Important information about Kaundanyapur.

The name Kaundanyapur immediately evokes a spiritual world in one's mind. It is the place of Lord Krishna's in-laws, the place from where the Lord abducted his chief queen (Agra Mahishi), Shri Rukmini. She was the beautiful daughter of King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha. Kaundanyapur is the maternal home of five great women: Mother Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhishmaka; Indumati, the grandmother of Lord Rama and mother of King Dasharatha; Damayanti, the queen of King Nala; Lopamudra, the wife of Sage Agastya; and Keshini, the mother of King Bhagiratha, who brought the Ganges to Earth from heaven. It is also the place associated with Shri Chauranginath of the Nath tradition. There is a pond named Pundalik in the basin of the Vashishta (Bardha), today's Wardha River.

Kaundanyapur is a historical and archaeological site that was the capital of ancient Vidarbha, located on the banks of the Wardha River in Amravati district. The Shri Ambadevi temple located here is famous, and there is a legend that Lord Krishna abducted Mother Rukmini from this place. The marriage of Nala and Damayanti is also said to have taken place here, and Kaundanyapur is also associated with these mythological characters.

Upon entering this village, situated on the banks of the Wardha River in Amravati district, one sees mounds of white ash everywhere. These ash mounds are sites indicating the existence of ancient human settlements. A small attempt at research on this city of Kaundanyapur, built on many such mounds, was made by the Department of Archaeology in 1959 by the late Shri A. R. Deshpande. An attempt was also made in 1936 by the expert of the Department of Archaeology, Raibahadur K. N. Dixit. In 1959, the Department of Archaeology at Deccan College, Pune, conducted research. Subsequently, between 1962 and 1964, Dr. Moreshwar Dixit carried out extensive excavations, uncovering numerous archaeological remains. Artifacts dating back to 500 AD have been found here, indicating that this village is 2500 years old.

One kilometer from the Rukmini Mata temple, on a high hill, stands the ancient and sacred temple of Shri Ambika Mata. Lord Krishna invited Rukmini Mata to this temple to offer prayers to the goddess, and then abducted her through a nearby underground passage. A fierce battle ensued, in which Ruruma and Shishupala suffered a crushing defeat.

In this area, numerous ancient and sacred temples, built by people of all communities, stand proudly. These include the Shri Sant Ravidas Maharaj Temple, Shri Sant Narhari Sonar Maharaj Temple, Shri Satyanarayan Bhagwan Temple, Shri Jain Temple, Shri Shiva Temple, Shri Datta Temple, Shri Prabhu Vishwakarma Temple, and many other small and large temples that fill the area.

Shri Sant Sadguru Sadaram Maharaj started the Ashadhi pilgrimage on foot from Shri Tirth...