PLACES

GHODEGAON

Situated in 19°45' north latitude and 75°00' east longitude, with in 1971 a population of 4,307 and an area of 8.8 square miles lies about sixteen miles to the south of Newasa, the head-quarters of the taluka in which it is located. The village has two primary schools, a high school, a hostel for scheduled caste students, a village panchayat office and a dispensary. There are also located the branches of the District Central Co-operative Bank, Ahmadnagar and the Land Development Bank. It is an electrified village. Weekly cattle market is held on every Friday. Wells form the main source of water-supply. The village has two churches and three temples. Of these, the temple of the goddess Ghodeshvari is most noteworthy. The village is named after the goddess whose idol was found while sinking a drinking water well to the north of the present temple of the goddess. It is said that the goddess appeared in a dream of a devotee and asked him to sink a well near the temple and to take her out. Prior to this the village was known as Nipani-Pimpalgaon. The temple is surrounded by a mud-wall which, except the portion in front of the temple measuring 100'X 15' built in brick with a big door in the centre, is in a dilapidated condition and beyond repair. It is a Hemadpanti temple facing east, built in well-dressed black stone with a mandap without any pillars and a gabhara of 15' X 15' wherein a small mis-shaped stone covered with red lead represents the goddess Ghodeshvari. The gabhara has a door of 4' x 2'. The gabhara is built in a quadrangular form, ornamented with engraved or figured work and has a pinnacle of about 30' in height. In front of the temple a deepmal about 35' in height is constructed in brick. It can be ascended by a flight of steps constructed inside the deepmal. A small temple of Mahadev is constructed to the left of the deepmal. A fair is held annually on Chaitra 15 (March-April), which is attended by about five thousand people.

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