A short drive over Dive ghat
From Hadapsar, the road climbs Dive ghat with views back over the city and down to Saswad, the town of Sant Sopandev. From there it is a flat run through farmland to Jejuri, where you can see the temple on the hill from a distance. This is the same road the Sant Dnyaneshwar palkhi takes on its way to Pandharpur, so during the wari season it is closed or diverted for some days.
Because it is close to the city, a Pune to Jejuri tempo traveller trip is easy to fit into a weekend morning, even with young children or older parents.
Sonyachi Jejuri, the golden town
Khandoba, also known as Malhari Martand, is a form of Lord Shiva and the kuldaivat of a large number of families across Maharashtra, from farming and Dhangar communities to many urban households. Devotees throw bhandara, a mix of turmeric, as they climb and pray, so the steps, the walls and everyone’s faces turn bright yellow. This is why the town is lovingly called “Sonyachi Jejuri”, the golden Jejuri.
The main temple stands on Jejuri gad, reached by a stone stairway lined with lamp pillars (deepmals). Higher up the hill is Kadepathar, considered the older seat of Khandoba, which some devotees also visit.
The climb and the darshan
The stairway to the main temple is wide and paved, but it is steep in parts, so take it at your own pace. Along the way you pass small shrines, lamp pillars and stalls selling bhandara, coconuts and photos of Khandoba. From the top there is a wide view over the plains, and on a clear morning you can see a long way across Purandar taluka.
Inside, Khandoba is worshipped with his consort Mhalsa, and you will often see newly married couples coming for blessings, sometimes with the groom carrying the bride up part of the steps, a well-loved local custom. Families visiting their kuldaivat often perform a jagran or gondhal, so the temple feels lively almost every day.
When to go
Jejuri is busiest on Somvati Amavasya, Champa Shashthi and Dasara, when lakhs of devotees come and the whole hill turns yellow. These are wonderful days to see the tradition at its fullest, but expect slow traffic on the Saswad road. For a quieter visit, choose a weekday morning and start the climb before the sun gets strong.
Making a day of it
If you have a full day, the drive pairs nicely with nearby places. Mayureshwar at Morgaon is just down the road and is traditionally the first temple of the Ashtavinayak. Saswad has the samadhi of Sant Sopandev, and the Datta temple at Narayanpur is a short detour. Our list of one-day trips from Pune has more ideas for short group outings.
Vehicle and fare for a short trip
If you are booking a Pune to Jejuri tempo traveller for a family of 8 to 10, the 12-seater is usually ideal. Fares are per km with a daily minimum distance, and toll, parking and driver allowance are usually added on outstation runs. The price page explains how it works.
