Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) Temple, Kolhapur

श्री महालक्ष्मी (अंबाबाई) मंदिर, कोल्हापूर

Mahalakshmi · Ambabai, Karveer Nivasini

Four-armed standing image with a lion behind her and a Shiva linga on the crown

Kolhapur, Maharashtra · Shakta tradition

The Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram places this temple seventh in its list of eighteen seats of the goddess, in the line 'Kolhapure Mahalakshmi'.

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Darshan hours
  • 4:00 am – 10:00 pm · Temple open
  • 4:30 am – 12:30 pm · Morning darshan
  • 1:00 pm – 8:30 pm · Afternoon darshan
Next aarti or puja (India time)
See the schedule below
Getting there
Train: Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus, Kolhapur (KOP)Air: Kolhapur Airport (Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport)

Not yet confirmed: dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths, walking distance. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

2 accounts are recorded. Each is told separately, in the words of its own tradition — they are never merged.

Family note: this story includes violence or death.
Told in: The Devi Bhagavata Purana, Book 7 (the Sati frame and the name Mahalakshmi at Karavira); the Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram (the place in the list of eighteen)

The seat at Karavira

The account opens with the frame shared by every Shakti Peetha. In the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Sati, the daughter of Daksha, is married to Shiva. Daksha later insults Shiva, and Sati resolves to give up the body born of Daksha. She burns it in a fire that rises out of yoga. Shiva destroys Daksha's sacrifice, cuts off his head and sets a goat's head in its place. Then he lifts Sati's body onto his neck and roams from country to country. Vishnu cuts the body to pieces with his arrows, and wherever a part falls, Shiva remains there in another form.

The same chapter then lists the seats of the goddess, and among them names her "as Mahalakshmi in the sacred place of Karavira". Karavira, or Karveer, is the old name of the part of Kolhapur where the temple stands; the Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page still places the temple in the Karveer area. The Purana's list does not say which part of Sati's body fell here, and none is supplied here.

A second, shorter list, the Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram, names eighteen seats in a fixed order and puts this one seventh: "Kolhapure Mahalakshmi". The stotram is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara. No scholarly source confirming that attribution has been found, so it is given here as tradition.

The Utsav page adds the local reading of the place. Karveer is called an avimukta-kshetra, where Lakshmi and Vishnu are held to live permanently, and the whole region is described as held in the right hand of the mother Jagadamba, which protects it from destruction. The Ramakrishna Math in Kolhapur records the title the city carries as a result: Dakshin Kashi, the Kashi of the south.

The episode explains the name visitors still hear for the goddess. She is Karveer Nivasini, she who dwells at Karveer — the form, the Math notes, in which Maratha-period records under Shivaji and Tarabai name her: Shri Karveer Nivasini Ambabai.

Where this account comes from

  • Purana: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Book 7, ch. 30, vv. 26–50 (Sati's death, the destruction of the sacrifice, the division of her body) and vv. 53–102 (the list of seats), tr. Swami Vijnanananda sacred-texts.com
  • Hymn: Aṣṭādaśa Śakti Pīṭha Stotram, line 'Kolhāpure Mahālakṣmī, Māhurye Ekavīrikā'. Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara; that attribution is unverified. hindupedia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Scholarship: Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur, 'History of Kolhapur' — sections on Karveer Mahatmya and the goddess's names kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09
Told in: The Karavira Mahatmya, ch. 4, as summarised by the Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur, and by Live History India

Kolasura and the city's name

The Karavira Mahatmya, the local praise-text of Kolhapur, gives its fourth chapter to the slaying of the demon Kolasura. The goddess comes to Karveer to protect its people and kills him there. His dying wish is that the land carry his name, and it is granted: Kolapur, Kolhapur. Live History India dates the written Mahatmya to around 1730 CE. The episode explains the city's name and casts the goddess as Karveer's protector.

Read this account

Kolhapur's name comes from a second story, told in the Karavira Mahatmya, the local praise-text of the place. Its fourth chapter is titled "The Slaying of Kolasura".

A demon named Kolasura troubles the people of the region. The goddess comes to Karveer to protect them, and she kills him there. Before he dies, Kolasura asks one thing: that the land should be known by his name. The boon is granted, and the place becomes Kolapur — Kolhapur.

The Mahatmya keeps the title the goddess earns in the episode. The Ramakrishna Math in Kolhapur quotes a verse from it that begins "karavirapure ramye samsthito'suramardini", naming the slayer of the asura who stands in Karavirapura.

The written form of the story is not ancient. Live History India dates the Kolhapur Mahatmya to around 1730 CE and summarises it the same way: the goddess came to protect the local people from a demon, and his dying wish was that the place be named after him. The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India page compresses the episode into one line — the city takes its name from the demon king Kolhasur, who asked that it be named in his honour.

The story sits beside the Shakti Peetha account rather than replacing it. Incredible India records a related local belief that Kolhapur is home to three forms of Shakti: Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. And the image in the sanctum, as the Utsav page describes it, carries a fighter's equipment as well as a householder's: a mace in the upper right hand and a shield in the upper left, a mahalunga fruit and a drinking bowl in the lower hands, and a lion, her mount, standing behind her.

What the episode explains is the city's name, and the goddess's standing in it as the protector of Karveer and not only as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

Where this account comes from

  • Purana: Karavira Mahatmya, ch. 4, 'The Slaying of Kolasura' — chapter title, summary and verse as given by Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Incredible India, 'Mahalaxmi Temple', Kolhapur incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

In one minute

Why Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) Temple, Kolhapur matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. The Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram places this temple seventh in its list of eighteen seats of the goddess, in the line 'Kolhapure Mahalakshmi'.

    Source for: The Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Stotram places this temple seventh in its list of e
    • Hymn: Aṣṭādaśa Śakti Pīṭha Stotram, line 'Kolhāpure Mahālakṣmī, Māhurye Ekavīrikā'. Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara; that attribution is unverified. hindupedia.com · seen 2026-10-09

  2. The Devi Bhagavata Purana's list of the goddess's seats names her 'as Mahalakshmi in the sacred place of Karavira', the old name of this part of Kolhapur.

    2 sources for: The Devi Bhagavata Purana's list of the goddess's seats names her 'as Mahalakshm
    • Purana: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Book 7, ch. 30, vv. 53–102, tr. Swami Vijnanananda — list of the seats of the Devi sacred-texts.com
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  3. Twice a year, during Kiranotsav, the setting sun's rays travel through the temple's west-facing entrance and halls and fall on the goddess, moving from her feet to her face over successive evenings.

    2 sources for: Twice a year, during Kiranotsav, the setting sun's rays travel through the templ
    • Scholarship: Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur (branch centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur), 'History of Kolhapur' — section on Kiranotsav kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09
    • Press: UNI, 'Five-day-long Kirnostav begins in Shree Mahalaxmi temple of Kolhapur', 9 November (year not printed on the page) uniindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

  4. The goddess faces west, and her crown carries a Shiva linga set in a yoni and sheltered by a cobra hood.

    Source for: The goddess faces west, and her crown carries a Shiva linga set in a yoni and sh
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Hemadpanthi

Government tourism pages disagree. Incredible India calls the temple Hemadpanti; the Maharashtra Department of Tourism describes 'traditional Chalukya architecture', and the Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page says its structure and carvings point to the Chalukya period. It is shown here as Hemadpanti, but the style remains disputed until an architectural study is found.

  • Sanctum

    The west-facing goddess

    The four-armed goddess facing west, with a mace and shield in her upper hands, a mahalunga fruit and a bowl in her lower hands, a lion behind her, and a small Shiva linga under a cobra hood on her crown (Utsav).

    Where to stand: On the axis of the halls in front of the sanctum, looking east.

  • Detail

    The Kiranotsav sun-path

    The straight run from the west entrance (Mahadwar) through the halls to the sanctum: on the Kiranotsav evenings the setting sun follows it and lights the goddess from feet to face over successive days (Ramakrishna Math; UNI).

    Where to stand: In the halls on the west–east axis, near sunset on the Kiranotsav dates.

  • Spire

    The shrine in the dome

    The tower above the sanctum, which Live History India reports holds a Shiva shrine said to balance the goddess's Shakti; it is no longer open to the public.

  • Enclosure

    Gateways and sub-shrines

    The elaborate gateways and the several sub-shrines of the complex, which Live History India attributes to donations from Maratha aristocrats after Kolhapur became a royal capital.

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

Temple open4:00 am – 10:00 pm
Morning darshan4:30 am – 12:30 pm
Afternoon darshan1:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Evening aarti7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Confirm on the day. Times change on festival days and without notice. These times are not from the temple’s own notice.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

We have not yet confirmed how much walking or climbing is involved, or whether there is wheelchair access. If you are travelling with elders, ask at the temple office or the devasthanam enquiry counter before you set out.

Crowds: The Ministry of Tourism advises visiting on weekdays to avoid crowds.

Getting there

  • By air: Kolhapur Airport (Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport) · about 13 kmDistance as given by the Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page. Incredible India also names Pune International Airport as an option.
  • By train: Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus, Kolhapur (KOP) · about 3 km
  • By road: Kolhapur bus stand · about 3 km

PIN 416012 (not yet checked with India Post)

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

  • Kiranotsavकिरणोत्सव

    Late January–early February and early–mid November

    Twice a year the setting sun's rays reach the goddess through the west entrance, lighting her feet, then her body, then her face over successive evenings. The Ramakrishna Math gives about 31 January–2 February and 9–11 November; a UNI report gives five-day windows of 30 January–3 February and 9–13 November.

  • Navaratri

    Sep–Oct · Ashvina, Shukla paksha

    The Maharashtra tourism department names Navaratri as the temple's major celebration.

Customs you will see here

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. A seat of the goddess at Karavira

    In the Devi Bhagavata Purana's account, the places where parts of Sati's body fall become seats of the goddess, and the list names her as Mahalakshmi at Karavira. The Purana does not say in which yuga this happened.

    Source for: A seat of the goddess at Karavira
    • Purana: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Book 7, ch. 30, tr. Swami Vijnanananda sacred-texts.com

In the historical record

  1. c. 634

    Shrine built in the Chalukya period

    Live History India dates the shrine to around 634 CE and the Chalukya ruler Karnadeva. The Ministry of Tourism's Utsav page gives the Chalukya reign, around 600–700 CE, and the Maharashtra tourism department says the temple was originally built in the 7th century and that the present structure dates to the 9th.

    3 sources for: Shrine built in the Chalukya period
    • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
    • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
    • Government: Department of Tourism, Maharashtra, 'Mahalaxmi Temple' (spotlight page) aai-portal.maharashtratourism.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09

  2. c. 1182

    Kolhapur becomes a Shilahara capital

    The shrine gained prominence when a branch of the Shilahara dynasty of Konkan made Kolhapur its capital, around 1182 CE. The Ramakrishna Math notes that the Shilahara rulers styled themselves 'Shri Mahalakshmi labdhavaraprasada', blessed by the grace of Mahalakshmi.

    2 sources for: Kolhapur becomes a Shilahara capital
    • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
    • Scholarship: Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur, 'History of Kolhapur' kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09

  3. c. 1300–1399

    Main temple abandoned; the image hidden

    From the 14th century, during the invasions of the period, the main temple was abandoned and the image was hidden in a priest's house.

    Source for: Main temple abandoned; the image hidden
    • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

  4. c. 1683

    Image reinstalled under Chhatrapati Sambhaji

    In the 17th century Chhatrapati Sambhaji, son of Shivaji, ordered the image reinstalled. He also gave the temple a large bell taken in his Goa campaign of 1683; it carries a Latin inscription and now hangs in the Kolhapur town hall. The year shown is the campaign's; the reinstallation itself is not dated.

    Source for: Image reinstalled under Chhatrapati Sambhaji
    • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

  5. 1709

    Kingdom of Kolhapur established

    Queen Tarabai established the Kingdom of Kolhapur in 1709. Its Maharajas later built a palace beside the temple and renovated it, and donations from Maratha aristocrats grew it into a large complex.

    Source for: Kingdom of Kolhapur established
    • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

Around here

Worth the detour

  • Museum

    Kolhapur Town Hall

    Holds the bell with a Latin inscription that Chhatrapati Sambhaji gave to the temple after his 1683 Goa campaign (Live History India).

  • Temple

    Jyotiba Temple

    Listed by the Ministry of Tourism among the places to visit from Kolhapur.

  • Place

    Rankala Lake

    Listed by the Ministry of Tourism among Kolhapur's attractions.

  • Fort

    Panhala Fort

    Listed by the Ministry of Tourism among the places to visit from Kolhapur.

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Purana: Devi Bhagavata Purana, Book 7, ch. 30, tr. Swami Vijnanananda sacred-texts.com
  • Hymn: Aṣṭādaśa Śakti Pīṭha Stotram, tr. P. R. Ramachander. Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara; that attribution is unverified. hindupedia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Purana: Karavira Mahatmya, ch. 4, 'The Slaying of Kolasura' — as given by Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Scholarship: Ramakrishna Math, Kolhapur, 'History of Kolhapur' kolhapur.rkmm.org · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Utsav portal, 'Shri Mahalaxmi - Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur' utsav.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Incredible India, 'Mahalaxmi Temple', Kolhapur incredibleindia.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Department of Tourism, Maharashtra, 'Mahalaxmi Temple' (spotlight page) aai-portal.maharashtratourism.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: Live History India, Akshay Chavan, 'Kolhapur Mahalakshmi's Tirupati connection', 22 April 2018 livehistoryindia.com · seen 2026-10-09
  • Press: UNI, 'Five-day-long Kirnostav begins in Shree Mahalaxmi temple of Kolhapur', 9 November (year not printed on the page) uniindia.com · seen 2026-10-09

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) Temple, Kolhapur”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/mahalakshmi-kolhapur (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence