MAHARASHTRA  RELIGIOUS TOURS

GAGANGIRI TOURS & TRAVELS is offering a unique two-day trip to Gondavale-Chapal Ram Mandir Yatra. Our tour package includes all transportation and hotel stay. This trip is perfect for those looking to explore the religious sites of Gondavale-Chapal.

This sacred journey will take you to the famous Ram Mandir, where pilgrims get to experience the spiritual vibes of the temple. You will also get to explore the local culture and nature of the area. We look forward to having you join us for this special pilgrimage.

About Gondavlekar Maharaj

Gondavalekar Maharaj, also known as Brahmachaitanya, was an Indian Hindu saint and spiritual master who dedicated his life to the service of humanity. He was born in Gondavale Budruk, a village in the present-day Satara district, Maharashtra, India. He was well known for his humility, generosity and compassionate nature. He believed in the power of prayer and meditation to bring about inner peace and harmony. He also encouraged people to practice spiritual disciplines such as yoga, chanting mantras and performing rituals. He was a great teacher and his teachings are still being followed by many people today.

Early life and initiation

Brahmachaitanya was born Ganpati into a Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin family to Geetabai and Ravji Ghugardare. His father Rajiv Ghugardhare was Kulkarni of the village. His parents were known to be devotees of the Hindu deity Vitthala.

 Ganpati left home for spiritual pursuits at the early age of nine. After knowing of his whereabouts, his father tracked him down and brought him back home from Kolhapur. He entered into his first marriage at the age of eleven. Soon at the age of twelve, he again left home in search of a spiritual guru. He traveled across India and is believed to have visited numerous contemporary saints and spiritual masters such as Swami Samarth of Akkalkot, Manik Prabhu, Trailanga Swami, and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He later arrived at Yehalegaon, a village near Nanded, and became a disciple of Tukamai. After a while, he was initiated by Tukamai and given the name 'Brahmachaitanya'. He reportedly attained enlightenment at the age of sixteen

 Return to Gondavale and later years

As per Tukamai's instructions, Brahmachaitanya went on a pilgrimage across India. He returned to Gondavale after nine years. Later, he and his wife lived in Nashik for some time. About a year later, his wife gave birth to a son who died early. His wife too passed away shortly after. At the insistence of his mother Geetabai, Brahmachaitanya married again. His second wife was blind since birth and later came to be known as Aaisaheb. In later years, Brahmachaitanya continued to expound spiritual methods revolving around devotion to Rama. Initially, he had a Rama temple built as an extension of his residence. With time, the number of his disciples and followers continued to increase. In order to accommodate the large volumes of visitors, he arranged for the construction of Rama, Dattatreya, and Shani temples along with an accommodation facility at Gondavale. He also had Rama temples built in other rural regions of Maharashtra. Between 1876 and 1896, a severe famine gripped Gondavale and the adjacent region. During this period, Brahmachaitanya helped save many lives from starvation by making provisions for employment on his farm and offering food to the needy. From 1890 onwards, he mostly lived in Gondavale. He breathed his last during the early hours of Monday, December 22, 1913, at Gondavale

Philosophy

Brahmachaitanya was a proponent of Bhakti Yoga or the path of devotion. According to him, regular recalling of 'Rama-Nama' (mantra or Japa) in everyday life ensures continuous remembrance of the divine and consequently leads to spiritual progress. He advocated for complete surrender to Rama as a pathway to contentment. He maintained that one need not sacrifice his or her material engagements to develop spiritually. He frequently emphasized the importance of discipline, selflessness, morality, and compassion towards attaining well-being. His teachings were mostly aligned with that of Samarth Ramdas, a 17th-century Indian saint, and philosopher. He frequently employed means such as pravachan (spiritual discourses), bhajan (hymns), and valid anushthaan (Vedic rituals) to engage people along the path of devotion. He encouraged cow protection and food donation.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 -   Satara/Karad

Dept.  early in the morning and proceeds to Gondavale ( Dist-302 Km ) approximately 6 Hrs Journey and on arrival have a Darshan of Gondavlekar Maharaj Samadhi, in the evening proceed to Chaphal Ram Mandir, have darshan in Mandir and proceed to Satara for O/N Halt.

Day 2 -  Return to Mumbai

After Breakfast proceed to Mumbai on arrival drop at your residence/Hotel.with a Memorable experience of Gagangiri Tours and Travels (MTDC Approved Agency)

 Tour & services Ends. 

TARIFF-2024-25

(Approximate Cost Per Person)