Harsiddhi Ma Temple

The most visually striking feature of this complex of temples are the two deepstambhs or 'light pillars': cone-shaped pillars embedded with a number oil-lamps designed to hold flaming wicks. This is an architectural element of Maratha temples and was constructed when the Marathas renovated this place of worship. The temple is on an elevated plinth and the idol of Harsiddhi Ma has been painted bright red, the colour of power and strength. There is an interesting belief woven around the goddess.The ceiling of the sanctum is rich with murals the most important of which is the Shri Yantra.

This is a geometric figure of nine interlocking triangles, five pointing down to represent the female principle and four pointing up to depict the male principle. When meditated upon, this diagram conjures up the interplay of the dynamic and static forces of the universe held in the equipoise that is represented by the bindu, or dot, in the centre of the yantra. Many devotees who have concentrated on the Sri Yantra say that, after a while, the yantra seems to rotate, faster and faster, drawing the mind into a vortex as the bindu enlarges and fills the entire consciousness, obliterating all sense impressions received from the World around the meditator.