Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol, Sawantwadi

Temples in Sindhudurg have intricate designs, figurines, deities, and most importantly squeaky clean. I love to spend time and admire the beauty around these temples. The beautiful architecture and insane talent of the local artists have a long-lasting impression on every person. I never thought I would say this but Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol is probably one of the finest and best temples of Sindhudurg. It is well-known here as Shri Sai Vatsalyadham.

The story of the temple is quite interesting. Mr. Chandrakant Malvankar is the founding member and built the temple along with his family. In 2005, one night he had this divine appearance; that is how this temple came into reality in 2008. He sold all his property in Malvan and decided to purchase land in the mountains. The temple was built in just 18 months. 40 Brahmins from all over Satara, Pune, Thane, and Sindhudurg completed the Prathisthapana in almost 8 days. The moment you enter the temple there is a small temple which is श्री Sai Baba’s Gurusthan. This small temple has Sai Baba Paduka and a Dattatreya idol installed by Hon. Shri. Deepak Vasant Kesarkar.

Why should one visit Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol?

For it’s beauty and location.
Well-planned design & Stunning architecture.
The Sai Baba idol will transport you spiritually to Shirdi.
Witness sunrise and sunset in the same place.
Experience calmness, balance, and the echoing sounds of the temple and mountains.
Like Shirdi, this temple also has a Dwarkamai. The dhuni is from the Shirdi temple.

Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol is spread across 50 acres of land. The surrounding area is well developed with tall coconut trees, betel nut, and mango trees. There is a Confluence of rivers in the area. The overall interior of the Sai Mandir has Ashtkhamb (8) with different idols of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Dattatreya, Saraswati Devi, Mahalakshmi Devi, Parvati Devi, Lord Ganesha, Lord Shankar. The tulsi vrindavan in front of the temple is made by a local artist from Tamilnadu. The scene is from the Amrut Manthan. The temple has Bhaktniwas with 14 rooms allocated for approximately 60 people. Every Thursday there is prasad and food is served to everyone in अन्नछत्र/Annachatralya.

The temple is well-known among tourists and almost everyone visits it from Maharashtra. Hon. Shri. Deepak Vasant Kesarkar.our Cabinet Minister for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Marathi Language is a regular devotee and often comes here when in Sawantwadi. The pujari informed that he is also the mandir trustee. To the right side of the Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol is a Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple. The idol is from Rajasthan.

What did we love here?

The road to the temple is super scenic. All you can see is lush green trees around on both sides of the road. As soon as we entered the temple premises I felt an overwhelming sense of power. The positivity and the warmth made me forget about the outside world’s worries. Nature whispers were real as there was no person around us, we could hear every bird and voice from the mountains. We kept admiring the beautiful colors of the temple. The colors look a little dull now as Konkan experiences heavy rains every year. The lovely temple bell echoes and adds a sense of belonging to the temple. I will visit again with my mother-in-law/parents.

If you reside in Sindhudurg and have any elder person who cannot travel far to Shirdi to visit Shri Sai Baba Mandir Madkhol do take them here. I’m sure they will love being in the temple. Also for people outside Sindhudurg, the temple is on the way to Goa. So if you take a route from Amboli Ghat this temple will be on the way.

Reference video.