Changdev Urf Raja Bageswar, Yamanur Jathre

Shri Changdev Urf Raja Bagasvar Temple attracts people of both Hindu and Muslim faiths. Hindus worship the deity as Chang Maharaj and for Muslims, it is Raja Bagasvar. Near this temple is Benne Halla, a waterbody believed to have miraculous medicinal properties. Yamanur, a village 40 km from Hubballi on the highway to Sholapur, attracts people of many faiths. For Hindus, the deity here is Changdev Maharaj and for Muslims, it is Raja Bageswar. The object of worship is a 17th-century saint who rode a tiger, using a snake as the whip, and wielding scorpions as reins. According to legend, Changadev Maharaj undertook rigorous penance for hundreds of years and succeeded in defeating the god of death Yama. The name Yamanur is thus associated with Yama and translates as, “Yama’s Town.”. Devotees throng the temple-dargah from across India, especially Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra as well as from nearby Gangavati, Hubballi-Dharwad and Gadag. The peak season for Muslim devotees is during the holy month of Ramzan. There are two major rituals that devotees visiting the temple participate in. They take a holy dip in Benne Halla (also known as Yamanur Halla), about a mile from the temple. They, then proceed for Darshan at the temple. Horse-drawn carts transport the devotees between the temple and the stream. The 1 km stretch of Benne Halla has saline water, believed to have medicinal properties. The place is a great embodiment of faith and the secular fibre of Indian religion and culture.