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PLACES
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BEDAG
Bedag (pop. 8,095} is a village in Miraj taluka lying 11.26 km (7 miles) east of the taluka headquarters. It is also a railway station and is chiefly known for its betel-leaf orchards which number over 1,000. These leaves are marketed to Bombay, Poona, etc. The village was held by the Ghorpades in inam of whom Narsimhrav Ghorpade pulled down the old and decrepit Vada and built a new one in its place. It has now been purchased by the village pancayat and serves to house besides its office, the high school, agriculturists co-operative society, and the village post office. Opposite to this is the public library established by Narsimhrav himself.
Objects.
Sanjirba Temple.
Bedag has a number of shrines dedicated to different deities of which those of Sanjirba and Margubat and a math known as Bavaca math claim importance. It is told that it was the custom
among the villagers of Arag to take in procession in a palanquin a bowl known as Sanjaci vati which was considered to be the symbol of dignity and prestige of Arag and hence the villagers did not even hesitate to sacrifice their lives to preserve it. On one such occasion a KostT from Bedag after quarrelling with his family went to attend the procession and in a fit of rage laid hands upon the vati and ran in the direction of Bedag, the pro cessionists yelling after him. On seeing the blood-thirsty mob the gate-keepers of Bedag bolted the gates but the Kosti succeeded in Hinging the vati inside from over the rampart. Realising the whole episode the gate was slightly opened upon which the Kotsi put his head inside and asked them to sever it. This done the Arag villagers only got the trunk. Yet another version states that the head was separated by the Arag villagers themselves and while dragging the trunk behind them they heard it saying, when they had hardly covered 1.61 km (a mile), that wherever the trunk fell would be considered to be the boundary of Bedag. On the spot where the trunk was left a stone block emerged which is still pointed out. The head was also buried hut surprisingly enough it began to grow. Panic-stricken, the villagers summoned his mother and asked her to advise it not to grow and that if it con-tinucd to grow it would be considered to he a ghost. Upon this the head disappeared and in its place another block of stone emerged over which a shrine was built. It is known as Sanjirba temple and on the day of the fair which falls on Amavasya the facial plaque of Sanjirba and Sanjaci vati are put in a palanquin and taken in procession. This day is considered to be a holy day and is enthusiastically celebrated. The right of performing puja goes to a Kosti.
Margubai Temple.
Margubai temple is very old and has a spacious mandapa with a dipmal outside. Inside the gabhara is placed a stone image
of the deity. In Caitra, a fair attended by over 5,000 persons is
held, its prominent features being cart-races and wrestling bouts.
It lasts for five days. A large cattle market is also held.
Bavaca Math.
Bavaca math, just on the outskirts of the village, is built after one Krsnaji Bava who took samadhi there. It is a very old and crumbling edifice, wild growth having practically encompassed it. Within the compound of the math is the above referred Margubai shrine and also that of Ambabai. People visit it generally at the time of the fair, In the same compound are two interconnected wells said to have been built by Krsnaji Bava. Formerly the waters of these wells were utilised for drinking.
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