Washim: Banjara Culture, Temples and River Landscapes

In Washim District, places connected with Banjara history and religious pilgrimage sites meet rivers, hills and the Sonal or Sonala Reservoir. The attractions are located in different places across the district. When planning your trip, you can treat culture, religious traditions and landscapes as different areas of focus.

Banjara History and Religious Sites

The Banjara Virasat Nangara Museum in Poharadevi is dedicated to the history, culture and traditions of the Banjara community. The four-storey museum has thirteen galleries with historical exhibits about the Banjara way of life. An evening light, music and laser show takes place daily and complements a museum visit. Check the current show times before your visit.

Religious memorials also shape Poharadevi and Pohradevi. The Samadhi, or memorial shrine, of the revered Banjara saint and social reformer Sant Sewalal Maharaj is located there. At the Jagdamba Devi Temple, devotees pray for blessings. Together, the museum, Samadhi and temple offer insights into different aspects of the area’s religious and cultural life.

Temples and Recurring Pilgrimage Festivals

In Shirpur, the Antariksha Parshwanath Jain Temple is dedicated to Lord Parshwanath, the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism. Thousands of pilgrims visit this temple every year. The place is also associated with a story from the Jain tradition: according to the story, the idol floated in the air and marked the spot where the temple was to be built in 1142 CE. The temple thus combines religious significance with a traditional account of its founding.

The temple of Shri Kanifnath Maharaj is located on a high hill in Savargaon. A staircase leads from the entrance to the lower area; the temple can also be reached from the south by a paved road. A nine-day pilgrimage event is held there every year on Datta Purnima. If you are planning a trip for the festival, check the exact event dates in advance.

In Chikhali, the Jholebaba Sansthan is the Samadhi of Sant Jhole Baba. Devotees queue there for darshan on every full moon. The Poush Pournima Yatra Mahotsav is also celebrated every year; many devotees take part and receive Mahaprasad. The regular full-moon darshan and the annual yatra are two separate occasions to consider when planning your timing.

The Balaji Temple in Washim City has a spacious paved courtyard, a well-developed veranda for pilgrims and a bhandara for Brahmins. One account of the temple says that around 1760, one of the buried idols associated with it was discovered by chance by a horseman. In Rithad, the Hemadpanthi Murudeshwar Temple was renovated by the village community without moving the original idol.

Rivers, Reservoir and Terrain

The Sonal or Sonala Dam is an embankment dam on the Aran, a tributary of the Godavari, near Mangrulpir. The associated reservoir is perennial and is used for domestic and agricultural needs, as well as fish farming. This makes the site useful in several ways: the reservoir is not just a body of water, but also serves different needs in the district.

The Penganga is the main river flowing through Washim District. The district is also part of the Deccan Plateau and includes hills, plains, and hilly, undulating terrain near riverbanks. These varied landforms and the rivers offer a broad impression of the landscape, while the temples and attractions mentioned are not all located in one place.

Plan Your Transport and Hotel Location

Washim is connected to other cities by MSRTC buses. State bus services operate, among other places, from Malegaon, Mangrulpir, Manora, Risod, Hingoli and Pusad. Check current services and departure times before setting off.

Poharadevi or Pohradevi is relevant for visiting the museum and memorials; other destinations are in places such as Shirpur, Savargaon, Chikhali, Rithad and Washim City. Plan around the places you actually want to visit, and check the connection between your hotel and your planned stops separately.

Discover more destinations: Adoli, Buldhana, Parbhani, Aurangabad, Akola, Gondia, Satara, Raigad.

For the main travel overview: Maharashtra.