Chandrabhaga River


Pandharpur is a situated on bank of river Bhima or call also Bhivara, in this place the river takes the shape in half moon so the river is called in this place Chandrabhaga also.    
        The River Bhima is called Chandrabhaga some stories. The cursed Moon bath in this place and he is curse free then the river are flows in half moon shape so people called it. Chandrabhaga. Some Researchers thought Bhagwat Skanda 5 adhyaya 19th 18th Shloka describe entity of Bhagirathi, Chandrabhaga in the Hindusthana’s glorious rivers, or the mention in same Mahabharata Bhishmaparva adhya 9th, also describe in Bhima River in Anand Ramayana. Lord Shri Ram visiting the same shrine outward journey on lanka for his beloved Shri Mata Sita.    

Dhanya Dhanya Bhivaratat | Chandrabhaga Vahe Nikat | |
Dhanya Dhanya Valuvant | Mukatipeth Pandhari |

In Abhanga Describes significance of Chandrabhaga

Pandharicha Vaas Chandarabhage Snan |Anik Darshan Vithobache|
Ubhe Rahuni Darshan Mandapi | Krutartha Karil Jagjetthi ||
ज्या वाळवंटी सकल संताची मांदियाळी कीर्तनरंगी नाचत, नामघोषात मग्न होवून कृतार्थ झाली, त्या वाळवंटात नाचत जयघोष करावा आणि ज्या चंद्रभागेच्या पवित्र स्नानाने संतासह लाखो भाविक, भक्त पापमुक्त झाले, धन्य झाले त्या तीर्थात स्नान करण्याची, पावन होण्याची उत्कट इच्छा भक्तजनाच्या मनी निर्माण होते.कोटी कोटी जन्माचे पातक | नासे केलेया देख ||
एवढे क्षेत्र अलौकिक | पांडुरंग भीवरा ||

अशी या तीर्थस्नानाची ख्याती आहे.
 भाविक पंढरीत पाऊल ठेवताच प्रथम चंद्रभागेत स्नान करून पावन होतात. ज्या भक्तराज पुंडलिकाला दर्शन देण्यासाठी परब्रह्म परमात्मा पांडुरंग आला आणि त्याच्या प्रार्थनेनुसार त्याने दिलेल्या विटेवर युगे अठ्ठावीस भक्तांना दर्शन देऊन कृतार्थ करण्यासाठी भीमातीरी उभा राहिला आहे, त्या पुंडलिकाचे दर्शन घेतात. चंद्रभागेच्या वाळवंटात अन्य संत मंडळीची समाधी स्थाने आहेत. नदीचे पात्र विशाल, अर्धचंद्राकार व देखणे आहे.

पुंडलिक मंदिर 



      Bhakt Pundalik Mandir is in the river bed in front of Mahadwar Ghat which was built by Changdev. Brass mask of Pundalik on Shivalinga is established in the sanctum sanatorium. It is crowned and worshipped every day with rituals of kakadarti, mahapuja, mahanaivedya, dhuparti etc. The temple has special airy hall. Mahashivaratri festival is celebrated on the large scale in this temple. The facemask of Pundalik is moved to the Mahadeva temple whenever Chandrabhaga River is in flood.

Loha danda Tirth.
    This holy place is in front of the temple of Pundalik. It is believed that on this place in river the boat made of stone floats. When God Indra came here to take holy bath all the wholes disappeared from his body after the bath and the iron rod in his hand floated here.

Lakhubai Temple
According to the legend Lord Krishana came from Dwarka in search of Shri Rukmini and they met here. There was greenery around the temple. It is a stone construction in well known Hemadi style. Dasara and Navaratra festivals are celebrated here on the large scale.

NAMDEV PAYRI



       The first step of the temple is named after Saint Namdev. He urged Lord Pandurang that he wanted a place where he could touch the dust of the feet of all devotees visiting Lord Pandurang in the temple of the Pandharpur. After expressing this wish he looked at the floor and the place itself got divided. Lord Pandurang said to Saint Namdev that this place is gifted to him where his wish of touching the dust of all devotees of the Lord can be fulfilled forever. Then Saint Namdev jumped into the crater. His family members and followers also followed the same. The divided place got closed again as it was after this incident.
         This incident happened in Shake 1238 ashdh vadya trayodashi (marathi calender). Saint Namdev along with his 14 family members also jumped into the Samadhi place. Among those fourteen there were his mother Gonai, father Damasheti, wife Rajai, his four sons Srinarayan, Shri Vitthal, Shri Govind, Shri Mahadev, and their wives also Godai,Yesai,Mkharai, his daughter Limbai, sister Aubai, the servants of Namdev and his disciple Saint Janabai. There is step like place for offering pooja to Namdev this place is called Saint Namdev Payari.

Gopalpura


    One and half kilometer away and towards the southeast of the Pandharpur there is a Shri Krishna temple this place is called Gopalpura. The temple is the top of the hill which is called Gopalpura Parvat (hill). This parvat is widely believed as the Govardhan parvat.
    According to Skandh Purana Shri Krishana started his journey of Pandharpur then Govardhan also started following him. Scaring that Lord Shri Krishna would scold him he hid himself and stopped and stayed in Gopalpura village where both river Chandrabhaga and river Pushavati meets.
    Here is symbolic place of curd grinding by Yashoda. The temple of Laxminarayan is towards the east. There is stone staircase to the temple. There are small rooms in the temple and three doors. Main door is huge and attractive.
    In the middle of gabhara of the temple there is beautiful small idol of the Lord Shri Krishana in which the Shri Krishna is shown as playing flute. There are groups of gaulani (lady devotee of Shri Krishna) on the both side of the Shri Krishna idol and also shown a cow with her calf.

Vishnupad



     When Shri Krishana Came to Gopalpura along with his cattle then the footprints of those cattle were in printed on stones and this place is called Vishnupad. There is a temple of Devarshi Narad exactly in front of this place. In the month of Margashirsh there is rush of devotees at this place during entire month. It is believed that Shri Krishna came there in that month and stayed there that is the reason devotees visit that place. Pooja and Abhishek are performed here in this month particularly.