Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: Ashishbagate13 (talk) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped
Khandoba Temple at Jejuri is the best-known shrine of Khandoba — also called Khanderaya or Malhari Martand — a folk warrior deity worshipped as a form of Shiva, usually shown on horseback with his consort Mhalsa. He is the kuladaivat, or family deity, of a great many Maharashtrian households as well as families in Karnataka and Andhra, and Jejuri is where they come to make good on vows made at home. The temple stands on a hill above the town, reached by a long flight of stone steps flanked by deepmalas (lamp pillars) and stone arches, within a fortified courtyard built in the Hemadpanti manner; a large brass tortoise sits in the courtyard before the sanctum. What visitors remember most is the bhandara — turmeric powder thrown by devotees as an offering, which coats the steps, the walls and the pilgrims themselves in yellow, giving the place its name "Sonyachi Jejuri", golden Jejuri.
October to February is the comfortable window, when the Deccan plateau is dry and the climb is manageable for elders; March to May is genuinely hot on an exposed hilltop. Champa Shashthi, in November or December, is the biggest festival here and the day the bhandara is at its most spectacular — it is also punishingly crowded, with lakhs of pilgrims on a single stepped approach, so families travelling with small children or elderly relatives may prefer an ordinary weekday. Somvati Amavasya (a new moon falling on a Monday) also draws very large crowds.
Pune International Airport is the nearest airport, roughly 55-60 km away. Jejuri has its own railway station on the Pune suburban/passenger line, about 2 km from the foot of the temple hill, and Pune Junction is the nearest major railhead. By road Jejuri is about 48-50 km southeast of Pune city, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours' drive, with state transport buses and shared vehicles running through the day; Mumbai is about 200 km away via the Pune expressway.
The sanctum is on a hilltop and is reached by a climb of roughly 200 stone steps — there is no way around the climb, and it is the main thing to plan for if elders or anyone with knee or heart trouble is in the group. Take it slowly, carry water, and avoid the middle of the day in summer. Expect to be covered in turmeric powder: wear clothes you don't mind staining, and keep cameras and phones protected. Confirm darshan timings with the temple before you travel.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Khandoba Temple in Jejuri for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
How many steps are there at Jejuri, and is there any alternative for elderly pilgrims?
The main temple is reached by about 200 steps from the town side. There is no lift or ropeway. Palanquin (doli) carriers are usually available at the base for those who cannot climb, but this is an informal arrangement — agree the rate before you start. A separate, much older shrine at Kadepathar on a neighbouring hill involves a far longer climb and is best skipped by those with mobility limits.
Why do people throw turmeric at Jejuri?
Turmeric, called bhandara here, is Khandoba's traditional offering. Devotees carry it up and shower it as they climb and at the sanctum, which is why the steps and walls stay yellow. It is sold in packets throughout the town. Tradition connects the practice to Khandoba's warrior form and to vows fulfilled by families for whom he is the kuladaivat.
Can Jejuri be done as a day trip from Pune?
Yes. At about 48-50 km, it is comfortably a half-day or day trip by car from Pune, and many families combine it with Purandar fort or Saswad on the same route. Start early so the climb happens before the sun is high.
Plan your Khandoba Temple yatra
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