सातारा शहराच्या नैऋत्येस ९ किमी. सज्जनगड च्या पायथ्याशी ' परळी ' हे प्राचीन गाव आहे. या गावाच्या बाहेर काही अंतरावर हेमाडपंथी बांधणीची दोन प्राचीन शिवमंदिरे आहेत अभ्यासकांच्या मते त्याची बांधणी यादव काळात १३ व्या शतकात झाली असावी .
शेजाशेजारी असणाऱ्या या दोन शिवमंदिरांपैकी दक्षिणेस असणाऱ्या मंदिराची पूर्णपणे पडझड झालेली आहे. त्यातील फक्त गर्भगृहाचा भाग शिल्लक आहे .याला विरुपाक्ष मंदिर म्हणतात.
त्याच्या शेजारी असणारे मुख्य मंदिर मात्र बऱ्यापैकी स्थितीत आहे. त्याची रचना सभामंडप , अंतराळ आणि गर्भगृह अशी आहे .अंतराळ चार स्तंभांवर आधारलेले असून त्यांतील दोन पूर्णस्तंभ आहेत. सभामंडप सोळा स्तंभांवर आधारलेला असून त्यातील चार पूर्णस्तंभ आहेत. सभामंडपात दोन देवकोष्टके आहेत, पण ते रिकामे आहेत. याला केदारेश्वर मंदिर म्हणतात.
सभामंडपात अत्यंत सुंदर आणि रेखीव नंदी आहे.
पैकी दक्षिणेकडचे मंदिर बहुधा आधी बांधलेले असावे. आता याची खुप पडझड झाली आहे. कदाचित याची मोडतोड विजापुरच्या किंवा मोघलांच्या आक्रमणात झाली असावी. मंदिराच्या खांबांवर सुंदर अशी शिल्पे कोरलेली आहेत. त्यामधील काही आभासी शिल्पे आहे..
मंदिराच्या दर्शनी भागावर डाव्या आणि उजव्या बाजूस ' मिथुनशिल्पे ' ( कामशिल्पे ) कोरलेली आहेत.
मंदिरासमोर एक कोरीव मानस्तंभ आहे. त्याचा तुटलेला अर्धा भाग समोरच ठेवलेला आहे. त्याच्या शेजारी एक पंचमुखी शिवलिंग आहे. हे सदाशिवाचे अव्यक्त रूप आहे , सदाशिव म्हणजे सद्योजत , वामदेव , अघोर, तात्पुरुष आणि ईशान या शिवाच्या पाच अवस्था दाखवणारी ही प्रतिमा आहे . या पंचावस्थिती म्हणजे पृथ्वी, आग, तेज, वायू, व आकाश.
शिवाच्या सदाशिव रूपातील अनेक मूर्ती उपलब्ध आहेत, त्या व्यक्त स्वरूपातील आहेत . येथे ही अव्यक्त रूपातील आहे.
मंदिराच्या समोरील परिसरात एक मान तुटलेला नंदी आहे.
एका चौथर्‍यावर शिवलिंग व शेजारी गणेशाची मुर्ती आहे. आम्ही गेलो होतो तो दिवस मंगळवार असल्याने कोणीतरी गजाननाला जास्वंदी वाहिली होती.
महादेव म्हणले कि नंदी आलाच. समोर हि नंदीची सुंदर मुर्ती.
शेजारी पुष्कळ वीरगळ शिल्पे आहेत त्यातील अनेक वीरगळ वर नक्षीदार काम केलेले आहे.
याच परिसरात अनेक समाध्या आहेत.बहुधा त्या लिगायत समाजातील असाव्यात.
शेजारी एक सुंदरशी ' पुष्करणी' आहे पण देखभाली अभावी सध्या ती नामशेष होण्याच्या मार्गावर आहे.
हे प्राचीन मंदिर सध्या दुर्लक्षित अवस्थेत आहे . या मंदिराकडे सहसा कोणी येत नाही. एके काळी समृद्धीच्या परमोच्च शिखरावर असणारे हे मंदिर सध्या ' एकांतवास ' भोगत आहे. गावापासून दूरवर असणारे हे मंदिर सध्या रिकाम टेकडे, गर्दुल्ले आणि प्रेमीयुगुलांचे विश्रांतीस्थान बनले आहे. काही वर्षांपूर्वी या मंदिराला स्थानिकांनी लोखंडी फाटक बनवून काहीसा संरक्षणात्मक उपाय अवलंबिला असला तरी आजही भरदिवसा येथे स्मशान शांतता अनुभवता येते. परिसरातील लोकांशिवाय इतरांना फारशी माहिती नसल्याने येथे येणाऱ्या पर्यटकांची संख्या अत्यंत कमी आहे. ही कोरीव शिल्पे सध्या अनेक पर्यटकांनी केलेल्या विकृत कृत्यांमुळे रंगहिन बनत आहेत. अनेकांनी आपल्या प्रेमीकांची नांवे कोरून यातील अभिजात शिल्पसौंदर्य बिघडविण्याचा प्रयत्न सुरू केला आहे.
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Puratan Shiv Mandir and Hero Stones – Parali
Parali village (also known as Parli, or Pareli) is located close to the banks of Urmodi river and dam, 1km north of Sajjangad Fort and pilgrimage site, 14km west of Satara and 135km south of Pune. The village serves as one of the starting points for anyone wishing to trek up to Sajjangad Fort as opposed to driving close to the summit.
Located a short distance north-west of the village, the Puratan Shiv Mandir temple site stands in isolation and appears to be rarely visited. None of my reference books mention this temple at all, and nor have I managed to determine much from numerous internet searches. In terms of a photographic record of what exists at this wonderful little site today, I believe this to be the first such attempt.
There are two main temples at the site, both built in a Hemadpanti style. Details of this type of construction can be read in my blog post on the Mallikarjun Temple at Loni Bhapkar.
The southern temple is now ruined and may be the older of the two. Some scholars have suggested that carvings and masonry from this temple were re-used in the construction of the potentially slightly later adjacent northern temple.
The northern temple appears to have the same footprint as its ruined southern counterpart. The mandap measures just over 7m square, with four rows of four pillars 2m apart supporting a flat roof about 3m high. In the center is a round raised platform supporting a Nandi facing the sanctum.
The mandap also houses additional pillars, some of a very different style to what appear to the original ones. I’m not altogether sure if these were later additions inserted to assist in supporting the structure or whether they were part of the original plan for overall the temple.
The interior of the temple is wonderfully carved with geometric motifs, but has no imagery of people or deities carved on the fabric of the interior. Two side niches have been incorporated to house carvings of deities, which are currently used for that purpose.
Outside however, the front balustrade of the temple flanking the entrance is heavily decorated with human imagery, and contains a significant number of panels depicting erotic scenes (one seemingly involving a donkey).
In front of the two south-facing temples are the remains of a number of structures. An elaborately carved Deepstambha (lamp post) or potentially a Victory Pillar on a well carved platform look to be reused materials from perhaps the southern temple.
Nearby is also a crudely constructed pavilion, two Nandis (one headless now), and a beautifully carved Ganesha idol sitting in the open air.
To the north are a few further small shrines, and a 40m square tank which is overgrown now and I only subsequently discovered via Google maps.
The main temple clearly shows evidence that it was renovated during the Maratha era. If the southern temple was desecrated, this may have happened when the Moguls took Parali in 1700 A.D, although it is slightly curious why this wasn’t rebuilt as opposed to constructing a new temple right beside it. That is of course if the theory regarding the dating of these two temples is accurate, and I am by no means an expert on that.
Located in the vicinity of the two temples is a fascinating and somewhat unusual Shiva Linga. I was going to declare this as a Mukhalinga, which usually have four or five faces, sometimes with an invisible fifth face at the top of the linga. Here however we have three equal sized faces on the outside, an “invisible” face of the same size in the center, but an additional two smaller faces on the outside.
So do we have a six-faced Shiva Linga here ? I’m not sure I have come across another such example, but if anyone has any thoughts on this I would appreciate your comments.
Forming an east-west line in front of the main temple entrance are a set of north-facing hero and sati stones. They are in quite good condition, although set in ground that is not maintained at all and so liable to quite a lot of vegetation growth during/post monsoon. For anyone unaware of what hero stones actually are, please read my blog post on the Hero Stones of Loni Bhapkar.
My time here was extremely limited so the documentation of these
stones will not be as thorough as at other sites I have blogged about
recently. I quickly photographed 22 stones here, but I think with more
time I would find significantly more. Perhaps a good excuse to return
here at some point in the future 
Here are the details of the stones I recorded. This starts at the western end nearest the main temple, and heads east away from the temples.
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle against enemy on horseback and on foot
This appears to be a fragment of a Sati Stone. Note the horse on the right is sporting a costume
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle (not totally clear)
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Unclear
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – Two heroes, each with two angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle. One hero was killed by an enemy on foot, the other by an enemy on horseback
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with four angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle. It is not clear why two battle scenes are depicted
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Unknown
Middle Panel – Unknown
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle against an enemy on horseback
This is a Sati Stone, lying face-up on the ground
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle. It is not clear why two battle scenes are depicted
On the left is stone #14, a fragmented upper portion of a hero stone, our hero appears to be accompanied by four angels. On the right is a Sati Stone
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Unknown
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, rest unclear
Middle Panel – Unclear
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with four angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle. These panels depict our hero fighting an enemy both on foot and on horseback
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Unknown
Middle Panel – One hero with two or three angels
Lower Panel – Reason for death – Died in battle
Top Panel – Deity being prayed – Shiva Linga, with Nandi and attendant
Middle Panel – One hero with two angels
Lower Panels – Reason for death – Died in battle. These panels depict our hero fighting an enemy both on foot and on horseback
My time at the Puratan Shiv Temple at Parali was a little short. This was in fact an unplanned excursion as our true destination for the day was the nearby Sajjangad Fort. With a later than planned start and the journey taking longer than anticipated from Pune, the light was rapidly disappearing we had to depart.
For sure one day I will return here and give this wonderful site the attention that it so richly deserves. Even after 21 visits, India never ceases to amaze me in what hidden heritage gems can be found in this spellbinding country.
My thanks to Saili Palande-Datar for making me aware of this site, and to my old friend Alok Dave for the company, photos of the five/six-faced Shiva Linga, and means of transport
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