Kāniphanāthagaḍa or Kāniphanātha temple (18.414186, 73.952567) is a shrine of Nātha yogī Kāniphanātha near Bopgaon village, 12 km away from Sasvad. The shrine houses a tomb of Kāniphanātha. He was also known as Kānhāpā, Kānhu, Kāneri, Kṛṣṇapāda, Karṇāripa, Kānipha, Kānānipā etc.

Kāniphanātha temple

About the Temple: The temple built over the tomb in Bopgaon is a modern structure, and it's one of several in Maharashtra that are said to be over the tombs of Kāniphanātha. Identifying the original among them is indeed a complex issue requiring scholarly research.

Multiple individuals named Kṛṣṇapāda (or Kāniphanātha) have been documented throughout history. For instance, one Kānhāpā who lived in the 9th century was initially associated with the Kāpālikas before becoming a disciple of Jālindharanātha. Another, who lived in the 15th century CE, was originally a Hindu and later converted to Islam. Known by the name ‘Śāh Rāmajān,’ he became a disciple of the Sūfī saint Nizāmuddīn in the Deccan region. This dual religious influence is likely why the shrine attracts devotees from both Hindu and Muslim communities.

Given this complex historical backdrop, it is quite plausible that the Kāniphanātha of Bopgaon is not the 9th-century figure but the later one. As for the temple at Kāniphanāthagaḍa, it has undergone substantial renovations or modifications, making it a new temple rather than an ancient one. However, garbhagṛha and the ardhamaṇḍapa could be identified as parts of the old architecture of the temple.

Dutta and Kāniphanātha temples, Bopgaon

Turabata (toumb), Bopgaon.

Concluding Remarks: The site has archaeological material such as images, turabats, pillars, garbhagṛha and lamp pillars. Remains of the old architecture indicated that this temple was originally constructed sometime during the 17th century CE.