On the way to visit Khandoba from Rajgurunagar to Nimgaon, there is a village called Kharpudi. Kharpudi village is 6 km from Rajgurunagar. We visited this temple as we read that there is a temple of Khandoba on the hill behind this village and it is fortified like a fort similar to the temple in Nimgaon. The hill behind Kharpudi village is the highest point in the area and from there the area can be seen far away. As the road has been opened up to where the temple is now, the side wall around this temple has been largely demolished while building the road up to the temple i.e. the top of the hill. During the demolition of this fortification, the main gate on this route has also been destroyed. Now cars can reach the top but the original beauty of the temple has been destroyed. While driving along the road, one can see a small gate in the ramparts at the top of this road. ... By taking a private vehicle we reach the parking lot behind the temple. This rampart at the back of the temple has a small entrance gate and small bastions at either end. The ramparts are not very high. During the restoration of the temple, the original structure was demolished and new structures were constructed. Except for the ramparts of the temple and some of its other structures, no other old remnants remain. Considering the geographical location of this hill, it seems that this place may have been used for surveillance along with the temple. If you reach the parking lot by private vehicle, 15 minutes is enough to see the temple premises, but if you walk from the base to the temple, it takes about an hour to go back.
© Suresh Nimbalkar