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Vithoba Temple
Photo: Udaykumar PR, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Famous temples · Maharashtra

Vithoba Temple

Vithoba, a form of Vishnu, in the sacred town of Pandharpur, Maharashtra

Checked 19 Oct 2026 with 4 sources2 min read

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Getting there

  • By air

    Pune International Airport is the nearest airport, about 210 km away.

  • By train

    Pandharpur railway station is 2 km away, and Bohali is 15 km away.

  • By road

    The MSRTC bus station is about 1 km from the temple. Solapur is 72 km away by road.

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Rules to know

  • All devotees may touch the feet of the Vithoba idol.

Why devotees come here

Vithoba Temple in Pandharpur is the main centre of worship for Vithoba, a form of Vishnu, and his consort Rakhumai. It is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnavate tradition, and a favourite of the Warkari sect in Maharashtra. Pandharpur is 360 km from Mumbai.

Vithoba is a form of Vishnu, and this temple is the main centre of his worship, with his consort Rakhumai. Devotees tell the legend of Pundalik, who was serving his aged parents when the deity came to him. Pundalik threw a brick outside for the deity to stand on and wait until he finished. He then asked the deity to stay on earth and bless true devotees, and the deity agreed and took the form of Vithoba.

Inscriptions date the shrine. An inscription from 1189 records a small Vithoba shrine set up on this site that year. Another, from 1237, describes a temple gateway built by the reigning monarch. Inscriptions from 1273 to 77 record a temple built on the site of the earlier shrine.

The existing structure mainly dates from the 17th century or later, in the later Deccan style, with dome motifs and lobed arches. The temple is divided into six main areas, starting with the smaller Mukti Mandapa. The Warkari sect treats it as a favourite, and over 2 crore devotees visit it a year.

Festivals

  • June-JulyAshadhi Ekadashi

    Warkaris march to Pandharpur in groups called Dindi, and the town comes alive.

  • October-NovemberKartiki Ekadashi

    Warkaris again march to Pandharpur in Dindi processions, and the town comes alive.

Tips for your visit

  • Pundalik Temple, dedicated to Sant Pundalik, is one of the most revered sites in Pandharpur.
  • Sangola Fort, 50 km from Pandharpur, suits visitors who enjoy history.

Darshan at home

Not in the app yet

Vithoba Temple is not in the Divya Darshan 360 app yet. These Famous temples temples are, with darshan videos you can watch at home:

In the appChamundeshwari Temple, MysuruChamundi Hill, Mysuru, KarnatakaIn the appDakshineswar Kali Temple, KolkataDakshineswar, North 24 Parganas, near Kolkata, West BengalIn the appShirdi Sai Baba Temple, MaharashtraShirdi, Rahata taluka, Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra
Get the appAndroid

The app is free, Android only. For darshan as if you are standing there, see the VR box (₹899, or ₹949 cash on delivery).

Questions people ask

Which saints do devotees honour before entering the temple?

Before going in, visitors pay respects at the samadhi shrines of Sant Namdev and Sant Chokhamela, two Bhakti saints.

Is winter a good time to visit?

Yes, the winter months from November to February suit a quieter visit. The festival months bring large processions of Warkari pilgrims.

What is the Abhimana Kshethram status of this temple?

The Vaishnavate tradition counts it among its 108 Abhimana Kshethrams.

How we checked this page

On 19 Oct 2026 we checked every fact on this page against these sources, official ones first. Anything we could not confirm is left out.

  1. Pandharpur, Department of Tourism Maharashtra maharashtratourism.gov.in
  2. Pandharpur temple allows women, men of all castes as priests, The Hindu thehindu.com
  3. Vithoba Temple, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  4. Pandharpur, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

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