Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
Shiva; the 12th-century Shiva-yogi Siddharameshwar, revered as Shri Siddheshwar, guardian deity of Solapur temple · Solapur, Maharashtra, India
The Shri Siddheshwar Temple stands in the heart of Solapur, Maharashtra, on what Maharashtra Tourism describes as an island in Siddheshwar Lake, reached by a pathway across the water. It honours Shri Siddharameshwar, a 12th-century yogi and devotee of Shiva who is regarded as the gramadevata, or guardian deity, of the city, and it contains his samadhi.
The temple is managed by the Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan trust (the Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Panch Committee), which also runs schools, a cancer hospital and a free meal service. Its annual Gadda Yatra, held around Makar Sankranti in January, is one of the largest religious fairs in the region and draws pilgrims from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, according to the trust.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
Siddharameshwar (also called Siddharama) is remembered by the temple trust as a thinker, social reformer and Kannada poet of the vachana tradition who, Maharashtra Tourism says, helped spread the teachings of Basaveshwara. The trust says he claimed in one of his verses to have composed 68,000 vachanas, of which about 1,378 survive. He is honoured in the Veerashaiva (Lingayat) tradition, and Wikipedia notes that devotees regard him as a deity.
According to the trust's account, Siddharama was born in Sonnalagi, the old name of Solapur, and as a boy found a Shiva lingam in the fields. Tradition says he went in search of Mallikarjuna of Srisailam, who appeared to him and sent him back to his home town. There, the trust says, he built a temple to Mallikarjuna, consecrated 68 Shiva lingas and eight Ganesha shrines in the area around Solapur, and dug the lake with the help of devotees to solve the town's drinking-water problem. Because of this, Solapur is sometimes called Abhinava Shrishail, 'the new Srisailam'.
The temple is therefore both a Shiva shrine and the resting place of the saint. Maharashtra Tourism records that his samadhi lies within the temple premises, and Wikipedia describes a marble samadhi at the centre of the temple.
Heritage
History of Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
Maharashtra Tourism dates the origins of the temple to the 12th century and describes Siddharameshwar as a disciple of Mallikarjuna of Srisailam who laid its foundation and installed 68 lingas on the instruction of his guru. These accounts rest on the saint's tradition; the present buildings have not been dated in the sources consulted.
In the modern period the temple has been run by a charitable trust formed before Independence under its first president, Bandappa Kadadi, according to the trust; Wikipedia gives 1899 as the year from which the Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Panch Committee has administered the temple and lake, and the trust says it celebrated its centenary in 1990. From 1958 the trust was led by his son, M. B. (Appasaheb) Kadadi, under whom it set up educational institutions and, in 1978, the Shri Siddheshwar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, which the trust says provides treatment free of cost.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple sits in the middle of Siddheshwar Lake, which the Ministry of Tourism's festival listing says makes the place look like an island. Maharashtra Tourism describes a sanctum holding the image of Siddheshwar, a silver-plated Nandi in front of it, and carved walls and pillars. Smaller shrines within the complex are dedicated to Ganesha, Vithoba and Rukmini, and Lakshmi. Wikipedia identifies one of the lingas in the courtyard as the Amrut linga, which the trust also names as a station in the yatra rituals.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Crowds are very large during the Gadda Yatra in January, when the city holds processions and a fair around the lake, and the trust also observes the month of Shravan with special worship. Confirm current darshan times and any festival arrangements with the Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan trust before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Panch Committee (Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Trust), Solapur (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
Gadda Yatra (Siddheshwar Yatra)
The trust says the yatra runs about 15 days, from Shakambari Purnima to the following new moon, with the main ceremonies over the three days of Bhogi, Sankranti and Kinkrant. It recalls the tradition that a young woman devotee wished to marry Siddharama, who instead offered her his yogadanda (yoga staff); tall decorated bamboo poles called Nandidhwaj, treated as bride and groom, are carried in procession to the 68 lingas, followed by the Akshata (wedding) and Homa ceremonies and fireworks. The Ministry of Tourism's festival listing also mentions large rangolis and a cattle fair.
Shravan month
The trust lists Shravan as a month of special worship at the temple.
Location
How to Reach Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
The temple is in Siddheshwar Peth in central Solapur. Maharashtra Tourism says it is about 2 km from Solapur railway station, a major junction, and that the nearest large airport is Pune, roughly 250 km away; Hyderabad airport is about 305 km away. Solapur is on the Pune–Hyderabad and Solapur–Bengaluru highways.
Location: Solapur, Maharashtra, India
Nearest airport: Pune (about 250 km, per Maharashtra Tourism)
Nearest railway station: Solapur (about 2 km, per Maharashtra Tourism)
More in Hindu temples in Maharashtra · Shiva; the 12th-century Shiva-yogi Siddharameshwar, revered as Shri Siddheshwar, guardian deity of Solapur temples · Temples in North Solapur Taluka · Temples in Solapur District
Questions
Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shri Siddheshwar of Solapur?
Siddharameshwar, a 12th-century yogi, social reformer and Kannada vachana poet devoted to Shiva. He is regarded as the guardian deity (gramadevata) of Solapur, and his samadhi is in the temple.
Why is the temple in the middle of a lake?
The trust says Siddharameshwar built the lake with devotees in the 12th century to give the town drinking water; the temple stands on an island in it, reached by a pathway.
What are the 68 lingas of Solapur?
According to the trust, Siddharameshwar consecrated 68 Shiva lingas in and around Solapur. During the Gadda Yatra the Nandidhwaj poles are carried to these lingas.
When is the Gadda Yatra?
Around Makar Sankranti in January. The trust says the yatra lasts about 15 days, with the main ceremonies on Bhogi, Sankranti and Kinkrant.
Who manages the Siddheshwar Temple?
The Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Panch Committee, a charitable trust that also runs schools, a cancer hospital and a free meal service.
How far is the temple from Solapur railway station?
About 2 km, according to Maharashtra Tourism.
Sources and attribution
- Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Trust, Solapur — History of Temple
- Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Trust, Solapur — About Shri Siddharameshwar
- Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan Trust, Solapur — Shri Siddharameshwar Gadda Yatra
- Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra — Siddheshwar Temple
- Utsav portal, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Gadda Jatra – Siddheswar Temple, Solapur
- Utsav portal, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India — Siddheshwar Yatra Festival
- Wikipedia — Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur
Further reading: Shri Siddheshwar Temple, Solapur on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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