Basim

Basim, also known as Washim, was once Vatsagulma, the capital of a branch of the Vakataka dynasty. Its sacred sites and tanks recall a long history in the Berar country. The Balaji temple is dedicated to Vyankateshwar, a form of Vishnu, and stands in a paved enclosure with a tank nearby. Local tradition preserves an account of its images being hidden and later rediscovered.

In the eighteenth century Bhavani Kalu, a minister of the Bhonsle rulers of Nagpur, undertook construction of the Balaji temple. The work lasted around twelve years; an inscription records its completion in 1776. According to tradition, the images had been buried during Aurangzeb’s reign and were found again around 1760. The temple and the Dev Talav tank became prominent features of Basim under Maratha influence.