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Search for Mahalaxmi Kolhapur and you will find the temple under several names, a few websites that look official and a different Mahalaxmi temple in Mumbai. This page sorts them out. It is a guide to names and sources, not a visitor itinerary, and we are not the temple. For the visit itself, see our Ambabai temple Kolhapur guide and our Mahalakshmi temple Kolhapur guide.
Key Takeaways
- Mahalaxmi Kolhapur normally means the Shri Karveer Nivasini Ambabai Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Official and government pages use “Mahalaxmi”, “Mahalakshmi”, “Ambabai” and “Karveer Nivasini” for the same temple.
- The Maharashtra Tourism page calls it the Mahalaxmi Temple, also known as the Ambabai Temple, and says it was built in the 7th century by the Chalukya ruler Karandev. Other sources give the builder and date differently, so treat the date as approximate.
- The site mahalaxmikolhapur.com presents itself as the temple’s home page, with live darshan links and a daily schedule. The Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department’s page for the Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti-Kolhapur (retrieved on 26 October 2026, page last updated 29 January 2025) lists this address as the committee’s website, so we treat it as the committee’s site. Its pages are mostly undated, so confirm timings with the temple.
- A separate site, madhavgurujee.com, sells abhishek and puja services. We could not confirm that it is the temple’s official channel, so check before you pay.
- The Mahalaxmi temple in Mumbai is a different temple.
Which Temple Is Mahalaxmi Kolhapur?
It is the Ambabai temple in Kolhapur. Maharashtra Tourism describes it as dedicated to Goddess Mahalaxmi, one of the revered Shakti Peethas, in the Hemadpanti style, with a three-foot black stone idol. The temple’s own site calls it one of the three and a half Shakti Peethas. Counts of Shakti Peethas vary by tradition, so we do not choose one number.
Why are there so many spellings?
Mahalaxmi, Mahalakshmi and Ambabai all show up. The temple’s site writes “Shree Karveer Niwasini Ambabai (Mahalaxmi)” and Maharashtra Tourism writes “Shree Mahalaxmi Ambabai Mata (Karveer, Kolhapur)”. They are transliterations and names of one temple. When you search or book, use the full “Karveer Nivasini Ambabai Mahalaxmi” name to avoid confusion.
Is this the same as the Mahalaxmi temple in Mumbai?
No. Mumbai has its own Mahalaxmi temple. We did not use any Mumbai source for this page. If a booking site is for Mumbai, it does not apply to Kolhapur.
Which Website Is Official?
| Site | What it shows | What we can say |
|---|---|---|
| mahalaxmikolhapur.com | Title “Shree Karveer Niwasini Ambabai Mahalaxmi”, live darshan links, mandir opening time and ritual schedule | Listed as the website of the Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti-Kolhapur on the Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department page (retrieved 26 Oct 2026). The site’s own pages are mostly undated. |
| maharashtratourism.gov.in/temple/mahalaxmi | Government tourism page with history, architecture and Kirnotsav dates | A government page, informational. |
| madhavgurujee.com | “Mahalaxmi Devsthan Kolhapur”, a catalog of abhishek and puja services with payment and a Gurujee’s contact | A service seller. Not confirmed as the temple’s official channel. |
Should I pay for a puja online?
We cannot tell you which booking channel is correct. Before paying, confirm with the temple committee that the channel is authorised, and keep the receipt. We have not tested any booking and we list no prices.
What Do the Official Pages Say About Timing?
The temple’s site lists a mandir opening time of 04:00 AM, padya puja and mukhmarjan at 05:00 AM, kakad arti at 08:00 AM, and morning mahapooja at 08:00 AM. Its own text under the kakad arti heading says the arti begins at 05:30 AM after the temple opens. So the page’s heading and its text differ for the kakad arti. We do not settle that. The same page, which carries no date, also lists later pooja and arti times through the day and says the temple closes at 10:30 PM. We do not repeat them, because they may differ from today’s schedule and the page has other internal mismatches, such as an evening arti written as starting at 08:15 AM. Confirm with the temple before you plan around a time.
What do the sources say about Kirnotsav?
Maharashtra Tourism gives 31 January to 2 February and 9 to 11 November for Kirnotsav, when the setting sun’s rays align with the idol. A panchang site gave the same approximate windows for 2026. Whether the rays reach the idol depends on the weather. These dates are approximate, so confirm with the committee.
What Does the Daily Ritual Sequence Look Like?
The committee’s website, read on 26 October 2026 and carrying no date, lays out the day as a run of rituals. Reading it as a sequence helps you understand what you are queuing for, even if you should not plan your visit around the exact minutes.
- Early morning: the temple opens, then padya puja and mukhmarjan (washing the feet and face of the idol) are listed, followed by kakad arti, where butter and sugar are offered.
- Morning and midday: a morning mahapooja with panchamrut abhishek and shodshopchar puja, then a food offering (naivedya), then an afternoon mahapooja. The page says puranpoli is the mahanaivedya on Fridays.
- Afternoon: alankar puja, when the idol is dressed in a mahavastra and traditional gold ornaments.
- Evening and night: dhuparti with a ladu and karanji offering and the shankhatirtha, then shejarti at night.
The times printed beside these rituals on the page do not agree with each other in places, so we do not repeat them here. Treat the list above as a general order of the day as the page describes it, not as a timetable. Ask the committee for the current schedule before you plan a visit around any ritual.
How can I contact the committee?
The same page lists an address of 187 KH, B Ward, Mangalwar Peth, Kolhapur, an email address ([email protected]) and two phone numbers, 0231-2541779 and 0231-2626750. These are as printed on the site on 26 October 2026. Use them to confirm timings or ask about a puja booking before you travel.
How Do I Tell a Reliable Page From a Doubtful One?
- Check that the page names Kolhapur and the Karveer Nivasini Ambabai temple, not Mumbai.
- Prefer government and temple-committee pages for timings.
- Be careful with any page that asks for payment before saying who runs it.
- Check the date on any timing or festival information.
Next Steps
- Decide what you need: darshan information, a festival date or a puja booking.
- Use the temple site and government page for information.
- For a puja, confirm the booking channel with the temple committee first.
- Re-check timings the week you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mahalaxmi Kolhapur the same as Ambabai?
Yes, in Kolhapur the Mahalaxmi temple is the Ambabai temple. Sources use both names.
What is the official website of Mahalaxmi temple Kolhapur?
mahalaxmikolhapur.com is listed as the website of the Paschim Maharashtra Devasthan Samiti-Kolhapur on a Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department page (retrieved 26 October 2026). Its pages are mostly undated.
Is madhavgurujee.com official?
We could not confirm that. It offers puja bookings. Check with the temple committee.
When is Kirnotsav?
Maharashtra Tourism gives 31 January to 2 February and 9 to 11 November. Dates can shift, so confirm.
Is the Mumbai Mahalaxmi temple the same?
No. It is a different temple in another city.
Conclusion
Mahalaxmi Kolhapur is the Ambabai temple, and the different spellings point to the same place. Use the temple’s own site and the government page for information, and treat puja booking sites with care until you have confirmed who runs them.
Written by LocalReports Editorial Team | Reviewed By Local Reports Editorial Team
Disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by the Local Reports Editorial Team. It summarises pages from mahalaxmikolhapur.com, maharashtratourism.gov.in and madhavgurujee.com retrieved on 25 October 2026. We are not affiliated with the temple, and we checked the owner of mahalaxmikolhapur.com only through the government page above; we did not verify the other sites. Religious traditions are described as the sources report them. Please confirm timings and bookings with the temple committee.
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