Shri Gurumandir, Karanja Lad

Getting there

• By air

  Daily flights run from Mumbai to Nagpur, the nearest airport to Karanja.

• By train

  Murtajapur is one of the closest major railway stations, on the Mumbai to Howrah line. Akola, also on that line, is another option, with a local bus or taxi to Karanja.

• By road

  Coming on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, take the Karanja Laad exit. The highway has signs that guide you to it.

Book and check

Official pages only. We do not sell darshan passes or tours.

• Puja details and sponsorshipgurumandir.org

Rules to know

• Only a designated purohit may enter the sanctum, and the temple keeps this rule strictly.

Why devotees come here

Shri Gurumandir stands in Karanja Lad, in Washim district, Maharashtra. It is built at the birthplace of Shri Nrusimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj, the second incarnation of Dattatreya.

Devotees regard Shri Nrusimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj as the second incarnation of Dattatreya, and the temple is built at his birthplace in Karanja. At about seven years old he left home alone and walked on pilgrimage to Kashi. Devotees believe he ended his avatar work at Shri Shailyam in Andhra Pradesh by wading into the Krishna River.

Later he returned to Karanja at about 30 to meet his parents. He then settled at Ganagapur, now in Karnataka, for the last 20 years of his life. Karanja itself is in Washim district, Maharashtra.

The janmasthan, the birthplace shrine, sits just behind the Gurumandir. The temple celebrates the Jayanti of Shri Nrusimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj with customary festivities. Each morning, the activities begin early with Kakad arti and Shankha-naad.

Festivals

• Full moon day of the Margashirsha monthDatta Jayanti

  The temple observes Shri Dattatreya Jayanti as one of its special days, with special puja.

• Each year, over six weeksAnnual six-week Utsav

  The high point of the temple's activities every year.

Tips for your visit

• Contact the temple in advance when you plan your visit, as the official site asks.
• On Thursdays, a palkhi carries the utsav-murti, the festival image, around the main temple, with bhajans.
• The official site has a separate page on puja and sponsorship.

Questions people ask