Lord Ganesha is a popular Hindu deity, revered as the god of wisdom, prosperity, and success and remover of obstacles or difficulties. Because of this, Hindus worship him before any significant endeavour they undertake, such as business, marriage, etc. “Ashtavinayaka Yatra” refers to a pilgrimage covering eight “Swayambhu Ganapati” temples of Maharashtra. In Sanskrit, “Ashtavinayaka” means “eight Ganesha”, and these eight temples have distinct idols of Ganesha. Out of these 8 temples covered in “Ashtavinayak Tirtha Yatra”, 5 are in the Pune District, 2 are in the Raigad District, and 1 is in the Ahmednagar District. These temples have their different interesting legends and distinct historical significance. The Darshan Yatra of these temples is known as “Ashtavinayak Tirtha Yatra,” and you visit these eight distinct idols of Ganesha as per a pre-ascertained sequence. It is believed that you have to start as well as end your Yatra from the Mayureshwar temple at Morgaon. As per scriptures, the pilgrim starts from Morgaon, then Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Thevur, Lenyandri, Ozar, Ranjangaon, and at last again visits the Mayureshwar temple to complete your Ashtavinayak Yatra.
Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon (Pune district)
The Moreshwar or Mayureshwar temple is considered the most important temple and the first temple to be visited during the Ashtavinayaka yatra. The Mayureshwar Temple, locally known as Moreshwar, means “land of peacocks,” and is situated along the Karha River in the Morgaon village. It is believed that Ganesha is shown as riding a peacock, in the form of Mayureshwar, to slay the demon Sindhu at this spot. The temple is situated at the centre of the Moregaon village, built from black stone, and has a massive 50-foot wall from all sides and four impressive minarets. Usually Nandi, (Shiva’s bull) is seen in Shiva temples, but here you find Nandi at the entrance. The idol has its trunk turned to the left, and Riddhi and Siddhi are accompanying him.
Siddhivinayak Temple, Siddhatek (Ahmednagar district)
Siddhivinayak Temple is situated on the banks of Bhīma River, in a small village called Siddhatek, off the Pune-Sholapur highway at a distance of about 200 km from Pune. As per the mythology, Sage Bhrushandi and Vyas had performed penance and attained Siddhi here. This second of the Ashtavinayaka temples is north-facing and situated upon a small hillock, built by the Peshwas. The unique thing about this temple is that it is the only Ganesha idol out of the eight, with the trunk turned to the right, and is considered to be extremely auspicious among the devotees. Here, the idol is 3 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide, with Riddhi and Siddhi sitting on one thigh.
Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali (Raigad district)
Shri Ballaleshwar Temple of Pali is situated in the Raigad District and is approximately 110 km from Pune. This Temple is situated between the historical Sanrasgad Fort and River Amba. The legend of this temple is quite interesting, and it is believed that Lord Ganesha, pleased with the utmost devotion, and saved his ardent devotee, a little boy called “Ballal”. Ballal requested Lord Ganesha to stay with him at Pali. Ganesha agreed and disappeared into a large stone, and promising the little boy to stay there forever. Thus, the temple’s name remains as Ballaleshwar or Ballal Vinayak after the name of his disciple. The original Temple was a wooden temple, which was renovated in 1760 into a new stone temple. This temple is east facing, and the specialty of this temple is that during sunrise, the rays of the sun fall directly on the Ganesh Idol. The inner sanctum is 15 feet high, and the outer one is 12 feet high and has eight beautifully carved pillars that depict the eight directions. The striking idol’s trunk pointed towards the left. Here, the 3 foot high Ballaleshwar Ganesha is very attractive and different, resembling a mountain, with diamonds embedded in the eyes and navel. An
interesting feature is that usually, modak is offered as Prasad to lord Ganesh, but at Ballaleshwar, besan ladu is offered as Prasad instead of modak.
Varadavinayak Temple, Mahad near Khopoli, (Raigad district)
Varadavinayak Temple is located in Mahad village near Khopoli, 3 kilometres off the Pune-Mumbai highway. “Varadavinayak” means one who blesses all wishes. It is believed that Varadavinayak fulfills all the desires of his devotees. The Ganesha idol of the temple is east-facing seated on a rock throne with his trunk turned to the left. It is said that an oil lamp has been kept burning all the time inside the temple since 1892. The Murti (idol) was found in a nearby pond by a devotee called Dhondu Pudkar in 1690 AD, and the temple was constructed in 1725 AD by Subhedar Ramji Mahadev Bivalkar.
Chintamani Temple, Theur (Pune district)
The Ganesha temple of the “Ashtavinayaka” pilgrimage located at Theur is known as “Chintamani,” and it is 22 km from Pune, off the Pune Sholapur highway. Many legends related to Indra, Kapilmuni, Brahma, and King Nal, which are attached to this place, depict the reason behind the name “Chintamani Vinayaka”. Devotees believed that “Chintaamani” drove away all difficulties and worries and brought peace of mind to his devotees. This temple has a north entrance, which is relatively smaller as compared to the temple complex, and the outer wall is made of wood. This temple was built by the Peshwas. The Chintamani Ganesha icon faces east and has its trunk turned to the left. Though the main shrine is Ganesha, you will find the temples of Mahadeva, Vishnu-Lakshmi, and Hanuman inside the complex.
Girijatmaj Temple Lenyadri, (Pune district)
The Girijatmaj temple is located at the Lenyadri Mountain in a Cave, which is 94 km from Pune on the Pune-Nasik highway. The interesting part is that the temple stands amidst a cave complex of 18 caves of Buddhist origin, known as Ganesh-leni and Lenyadri with, 307 steps. Among the ‘ashtavinayakas’ reference of Lenyadri is given in the ‘Ganesha Purana’ as Lekhanparvat. The Girijatmaj temple has a wide hall that is 53 feet long, 51 feet wide, and 7 feet high. The idol is carved on the cave wall, facing north with its trunk positioned to the left. The uniqueness of this idol is devotees have to see the main deity from the rear end of the temple. Though the temple is situated in the eighth cave, it receives sufficient sunlight and is naturally lighted during the day.
Vighnahar Temple, Ozar (Pune district)
The Ganesha Idol here is called Shri Vighneshwar Vinayak or Vighnahar, which means remover of all obstacles. The temple is located in Ozar, off the Pune-Nasik highway on the banks of river Kukadi. The temple has a spacious stone courtyard. Here, the Ganesha idol is facing towards the east, the trunk is positioned to the left, and Riddhi and Siddhi are placed on both sides of the idol. Precious stones like rubies studded in the eyes and a diamond on the forehead.
Mahaganapati Temple Ranjangaon, (Pune district)
The Mahaganapati Temple is located in Ranjangaon, 51 kilometres from Pune, on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway. The Mahaganapati temple at Ranjangaon is considered one of the most powerful representations of Lord Ganesh. As per the legend, it is believed that Lord Shiva worshipped his son Ganesha here before proceeding to fight with the demon Tripurasura. In the Mahaganapati temple, the idol faces to the east with his trunk pointing to the left and is seated cross-legged on a lotus with his consorts, Riddhi and Siddhi. The temple is built in such a manner that, during ‘dakshinayan’ (southward movement of the Sun), the rays of the sun fall directly on the deity. The magnificent main gate is guarded by the statues of Jay and Vijay.
Points to Remember
- These temples are associated with mythology and divinity.
- To witness the mesmerizing moment, try to visit the Shree Ballaleshwar at Pali, in the early morning when the sun rays fall directly on the idol.
- Shree Girijatmaj temple On the Lenyadri Pravat is a pollution-free area with stunning scenic beauty
- Be careful while climbing the steps (307) at the Girijatmaj temple, as some of the steps toward the top are steep and also be careful about the monkeys.
- Try to visit Girijatmaj Temple during the morning hours so that you can easily climb the steps while enjoying the cool breeze otherwise, the stone becomes hot.
- Palkhi are available here in Girijatmaj temple for senior citizens (they charge INR 1500)
- In the Varadavinayak temple, you are allowed to pay your homage to the idol.
- Accommodations are available (dharamsala, budget hotels, homestay) near the temple town.
- Plan your Yatra during the off-season to avoid crowds, and you can bargain for accommodation (peak season October to January).
- For navigation, have proper maps/GPS device and mobile charger/power bank.
- If visiting during summer, carry sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat/cap.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kilometres is the Ashtavinayak Yatra?
The total distance for the Ashtavinayak Yatra is approximately 750 kilometres from Pune and 950 kilometres from Mumbai.
What is the correct order of Ashtavinayak?
The correct order of the Ashtavinayak temples is as follows: Morgaon (Mayureshwar), Siddhatek (Siddhivinayak), Pali (Ballaleshwar), Mahad (Varadvinayak), Theur (Chintamani), Lenyadri (Girijatmaj), Ozar (Vighnahar), and Ranjangaon (Mahaganapati).
How many days are required for Ashtavinayak Darshan?
Two/three days are required. We completed it within two days.
First day: (started at 6.30 am from Pune and came back to Pune 10 pm): Morgaon (Mayureshwar), Siddhatek (Siddhivinayak), Pali (Ballaleshwar), Mahad (VaradVinayak).
Second day 🙁 started around 6 am from Pune and came back 8 pm) Theur (Chintamani), Lenyadri (Girijatmaj), Ozar (Vighnahar), and Ranjangaon (Mahaganapati), Morgaon (Mayureshwar).
Which Ashtavinayak is nearest to Pune?
The Chintamani Temple of Theur is only 22 kilometres from Pune.
Experience a spiritual journey that connect you with the divine essence of Lord Ganesha. No doubt you will witness the spiritual energy of each temple, and the scenic routes, the rich cultural heritage associated with these sacred places makes your journey divine and memorable.
