Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History: Who Built It, Hemadpanti Style and Kirnotsav, Sources Compared

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People who type “mahalakshmi temple, kolhapur” into a search box often want one thing: the story behind the shrine. Who built it, when, and why does it look the way it does? The Mahalakshmi temple Kolhapur history is told in several versions, and they do not match in every detail.

This guide lays the sources side by side. It covers the commonly given 7th-century origin, the stone style the temple is known for, the twice-yearly Kirnotsav, and one older claim about the site that scholars discuss. Where sources differ, we show the difference and do not pick a winner.

We are not historians or temple officials. This is a reading guide, built from public sources we opened on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Wikipedia says the temple was built by the Chalukya king Karnadeva in 634 CE. The Maharashtra Tourism Department says it was built in the 7th century by the Chalukya ruler Karandev. Another site puts the Chalukya era at around 700 CE. So the sources agree on the Chalukya period but not on an exact year.
• Maharashtra Tourism describes the style as Hemadpanti, with intricate stone carving and construction without mortar. The central image is a three-foot black stone idol of the goddess, according to both Wikipedia and the tourism department.
• Wikipedia reports that historian Paul Dundas, citing the 12th-century poet Brahmashiva, says the site was originally a Jain temple. This is one scholar’s reading as reported there. It is not stated by the temple or the tourism department.
• Kirnotsav, the festival of rays, is when the setting sun’s rays reach the idol. Maharashtra Tourism lists 31 January to 2 February and 9 to 11 November. A third-party site says around 31 January and 9 November.
• The temple is managed by the Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti, according to Wikipedia.
• Dates and details here are as given by each source, and the source dates differ.

What Is the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History in Brief?

The temple, also called the Ambabai temple, is dedicated to the goddess Mahalakshmi. It stands at Bhavani Mandap on Mahadwar Road in Kolhapur, according to Wikipedia. The usual account is that it was founded in the 7th century in the Chalukya period and added to by later dynasties.

That is the short version. The longer one has gaps. No source we opened gives a single, firm construction record for the whole complex, and each gives a slightly different year or era.

Who Built the Mahalakshmi Temple in Kolhapur?

The names are close but the spellings differ. Wikipedia names the Chalukya king Karnadeva and gives 634 CE, citing a book on pilgrim shrines. The Maharashtra Tourism page says the temple was built in the 7th century by the Chalukya ruler Karandev. Karnadeva and Karandev look like two spellings of one name, but neither source says so, so we are noting that as our reading, not a fact either source states.

Source	Builder named	Date given
Wikipedia	Chalukya king Karnadeva	634 CE
Maharashtra Tourism	Chalukya ruler Karandev	7th century
indiandistricts.in	Chalukyan era	around 700 CE
shaktipeethas.in	Chalukya period, later additions by other dynasties	7th century core

Read the table as a record of what each page says. The two most official-looking sources, Wikipedia’s cited claim and the tourism department’s page, agree on the Chalukya period and the 7th century. The others add a looser date or extra detail.

What Did Later Dynasties Add in the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History?

The Maharashtra Tourism page says the Yadavas played a crucial role in expanding its grandeur. The third-party shaktipeethas.in page goes further and says the present structure reflects multiple building phases over 1,400 years, with additions by the Kadamba, Shilahara and Yadava dynasties. We could not confirm the Kadamba and Shilahara additions in an official source, so treat that detail as the site’s claim.

For context on the wider region, the Maharashtra Gazetteers describe the Silaharas of Kolhapur as holding the territory round Kolhapur from about the end of the tenth to early in the thirteenth century, and note that by 1213-14 the Devgiri Yadava king Singhana II was in possession of the country round Miraj. The gazetteer passage we read does not mention the temple, so it tells us who ruled the area, not who built or changed the shrine. For the city’s wider story, see our history of Kolhapur guide.

What Does the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History Say About Hemadpanti Architecture?

Maharashtra Tourism calls the temple a marvellous example of the Hemadpanti style, characterised by intricate stone carving and robust construction without the use of mortar. Wikipedia lists the style as Hemadpanti architecture as well. Both give the same label, which makes it the most consistent detail across the sources.

The tourism page describes the sanctum as housing a three-foot-tall black stone idol with a gemstone-studded crown featuring a five-headed serpent. The goddess holds a Matulinga fruit, a mace, a shield and a drinking bowl, and a stone lion, her vahana, stands behind. Wikipedia gives the same description and adds that the Shri Yantra is carved on one of the walls and that the crowned murti is made of gemstone and weighs about 40 kilograms. We are repeating these descriptions as written, and we have not inspected the temple ourselves.

What Is the Difference Between the Black Stone Image and the Gemstone Murti?

Wikipedia’s text mentions both. It says the murti of the crowned goddess is made of gemstone and weighs about 40 kilograms, and also that the image of Mahalakshmi carved in black stone is 3 feet in height. The two statements sit together in one paragraph. It is not clear from the page how the two relate, whether they are two descriptions of the same object or two objects, so we do not try to reconcile them.

What Is the Jain Origin Claim?

Wikipedia reports that, based on claims made by the twelfth-century Kannada poet Brahmashiva, historian Paul Dundas states that the temple was originally a Jain temple dedicated to the eighth Tirthankar, Chandraprabh Bhagwan, and was later converted into a Hindu shrine for the goddess Mahalakshmi during religious tensions in the medieval era. The page also shows a photograph of Jain tirthankar figures carved on the inner sanctum walls.

This is a scholarly claim reported by Wikipedia. The temple’s own site and the tourism department do not mention it, and we have not seen the original sources. It is a sensitive subject for many devotees. We report it because it appears in a widely read source, we attribute it to the scholar and the page, and we take no side. If this matters for your reading, look at the sources directly.

What Does the State Gazetteer Say About the Temple?

The Maharashtra government hosts the old Bombay Presidency gazetteer for Kolhapur. Its places entry for Kolhapur, which we read on 26 October 2026, is a colonial-era text. It quotes 1881 figures elsewhere, and the page carries no publication date of its own, so treat what it says as a historical account, not current fact. We read it for what it records, and we do not endorse its conclusions.

It records these points about the temple of Ambabai or Mahalakshmi:

• Of about 250 temples in Kolhapur city, six were well known, and Ambabai’s was the largest and most important.
• The temple is “very old”. The main building has two storeys and is built of black stone from local quarries, in the mortarless Hemadpanti style, in the form of a cross. It faces west.
• The spire and domes are said to have been added by a Shankaracharya of Sankeshvar.
• The image of Ambabai stands under the big dome, with smaller domes on the north and south holding images of Mahakali and Mahasarasvati.
• Citing Major Graham, it says that during Muslim persecutions in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the image was hidden in a private dwelling, and that about 1722 it was installed in the present temple by Sambhaji Maharaj (1712 to 1760). The gazetteer adds that an extant deed by Sambhaji credits him with re-establishing the image in its ancient temple.

On the origin question, the gazetteer says that Jains declare the temple was a Jain temple dedicated to Padmavati, and that the spire and domes are later additions. Its authors then argue from the carving that it was originally a Jain temple. That is the gazetteer’s reading, and we attribute it to the gazetteer. Note that it names the dedication as Padmavati, while the Wikipedia passage above names the Tirthankar Chandraprabh. The two accounts differ on that detail, and we do not settle it. The temple’s own site and the tourism department do not mention either account.

The gazetteer’s installation date of about 1722 is also a different kind of claim from the 7th-century construction dates elsewhere on this page. It describes when the present image was set up in the temple, according to that text, not when the building was first made.

What Is Kirnotsav, and When Does It Happen?

Kirnotsav is the festival of rays. Maharashtra Tourism describes it as an event, occurring twice a year, when the setting sun’s rays align to illuminate the deity’s face through a small window. It lists the dates as 31 January to 2 February and again 9 to 11 November.

The third-party shaktipeethas.in page describes the sunlight as falling through the western gate and onto the idol around 31 January and 9 November each year. The two descriptions differ on the path of the light, a small window versus the western gate, and on whether the date is a single day or a three-day window. We do not know which is more exact, and we have no timings from the temple committee.

Because November 9 to 11 is a little over two weeks from the date we read these pages, anyone planning to see Kirnotsav should confirm the dates and viewing arrangements with the temple committee before travelling. We did not find the committee’s own statement of the 2026 viewing times.

Why Does the Temple Matter in Shakta Tradition?

Wikipedia says it is considered one of the three and a half Shaktipeethas in the Shakta tradition. The Maharashtra Tourism page calls it one of the revered Shakti Peethas. The shaktipeethas.in page goes further, counting it among 51 Shakti Peethas, 18 Maha Shakti Peethas and the 3½ of Maharashtra. These are traditional classifications, and the counts vary by source and tradition, so we do not treat any single count as settled.

Wikipedia also notes that it is customary among Hindus to visit the Tirumala Venkateswara temple, the Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple and the Padmavathi temple as a pilgrimage, and that it is believed to help achieve moksha. That is a statement of belief reported by the page, not a verified fact.

What Parts of the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History Are Still Unclear?

It helps to list what we could not settle. This is the honest edge of what public sources tell us about the Mahalakshmi temple Kolhapur history.

• The exact year of construction. Wikipedia gives 634 CE, the tourism department gives the 7th century, and another site gives around 700 CE.
• The builder’s name and its spelling. Karnadeva and Karandev appear in different sources.
• Which additions came from which dynasty. The tourism department credits the Yadavas with expansion, and a third-party site lists Kadamba, Shilahara and Yadava additions.
• The Jain-origin claim. It is reported from one scholar’s reading of a medieval poet, and the temple and the tourism department do not mention it. The state gazetteer also records the claim but names a different dedication, Padmavati, where Wikipedia names Chandraprabh.
• The mechanics of Kirnotsav. One source says a small window, another says the western gate, and the dates are given as a single day in one place and a three-day window in another.
• The count of Shakti Peethas the temple belongs to. Sources use different traditional counts.

None of this lowers the temple’s standing for devotees. It only means a careful writer should not present any one of these points as settled.

What Should You Do Next to Learn the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History?

1. Read two sources and compare their dates.
2. If you plan to visit for Kirnotsav, confirm the dates and viewing arrangements with the temple committee.
3. Read our Mahalakshmi temple guide for timings and the dress code.
4. Treat any single year or count as a claim, not a settled fact.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Mahalakshmi Temple Kolhapur History

Who built the Mahalakshmi temple in Kolhapur, according to its history?

Wikipedia says the Chalukya king Karnadeva built it in 634 CE. Maharashtra Tourism says Chalukya ruler Karandev built it in the 7th century. The sources agree on the Chalukya era but not the exact year.

How old is the Mahalakshmi temple in Kolhapur?

Sources give the 7th century, about 1,400 years ago. Later dynasties are said to have added to it.

What style is the temple built in?

Both Wikipedia and Maharashtra Tourism call it Hemadpanti architecture.

Was the temple originally a Jain temple?

Wikipedia reports that historian Paul Dundas, citing the poet Brahmashiva, says it was. The temple’s own site and the tourism department do not state this. It is one scholarly claim, and we take no side.

What is Kirnotsav?

A festival of rays, when the setting sun’s rays reach the idol, according to Maharashtra Tourism. It lists 31 January to 2 February and 9 to 11 November.

Who manages the temple?

Wikipedia lists the Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti as the governing body.

Is Ambabai the same as Mahalakshmi?

Yes. The temple is called both, according to Wikipedia and the tourism department.

Conclusion

In short, the Mahalakshmi temple Kolhapur history starts with a Chalukya foundation in the 7th century, a Hemadpanti stone style and a twice-yearly play of sunlight called Kirnotsav. Beyond that, the sources differ on the year, the builder’s name, later additions and the path of the light. One scholar’s Jain-origin claim sits beside the traditional account. Read the sources, compare their dates, and confirm festival timings with the temple committee.

Written by LocalReports Editorial Team | Reviewed By Local Reports Editorial Team

Disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance and was reviewed by the Local Reports Editorial Team. History and dates come from Wikipedia, the Maharashtra Tourism Department, the Maharashtra Gazetteers and third-party sites opened on 25 October 2026, and may be disputed or out of date. We are not historians and have not seen primary records. Confirm festival timings with the temple committee.