Kalaram Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Ojhar Nashik International Airport is about 24 km from the city centre.

• By train

  Nashik Road railway station is about 10 km away.

• By road

  The temple is inside Nashik city, about 3 km from Nashik Central Bus Stand.

Why devotees come here

Kalaram Temple stands in Panchavati, Nashik, and is dedicated to Rama. A black stone idol gives the temple its name. It is described as one of the finest modern temples of Ramji in western India.

Kalaram Temple is a Hindu temple in Panchavati, Nashik, dedicated to Rama. It takes its name from the black stone idol in its sanctum. Legend says Sardar Rangrao Odhekar, a nobleman of the Maratha Empire, had a divine vision of a black statue of Rama submerged in the Godavari river. Another account says temple Brahmins threw the idol into the Godavari to keep it safe.

Odhekar built the temple in 1782 on the site of an old wooden temple. Records differ on the start year, with 1788 also given. The temple is described as a masterpiece of Hemadpanthi architecture. Its main spire rises 70 feet and ends in a gold-plated peak. Four gates face north, south, east and west.

In 1930, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led a major satyagraha here, demanding equal rights for Dalits to enter and worship. On 2 March 1930, he organised a large protest outside the temple. Inside the sanctum, standing black stone images of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are about 2 feet tall. The main shrine of Rama has 14 steps, said to stand for Rama's 14 years of exile. The temple lies within the Panchavati area of Nashik City.

Festivals

• Chaitra (March-April)Ram Navami

  Ram Navami is celebrated at the temple in Chaitra.

Tips for your visit

• City buses and auto rickshaws are available from various corners of the city to reach the temple.
• Pilgrims also visit the Kapaleshwar Mahadev temple near Kalaram Temple.

Questions people ask