanes dotted with villager’s huts. Once there, an imposing effigy of the fallen Maratha leader Sambhaji greeted us. An interesting sight, it is set on top of a podium with Sambhaji’s foot resting on a lion’s head.

Faultlessly maintained, the temple, as well as the surrounding attractions, have their own charm. Tulapur exudes a rustic allure that makes an idyllic visit on a short trip for busy Puneites who want to stop and smell the roses.

Aditi Balsaver