600 years old Shri Dev Lakshmi Narayan Walawal Temple

श्री देव लक्ष्मीनारायण नमः

I never miss a chance to visit Lakshmi Narayan Walawal. Visiting temples in Sindhudurg is like walking on the path of heaven and experiencing spirituality in every corner of the surroundings. Every temple speaks of ancient history. It takes you to a beautiful world. Sindhudurg is blessed with beautiful serene nature trails, artistic sculptures, and traditional architecture/figurines.

Temple Name

Lakshmi Narayan & Ravalnath Temple, Walawal, Kudal – Sindhudurg

How to Reach There?

The temple is 15.7 km away from Kudal. Kudal Railway Station to the temple is 10.4 km. You can land at the Sindhudurg Airport (SDW) or Manohar International Airport (GOX) and reach Kudal by car. Later opt for an auto rickshaw to the temple to enjoy and breathe in the fresh air.

History of Lakshmi Narayan Walawal

The temple has a rich history and interesting story. I’ve tried to read a little from this source. Monsoons are quite magical and convert the overall landscape of the temple and its surroundings. The temple is almost 600 years old.

Alternately, I watched an episode that introduced me to an intriguing mythological tale about Lakshmi Narayan Walawal. One day Shri Dev Narayan, Shri Devi Mauli, and Shri Dev Pataleshwar were taking a stroll and stopped at Sadyavar. Shri Devi Mauli, also known as Mahishasur Mardhini, was thirsty, so Shri Dev Narayan (Naroba) headed towards Walawal, while Shri Dev Pataleshwar went to Chendwan to find water.

As Shri Dev Narayan reached Walawal, he was hungry but found nothing around. Eventually, he discovered a Brahmin eating near a lake. The aroma of the food made him pause, and the Brahmin, noticing him, invited him home and fed him generously.

Unfortunately, Shri Dev Narayan forgot to collect water for Shri Devi Mauli. This angered Shri Devi Mauli, who struck Shri Dev Narayan’s Shrimukh. As a result, neither Shri Dev Narayan nor Shri Devi Mauli could leave that spot. Even today, every year Shri Dev Narayan and Shri Dev Pataleshwar are brought here by Palkhi to meet Shri Devi Mauli.

About Lakshmi Narayan Walawal

The temple is east-facing and made of teakwood. It has the Maratha-style architecture. The establishment is centuries ago and is dated to be around the 14th century. It is the traditional Hemadpanthi style. The dwarmandap is colorful, the main temple is traditional, and the sabha mandap/assembly hall is large and can accommodate a larger audience during festivals or special occasions. The temple is located at a lake and usually it has lotus in full blooms 🙂

Near the main Lakshmi Narayan idol are big laman diyas or hanging diyas. The idol is beautifully decorated with long jewelry, Usually, Lakshmi is on the left-hand side but here she is on the right, and the left is Narayan. The main Lakshmi Narayan Idol is on lotus. Just at the entrance, you can see Garud’s idol carved in wood. Everything in the temple is artistically done and every stone and wooden structure is carved with lovely designs, leaves, flowers, and deities.

Just take a glance and notice the ceiling, the mandir gabhara is filled with colorful deity figurines. The moment I enter the temple premises, there is a sense of belonging and I feel grounded. I feel blessed to witness this view every month. We usually take a monthly trip to temples around here. It helps us ground and connect with Mother Nature and divine forces.

The Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in collaboration with the Council of Architecture presented Dr. Baliram Hiray College of Architecture, Mumbai The Award for Excellence for their research on Shri Dev Lakshmi Narayan Walawal.