Pateshwar Temple in Satara is one of the hidden gems in the Satara District of Maharashtra. It is a very old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is said that the temple is 5000 years old.

Pateshwar Temple is famous for thousands of Shiva Lingams. The temple is located on a high hill surrounded by a semi-dense forest. It is very rich in flora and fauna. So it has become an attractive tourist place also.

Pateshwar Temple in Satara:

There are four main spots to see here:

1. Main temple.

2. Kartik Swami Temple.

3. Koti Lingam.

4. Varhad Ghar.

Pateshwar Temple is approximately 14 km away from Satara city and 122 km from Pune City. It is about a three-hour ride from Pune. There are two to three routes to reach the temple. It is better to ask someone after you cross Shirval if you are coming from Pune. Google Maps is not the best option for this location. It is 3-4 km from Pateshwar village. There are rickshaws available in the village to reach there. You can also go by two or a four-wheeler. The road is not in good condition and is narrow. You have to park the vehicle 1-2 km before the temple as there is no road for vehicles. You have to go on foot. It takes about 20-30 minutes to reach the top.

Main Temple and Kartik Swami Temple:

Once you reach the top, you would see a water pond and an abbey named Govindanand Maharaj Math. The abbey is open from 9-12 a.m. You can eat some Prasadam there between 9-12 a.m. This is provided free of cost by the devotees of Govindanand Maharaj.

Take right from there and you would reach the temple. On the left side of the entrance, there is a huge Shiv Lingam. On the right side, there is a Lord Hanuman temple. There is also a small separate temple on the right side. The main temple is carved out of a big stone with beautiful pillars supporting it. There is a Nandi in front of the temple. In the main temple, there is a Shiv Lingam and a statue of Lord Shiva. There are idols of other gods also like, Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu, etc.

In the open space in front of the temple, there are three small other temples, one of which seems to be that of Lord Brahma, which is very rare. There are two beautiful lamp towers also. On the right side of the temple, there is a Gomukh. On the opposite side of the temple, you would see some steps, which would lead to Kartikswami Temple on the hill. It is a small temple with a Shiv Lingam and an idol of Kartik Swami. You get a good view of the surroundings from here.

Koti Lingam and Varhad Ghar:

Once reaching the top, instead of turning right from the abbey, if you go straight, you would reach Koti Lingam and Varhad Ghar. After a few hundred feet from the abbey, you would see some small temples on your right side. When I went there, some temples were filled with water. Therefore, I could not enter them. Some of these temples are dedicated to some unknown gods, but the idols are beautiful. I think they are Kubera, Yaksha, and Yakshini but I am not sure.

After some walk, you would encounter a comparatively big temple, which is Varhad Ghar. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is a big Shiv Lingam inside it and also there are many small Shiv Lingams. The Shiv Lingam is comprised of many small Shiv Lingams. Anyway, they are very beautiful and unique. I have not seen such Shiv Lingams anywhere else.

This temple has a big roof, which you can reach by going around the temple.

I think the best time to visit this place is the winter season.

Overall, it is a must-visit place. The other place in the vicinity is Mahuli, which is about 12.5 km away from Pateshwar. You can easily visit Mahuli and Pateshwar Temple in a day.