Khunya Murlidhar Mandir

The temple Khunya Muralidhar temple is in Central Pune Which is Sadashiv Peth, Pune, India.

The Murlidhar Mandir temple was constructed  by Dada Gadre in the end of 1700 and he had requested Nayaran Bhatt Khare  for the maintenance of the temple. Now temple is being taken care of by Vasant Khare.



The temple had a massive tower and a long stretch of pillars and  the idols of Muralidhar were made in pure white marble. These idols are quiet big and baffling and are almost a foot and close to eleven inches big and that of Radha’s is at a foot and eight inches. The idol also has two cows and calves and a Garuda.

Muralidhar was named Khunya because as the idol was installed in the temple premises there was a bloody fight.Peshwa Baji Rao was baffled by the beauty of the idol and wanted to gain control over it and when Gadre resisted, a war started off in which almost hundred soldiers lost their lives – since then Muralidhar became Khunya Muralidhar, with khun meaning blood in Marathi & Hindi.Peshwa Baji Rao had British soldiers on his side to fight the Arab soldiers supporting Sadashiv Gadre who was the founder of the temple. 

At the times of Krishna Jayanthi the temple used to have special Pooja & prayers being offered.