Located in the quiet corner of the Kirti Mandir compound, the Kubereshwar Dutta Mandir is a most famous temple dedicated to Lord Dutta in Baroda. It is named after Kuberji, who was a servant of the Baroda State in the olden days. The temple was built in the early 1890s during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
A godly experience and a mad elephant:
Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, he is said to have been a great devotee of Lord Dutta. Because of his “pooja” routine, he frequently got late to reach work. One of these times he got late to work and got to explaining his superior the reason for being late. To this, the superior said that you were not late you were here since the morning !!! Kuberji considered this to be a godly experience, where the Lord himself went in his place to the office, to help him. After this, Kuberji started distancing himself from everyone. He used to stand for hours at the Mandvi pavilion in the old city.
Once, when he was standing at the Mandvi pavilion, an elephant named Maula Baksh got out of control and started rampaging the streets. This caused unrest amongst the people who started running here and there and advised Kuberji to do the same. But Kuberji stood right there. When the elephant reached near him, a miracle happened. The elephant automatically came back to his senses, bowed in front of Kuberji and went back.
This incident was witnessed by the people of the city, along with Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad himself. After this, the Maharaja along with the people of the city started venerating him as a godly person. The maharaja even provided him a small bungalow and a monthly pension.
*
Every year on the occasion of Dutta Jayanti the temple organizes a maha-pooja. On this day the temple is decorated with lights, rangoli designs and is visited by hundreds of devotees who have immense faith in Lord Dutta.
No Comments