Siddhatek Ashtavinayak Temple Ahmednagar Maharashtra
Bhallal was a very ardent devotee of Lord Ganesh and his father Kalyansheth wanted to put a stop to it. One day, a very angry kalyasheth tied his son to the tree and told him to free himself with the help of lord Ganesha. The lord, after hearing the plea of his devotee came down in the form of a Brahmin and freed Bhallal. On Bhallal’s request, a temple with the deity was built on the spot. This is worth noting because this is the only temple in this circuit that is named after a devotee of his. Siddhivinayak Temple of Siddhatek is one of the Ashtavinayaka and the only Ashtavinayaka shrine in Ahmednagar district.
The temple is located on the northern bank of the river Bhima on a hillock, surrounded by thick foliage of Babul trees. The idol faces north with its trunk to the left, and has to be worshipped from the rear of the temple. This idol seems little different from the rest of the Ashtavinayak idols in a sense that it appears to be poorly designed or carved like the other idols.
Incidentally, the Chintamani Vinayak was supposed to be the family deityof Shrimant Madhavrao I Peshwa. In the above-mentioned legend, the stone idol that Ballal's father threw away is known as Dhundi Vinayak. The birth celebration of Dhundi Vinayak takes place from Jyeshtha Pratipada to Panchami.
In Hindu faith, even if you see the top of the temple called ‘Kalas’ in Marathi or the Steeple of the temple, it is equivalent to visiting and paying respects to God. So, if you see my pictures below, it is like you have virtually visited all the temples. The temple is located in the town of Pali, off the Mumbai-Pune highway, about 11 km before Nagothane on the Mumbai-Goa highway. This is located 30 km to the South-West of Karjat Railway Station. Legend has it that a demon by name Tripurasura,caused suffering to all beings in the heaven ashtavinayak darshan and on earth. On hearing the pleas of the Gods, Shiva intervened but he realized that he could not defeat the demon.
However, the demon went a step further and destroyed all vedic, religious acts and to answer the people's prayers for protection, Ganesh defeated him. In return the demon asked a favour that his name should be taken before Ganesha's name, thus the name of Ganesha became Vighnahar or Vighneshwar . Peshwa general Haripant Phadake lost his General's position and did 21 Pradakshina around the temple.
On being conquered, the demon begged for mercy and fell at the Lord's feet. Ganesha agreed on the condition that the asura should not go to any place where his worship was going on. The demon was saddened, but requested a return favor that his name should be taken everytime, before Ganesha was worshipped. Thus, the Lord also got the name Vighnahar or Vighneshwar . The Ganesha residing in this temple is called Shri Vighneshwar Vinayak. The Varadavinayak temple is situated 3 kms off the Mumbai-Pune highway, near Khopoli.
Vighnahar Ganapati Temple is located about 85 km from Pune on the banks of Kukadi River. The Vigneshwara Temple Ganesha form worshipped here is called Vigneshwara, one of the eight revered shrines of Ganesha in Maharashtra. As I did my trip with a tour operator they didn’t take me back to Morgaon for revisiting the Mayureshwar temple. I am not very religious usually, but I may make vows or ask Ganesha for favours whenever I am stuck in a tight spot or in an obstacle. I don’t really know whether God exists, but somehow making the prayers gives me confidence clears my mind from any doubts.