Site Location -Tuljapur

Site - Siddh Garibnath Maharaj Math

Design Question

What can the idea of a museum be in a town where there are variety of oral stories related to their heritage and culture, within many parts of the town? Can the museum be a collection of stories rather than a collection of objects removed from their context? Can it be a living space museum, within a functional monastery, which itself has a plethora of stories?

Site Analysis

The Tulja Bhawani temple is the main temple in Tuljapur. The Monastery of Navnath Sampraday, was also used by people visiting the temple to stay as there were no hotels until a few years ago. A severe drought hit the town during the 9th century. So to offer some water of Ganga, Garibnath one of the disciples of Gorakshanath by practicing austerity offered water in “Gomukh” in Tuljabhavani temple.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj the founder of the Maratha kingdom, always visited this temple to seek blessings. The legend has to its credit to say that the Goddess gave him a sword called ‘Bhavani kadga’' by using which Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was successful in his expeditions.