Kopeshwar Temple (Khidrapur)

Location: 60-65 km east from Kolhapur.

Brief History: The ancient name Khidrapur is ‘Koppad’. Kopeshwara means God Mahadev. Kop in Sanskrit means wrath according to popular mythological tale, Parvati, Mahadev’s consort was daughter of King Daksha humiliated her husband occasion of Yadnya (fire sacrifice). She could not bear it and jumped into the Yadnya fire. Mahadev got furious and destroyed Daksha’s Yadnya. Khidrapur believed to be the place where God Mahadev himself waited for Parvati when she went to her father’s house at the small village nearby called Yedur.Yedur about 13 km from Khidrapur is place where Daksha yadnya had performed. There is also temple at Yedur at the place where Yadnya took place.

The artistic temple of Kopeshwar, built during the rule of Shilahara dynasty (11-12th century) is famous for beautifully carved sculptures. The entire temple rests on a ‘Gajapeeta’ (a semicircle platform resting on the back of 92 carved stone elephants on which the temple is built). Kopeshwar temple is 34 x 19.5 x 17 mtrs high to the top of the dome. The temple faces the east. It has three main entrances, facing three directions; the east, the north and the south. On the east side high up above the entrance, there is an image of Goddess Durga. The walls are made of black stone richly carved and the dome carved with stucco. To the main building are attached two richly sculptured mandapas or vestibules. In the vestibule are two concentric squares the outer with twenty and the inner with twelve pillars all are richly carved. In front of the temple, a round roofless structure called SwargaMandap (Heavenly hall). According to the belief, the person standing on this SwargaMandapa, his entry into heaven had protected. At the door, there is a pair of babyelephants. Images of ‘Dwik-Pal’ (guardian deities of eight directions) have cut into the pillars; scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata have carved. Next AntaralKaksh has two huge pillars. On both the side, there are idols of ‘Jay-Viajay’ – the door attendants: the deities found at the many temples. Sanctum sanctorum has images of ‘Kopeshwar’ (God Mahadev) and Dhopeshwar (God Vishnu). At the back along the wall, sculptures of eighteen divine damsels stand on a semicircular pedestal. Further from the temple has Nagarkhana (drum chamber). The outer wall shrine is broken at oblique angles as in the NilangaHemadpanti temple. By the south door of the temple is a Devgiri Yadav inscription of Sinhadev in Devnagari dated Sala 1335 (A.D. 1213) granting the village of Khandaleshwar in Miraj for the worship of Kopeshwar.

Khidrapur is on the bank of river Krishna at Taluka Shirol of Kolhapur. It built in 11-12 century by Shilahara dynasty. From Himalayas Lord Shiva has made a stay because of migration. Beside the river on Yedur village Father-in-law of Shiva had performed Hawan. However, he failed to call his son-in-law. Hence, the name of Kop- Marathi Kope means anger. Since, the famous temple called as Kopeshwar. There is also temple of Virbhadra on yedur. The temple of Kopeshwar has built glorious. There is carving of 95 elephants on 4-5 feet. The King of Devgiri Singhandev II on 22 April 1213 renovated the temple. There is also carving of Gods & Goddess on the temple. There is no pinnacle of temple sanctum.