Kumbhoj

Kumbhoj
28 feet Bahubali statue, Kumbhoj
Shown within Maharashtra
Basic information
Geographic coordinates	16°49′17.9″N 74°26′41.5″E / 16.821639°N 74.444861°E / 16.821639; 74.444861Coordinates: 16°49′17.9″N 74°26′41.5″E / 16.821639°N 74.444861°E / 16.821639; 74.444861
Affiliation	Jainism
Deity	Parshvanatha
Festivals	Mahamastakabhisheka, Mahavir Jayanti
Governing body	Shri bahubali Bramhacharyasham and Vidhyapeeth Atishay Kshetra, Babubali
Website	www.shribahubali.org
Date established	1156 AD
Temple(s)	14

Kumbhoj (pronounced as kam'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.

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.