Located 52 km from Pune, Vaghale village hosts the west-facing Vāgheśvara Temple (18.786463, 74.207784) near its border. The village was historically governed by the Pawar family. Within its confined area, Vaghale is noteworthy for housing not just the Vāgheśvara Temple, but also three bāravas and various samādhīs dedicated to members of the Pawar family. Venturing further north from the village along Malthan Road, and turning at one of the bāravas, leads to the temples of Bhairavanātha and Hanumāna. Near the base of these temples, ancient ruins are visible. Behind these structures, another bārava and additional samādhīs can be found.

Vāgheśvara temple,

Architecuture: The general plan of Vāgheśvara temple includes nandīmaṇḍapa, gūḍhamaṇḍapa, antarāḷa, and garbhagṛha. It appears that the temple was originally enclosed by a fencing wall, although it is no longer present. The nandīmaṇḍapa measures 293 x 293 cm and has been partially restored in recent times. A new Nandī statue is now installed at its center, while the original Nandī has been relocated behind the location of the former fencing wall. Moving inward, the gūḍhamaṇḍapa features a simple door, above which the images of Navagrahas are displayed. This area is 390 x 390 cm in size and is supported by four stambhas. Additionally, two devakoṣhṭhas can be found on its northern and southern walls. Interestingly, the pillars within the gūḍhamaṇḍapa are unadorned, lacking any carvings.

The antarāḷa, a transitional area leading to the garbhagṛha, measures 186 cm in length and 180 cm in width. It is flat in design. In the heart of the temple, the garbhagṛha houses a śivaliṅga and is 192 cm long and 180 cm wide. Both the vitānas—the ceilings of the nandīmaṇḍapa, gūḍhamaṇḍapa, and garbhagṛha—and the temple's exterior are unembellished. The temple has undergone some restoration, and the śikhara is newly built. Finally, a praṇālaka is visible on the temple's exterior, facing toward the south. In summary, the temple's architecture is characterized by its simplicity and lack of elaborate engravings, yet it retains the essential elements of traditional temple design.

The nandīmaṇḍapa

Navagrahas

gūḍhamaṇḍapa

The four samādhīs

Samādhī and Puṣkaraṇī: The four samādhīs in front of the temple are in good condition. Some carvings are seen on their walls. Sculptures of Gaṇeśa, śarabha, etc., lines of bilvapatras, latticed windows, etc. structures appear on the stones of samādhīs. The samādhī-śikharas are made of bricks, and the rest portions are built in stone. Due to darkness, the kingdom of bats seems to have flourished everywhere. An ancient puṣkaraṇī with devakoṣhṭhas is beside the samādhīs. It has a lot of sediments deposited. It appears to be contemporary with the Vāgheśvara temple. The temple premises is beautiful and quiet. There is no settlement around. It is another bārava south of the village on the right side of Ganegaon (Khalsa) road, used for agriculture.

An ancient puṣkaraṇī with devakoṣhṭhas

Concluding Remarks: The Vāgheśvara temple's distinctive architectural elements—such as its stambhas, the sculptures of Navagrahas, the charming puṣkaraṇī located in front of the temple, and the Nandī sculpture—suggest that it might date back to the 14th or 15th century. Temples of a similar time period have been discovered in the nearby area of Pimpri-Dumala, lending credence to this estimation.

While the Vāgheśvara temple itself is well-maintained, the condition of the samādhīs and puṣkaraṇī in its vicinity is lamentable. The puṣkaraṇī could become a year-round water source if the accumulated silt were to be removed. Likewise, by maintaining the cleanliness of the samādhīs' premises and removing overgrown grass, the overall environment around the temple could be significantly enhanced.