Kumbhoj

Kumbhoj (pronounced as kum'bho'j) is the name of an ancient town located in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. The town is about eight kilometers from Hatkanangale, about twenty seven kilometers from Kolhapur and currently, also is the Taluka or Tehsil Headquarters. The famous Jain Tirtha (pilgrim place) known as Bahubali, is just two kilometers away from the Kumbhoj city.

As the name itself suggests, Kumbhoj seems to be connected with well-known ancient term Kamboja of  Sanskrit/Pali literature.

Alternative name of Kumbhoj is Kumboj (Kamboj). The former name is apparently free from Iranian or Paisaci influence since Maharashtra location was far removed from the north-west division of ancient India. Kamboj is the standard name found in numerous ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts.

Padma Vibhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, a renowned social worker and philanthropist was born at Kumbhoj.

Bahubali at Kumbhoj is identical to the Bahubali of Shravanabelagola known as Gomateshwar to the south in Karnataka.

History
During the second century BCE, a section of Kambojas from Central India had joined the great tribal movement to Central Asia. One section of those Kambojas appears to have given their name to this coastal town of southwest India. There is said to be a microscopic Jain community, predominantly agrarian, called Kambhoj living near Nanded in Maharashtra.

Kumbhoj was very ancient village where Devi Shakambari has visited. There is a temple of Devi Shakambari which has close relation from Banashankari near Badami.

There is a reference to sage Kumbhoja (q.v.) who finds reference in southern Indian recensions of Ramayana. He seems to have lived somewhere on the banks of river Godavari, in southwest India during Ramayana times. Seems like sage Kambhoja originally belonged to northwest and had migrated to south of Vindhya on river Godawri.

The Shakambari Madir needs cultivation through Archaeological Survey of India.

Kumbhoj is nowadays famous for the agriculture land where sugar cane farming is popular.

Jain Temple
In 1156 AD, a 6 feet tall idol of lord Bahubali was installed here. Many Jain saints have visited this place including Shri Bahubali Maharaj, Shri Prabhachandraji, Shri Kamlakarji, Shri 108 Shanti Sagarji. The temple also has a dharamshala equipped with all modern facilities This Tirth has small scale replicas of Gajpantha, Taranga, Mangi-Tungi, Sonagiri and Pavagiri on left and Kailash Parvat, Shikharji and Girnarji on right side. Jal Mandir, Ratnatraya temple, Shantinath Temple, Chandaprabhu Temple, Adinath Temple and Samavsharan Mandir are also built near main temple.

Bahubali monolith
A monolithic statue of Bahubali in kayotsarga posture was installed in 1963. The statue is situated on about 50 steps up and 8.5 m (28 feet) in high at Kumbhoj, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The famous Jain Tirtha (pilgrim place) known as Bahubali, is just two kilometers away from the Kumbhoj village. Bahubali at Kumbhoj is identical to the Bahubali of Shravanabelagola known as Gomateshwar to the south in Karnataka

Mahamastakabhishek
Mahamastakabhisheka (Maha-mastak-abhishek = Grand religious ablution from head) happens in every 12 years. This pious event runs for continuous 7 days with witnessing thousands of pilgrims across the country.



Transportation
Sangli Railway Station, located 25 km from Kumbhoj, is a preferred disembarking point for visitors traveling to Kumbhoj, especially those who wish to visit the various Jain temples in Sangli. This station is well-connected by express trains to major Indian cities including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Goa, Bangalore, Agra, Bhopal, Mysore, Hubli, Kochi, Mangalore, Gandhidham, Pondicherry, and Nagpur. Travel from Sangli to Kumbhoj is a short 30-minute journey, with rickshaws, cars, and buses readily available for hire..

Miraj Just 27 km from Kumbhoj. Miraj Junction is a vital hub in western India, featuring connections via four railway lines. It offers services from several express and superfast trains, including Karnataka Sampark Kranti, Chandigarh Sampark Kranti, Goa, Mumbai Hubli, Yesvantpur Miraj, Pondicherry, Tirunelveli, Suvarnajayanti, Chalukya, Shravati, Bangalore Jodhpur, Bangalore Ajmer, Bangalore Gandhidham, Mahalaxmi, Sahyadri, Koyna, Rani Chenamma, Haripriya, Miraj Hubli, Kolhapur Hyderabad, Kolhapur Solapur, Maharashtra, and Deekshabhoomi Express trains. Private cars and taxis can be hired at Miraj station for a 30-minute ride to Kumbhoj. For travelers, vegetarian Jain meals are available at Miraj Junction courtesy of the local Jain Temple.

Located just 4 km from Kumbhoj, Hatkanangle Station is another convenient stop, especially for trains traveling towards Kolhapur on the Pune-Miraj-Hubli mainline.

Bus Travel: Buses from Mumbai or Bangalore are also an option for reaching Kumbhoj. Additionally, the Maharashtra State Road Transport (ST-Bus) operates regular services from Kolhapur and Sangli to Kumbhoj, offering another reliable mode of travel for visitors.

Religious organizations
The Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha is a religious and social service organization of the Jains of South India. The organization is headquartered at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India. The organization mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.