Ashtavinayak Diaries-3

Praying at Mahaganapati mandir at Ranjangaon concludes the Ashtavinayak tour as per the Shasokta sequence, though it is said one must visit Morgaon Mayureshwar a second time. However, in our itinerary, this was the third of the Ashtavinayaks.

Coming to the temple itself, this is the only Ashtavinayak temple situated on a main road, the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway. Due to its prime location, it has crowds at any time of the day. The largest among all the Ashtavinayak temples, this one has all the trappings of any large temple/ temple town — a long street with shops selling puja items, small eateries, restaurants, beggars and milling crowds. The temple is very clean though and like in other large temples, you have a common darshan and a paid darshan ( Rs.50). The two lines merge towards the main hall where there is a fair bit of pushing and prodding.

The deity, true to His name of Mahaganapati is large and sits cross-legged. It is said that this is not the original swayambhu deity which had 10 trunks and 20 hands and is hidden somehwere in the basement. This is vehemently denied by the temple authorities.

What is the Mahaganapati story? He is called Mahaganapati because Shiva himself is supposed to have invoked his blessings at this very place. The original temple was supposedly built by Shiva in this place, then called Manipur. Gritsamada was blessed by Varadavinayak of Mahad that even though his son would be an asura, none other than Shiva could kill him. The son Tripurasur ( lord of three cities of gold, silver and iron) became so vain and arrogant that he conquered all the three worlds and even captured Mount Kailash. All the Gods prayed to Shiva who engaged Tripurasur in battle but could not kill him because he had not invoked the blessings of Ganpati. Realising his mistake, Shiva prayed here to Ganpati and soon enough he decimated Tripurasur. Thus was born the legend of Mahaganapati who advised his father on how to eliminate this asura.

Ganpati Bappa Morya!