Kalaram Mandir
Nashik, Maharashtra
Kalaram Mandir is Nashik's best-known Rama temple, in the heart of Panchavati. The name means 'Black Rama', after the black stone idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in the sanctum. A black Hanuman idol stands at the entrance.
What to see and do
- Have darshan of the black stone Rama, Sita and Lakshmana
- See the dark stone temple and its courtyard
- Combine it with Sita Gufaa, a two-minute walk away, and Ramkund close by
Good to know
- It is among the busiest temples in Nashik, especially on festival days and weekends
- Aarti times and opening hours vary by season, so check locally
Spiritual significance
The present temple was built in the late 1700s by Sardar Rangarao Odhekar, on a site said to be much older. Tradition says he dreamed that a black idol of Rama lay in the Godavari, and found it there.
Why it matters
- A much-loved Rama shrine of Maharashtra, set where the Ramayana places Rama's forest home
- It holds a place in modern history: in 1930 Dr B. R. Ambedkar led a satyagraha here demanding the right of temple entry for all
- The black idols give the temple both its name and its character