![]() The lower right hand holds a matulinga (a citrus fruit), in the upper right, a large mace (kaumodaki) with its head touching the ground, in the upper left a shield (khetaka), and in the lower left, a bowl (panpatra). In Her four hands, the deity of Mahalakshmi holds objects of symbolic value. The crown contains an image of the Sheshnag - the serpent of Vishnu. A stone lion, the vahana of the goddess, stands behind the statue. Mounted on a stone platform, the idol of the four armed and crowned goddess is made of gemstone and weighs about 40 kilograms. The temple belongs, architecturally, to the Chalukya empire, and may have been first built circa 700 AD. The temple takes its name from Mahalakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, and it is believed that the divine couple reside in the area. The Kolhapur peetha is of special religious significance, being one of the six places where one can either obtain salvation from desires or have them fulfilled. According to these writings, a shakti peetha is a place associated with Shakti, the goddess of power.
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