| Ganapati has taken greater roots in Maharastra and Western parts of India. The propagation of Ganapati worship by Lokmanya Tilak boosted Ganapatyam and revived the spirit. There is a prescribed pilgrimage to the eight seats of Ganapathis in and around Pune-That is the life's ambition of every Ganapati devotee.
The eight seats are:
Sri GIRIJATMAJA, Lenyadri
At Lenyadri, a short distance to the north of Pune, on the banks of the river Kukdi, is a temple for the Lord, called Girijatmaja. The entire temple is carved out of stone with a Sabha Mandap in front. It is exciting to climb the 283 steps to have his darshan and puja.
Sri MORESHWAR-Mayureshwar Morgaon
Morgaon, the village of peacocks in the Baramati district about 64 kns from Pune, on the basis of a river called Karha. The beautiful Ganesha is in a sitting posture, with diamond studded in his eyes and navel, with Siddhi-Buddhi on his side. Though rat is his normal vehicle has a peacock for his vehicle in this temple. Hence the name Mayureshwar (Moreshwar).
Sri BALLALESHWAR-Pali
40 kms from Khopoli is the main shrine of Ballaleshwar at Pali, at the foot of a hill, on the top of which is Fort Sarasgod.
Sri CHINTAMANI-Theur
23 kms away from Pune on the basis of the Mula-Mutha river is the Chintamani Vinayaka Temple, thronged by devotes. Chintaman Vinayaka is full of compassion and benevolence to his Bhaktas
Sri VIGNESWARA-Ojhar
The Vigneswara shrine at Ojhar is on the banks of the river Kukdi in Junnar Taluk, in Pune Dist. 8 Kms away from Junnar. The Sculpture of Vigneswara is beautifully carved out of granite, rubies studded in the eyes and a diamond on the forehead.
Sri SIDDHIVINAYAK-Siddhatek
13 kms away from Daund, on the Bombay-Madras line, is the village Siddhatek, where the temple is located. It is said that the Ganapati is Swayambhu and worshipped by Shri Vishnu. The Bhima river flows nearby in the vicinity of the temple.
Sri VARADA VINAYAK-Mahad
Nearer to PALI(about 40 Kms from Khopoli) on the Bombay-Pune highway is the small hamlet-where Ganesh is popular as Varada-giver of booms to the devotees. The idol was found in a pond and installed in the shrine there. As part of the 8 centres, he is visited by devotees in a large numbers.
Sri MAHAGANAPATHI-Ranjangaon
50 Kms from Pune and about 16 Kms from Uruli, the Mahaganapathi temple at Ranjangaon attracts large crowds, built by the Peshwa Raja Madhavaro. The rays of the sun falls on the murthi exactly at noon. In the South Indian villages there are many temples exclusively for the worship for Vinayaka but there is no village where he does not exist. You can see him on the river banks, under a banyan tree, without a temple, without a canopy-people worship the riverside Ganapathis-the first thing after their bath. |
