|| Shree Yamai Devi Prasanna ||
|| Sarvamanglye Shive Sarvathsadhike ||
|| Sharnye Trambake Gauri Narayani Namostute ||
Pranam to Shree Adimaya Jagdamba
How did Yamai Goddess incarnate at Kanhersar in Yamai temple area?
This story is from 12th century, Shri. Saint Kanhuraj Maharaj from Kendur, Maharashtra who was also sanctified by the association of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj. Renuka Devi, who was pleased with the penance of Saint Kanhuraj Maharaj. While immersed in the state of samadhi, Goddess Renuka appeared and gave blessings. Kanhuraj Maharaj expressed his wish that your darshan should be with me forever.
On hearing this, the goddess said tathastu with a happy heart, but said that I will not come in revealed form, but in invisible form and with a condition.
I will only see you and I will follow you, but you believe in my promise and you do not look back. If you look back, I will establish where I am, not come forward.
The next journey started, Kanhuraj Maharaj was walking ahead and Renuka Devi started following him. Kanhuraj Maharaj can hear the sound of anklets and claws was coming from the feet of the Goddess and suddenly that sound stopped.
At this moment, when Kanhuraj Maharaj was looking back, at the same moment, the goddess disappered on the bank of the stream of Kanhersar village. Kanhuraj Maharaj realized his mistake and at that moment, Kanhuraj Maharaj started praising the goddess and called Ye Mai (Come Mother) this is why this goddess is called Yemai here.
But according to the conditions laid down by the Goddess, the Goddess said, I will stay in this place now, I will stay there forever in the dense forest north of the river. In this place I will take service from the devotees and I will be pleased with their devotion and fulfill their desires.
I will take your service in this place too, this place is not very far from Kendur so it will be easy for you to come and go. So you can do worship very easily. Following the orders of goddess mother, Kanhuraj Maharaj worshiped the Goddess Kanhersar in this place with regularity.
This is how Renuka Mata, Ambabai, Jagdamba incarnated here. Later eventually a temple was established at this place.
Every day in the morning and evening aarti is performed here. Pradakshina is also performed around the temple every Tuesday. Every full moon, a procession of Goddess in the village in a palanquin.
The first renovation of this temple took place in Shake 1847-48.
On the stone construction of this temple, there is a picture of an animal holding an elephant in its mouth, one in its tail and four in its legs. The same picture is also found in Janjira fort which is in Murud, Maharashtra.