Shri Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, Ambernath
Today at this temple
Quick facts
- Primary deity
- Shiva
- Tradition
- shaiva
- Year founded
- 1060
- Founder
- Built 1060 CE by KING CHHITTARAJA of the SILAHARA DYNASTY of North Konkan — a rare surviving pre-Mughal (11th-c.) HEMADPANTHI-STYLE BLACK-BASALT SHIVA TEMPLE. Commemorative inscription at the temple documents the 1060 consecration. Currently managed by state archaeology — ASI-protected monument and active-worship-site
- Managing trust
- ASI-protected + local Brahmin trust management
- Daily footfall
- 2,000-5,000 daily
- Photography
- outside_only
- Non-Hindu policy
- all_welcome
- Dress code
- Modest attire. No shorts. Footwear removed. Photography outside sanctum only (ASI regulations)
- Accessibility
- —
- VIP darshan
- —
- Typical visit
- 45–120 min
Sthala Purana — the story
The 1060 Silahara-era construction documented-by inscription establishes the shrine's dating-and-patronage. Local-tradition associates the site with ancient-Shaiva-worship pre-dating-the-1060-construction. The Silahara-Dynasty ruled North and South Konkan 800-1300 CE; Ambernath temple represents their-architectural-patronage peak
References: 1060 Silahara inscription King Chhittaraja dedication · Shiva Purana Classical Shaiva text
Darshan & aartis
- 06:30Morning45 min · Mangala aarti with abhishekam
- 19:00Evening45 min · Sandhya aarti
Plan your visit
Mumbai (BOM) — 60 km SW
Ambernath (AMB) — Central Railway suburban, 1 km from temple (walkable)
Limited local parking; Mumbai-local-train STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
✓
Mumbai city hotels or day-trip (60 km)
Ambernath town restaurants
Year-round. Mahashivratri (approximately 7 March 2026) peak; Shravan-Mondays peak; Oct-Feb ideal weather. Combined Mumbai-Silahara heritage day-trip
- Modest attire, bilva-patra
- Cash/UPI
- Camera (outside only)
- Mumbai local-train accessible
- For Mahashivratri: arrive early
Gallery & media
Deity & iconography
- Height of murti
- 90 cm
- Vahana
- Nandi — stone Nandi in mandapa facing sanctum
- Adornments
- Shiva-Lingam installed in underground-sanctum (devotees descend-stairs to reach-sanctum). Traditional daily abhishekam with Gangajal, bilva-patra, dhatura. The temple-exterior and interior are richly-carved with Hemadpanthi-style sculptural program including dancing-figures, mythological-scenes, and ornamental-bands — one of North-Konkan's most-architecturally-significant pre-Muslim-era-temples
- Consorts on panel
- Parvati subsidiary-icon; 100+ carved figures in the exterior-sculptural-program
- Favored bhoga
- Bilva-patra, dhatura, Gangajal, coconut
- Mantras chanted here
- Om Namah Shivaya · Mahamrityunjaya Mantra · Rudrashtakam
- Worship purpose
- Mahashivratri and Shravan-Monday Shaiva observance; ancient pre-Muslim-era architectural-heritage appreciation; Mumbai-region pilgrim-site (60 km NE of Mumbai, Thane-district, accessible by local-train to Ambernath station)
Architecture & art
1060 CE Hemadpanthi-style North-Konkan temple: black-basalt dry-masonry (no mortar), star-shaped plan, 3-sided porch, elaborate exterior-sculpture, underground-sanctum. One of the 6-7 surviving pre-Muslim-era (pre-1200) major Hindu temples in Maharashtra region
- Style
- 1060 CE SILAHARA-era HEMADPANTHI architecture — black-basalt stone-masonry without-mortar (signature-Hemadpanthi-construction); star-shaped-plan with 3-sided-porch; elaborate exterior-carvings; underground-sanctum access via-stairs. ASI-protected
- Shikhara height
- 10 m
- Built of
- Black basalt (Hemadpanthi dry-masonry); no mortar — stones held by interlocking design
- Notable features
- 1060 CE Silahara-era construction — rare surviving pre-Mughal (11th-c.) North-Konkan-Shiva-temple · HEMADPANTHI BLACK-BASALT architecture · Star-shaped plan with 3-sided-porch · Elaborate exterior-sculptural program · Underground sanctum (descend stairs) · ASI-protected monument · Active worship continues · Mumbai 60 km SW (local train from CST via Ambernath station) · Walkable to station
- Protection status
- asi_protected
History timeline
- 1060 CE
KING CHHITTARAJA of Silahara-Dynasty of North Konkan built the temple; commemorative inscription documents consecration
- 12th-17th century
Continuous worship through Yadava, Bahmani, and Mughal-eras; remote Konkan-location protected-from-major-iconoclasm
- British colonial era
Rediscovered and documented by British archaeologists; preservation-interest developed
- Post-1947
ASI-protected monument; active-worship continues; Mumbai-suburban railway connectivity made it a day-trip pilgrimage-destination for Mumbai-area Shaiva-devotees
Special phenomena
Rare surviving 11th-c. Hemadpanthi masterpiece
Ambernath is one of only 6-7 SURVIVING MAJOR PRE-MUSLIM-ERA (pre-1200 CE) Hindu temples in the Maharashtra-Konkan region — most others destroyed during 14th-17th-c. Sultanate and Mughal iconoclasm. The temple's architectural-significance is equal to Walkeshwar-Banganga (Silahara 1127), Elephanta Caves (Kalachuri 6-8 c.), and certain Yadava-era temples.
Poojas & sevas offered here
No bookable poojas listed yet
Festivals & signature events
- SignatureMahashivratriAnnual
Location & nearby temples
- Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple, Titwala10.3 km · Titwala
Scriptural references
- 1060 Silahara inscription
- King Chhittaraja dedication
- Shiva Purana
- Classical Shaiva text
Sources & credits
✓ Verified by 2026-04-25. Seeded from training knowledge + ASI / Wikipedia. 1060 Silahara-era construction is inscription-documented. Hemadpanthi-style architectural-classification is scholarly-consensus. Video metadata intentionally empty.