Ashtavinayak diaries-7

Gritsamada suspected his mother Mukunda of infidelity and cursed that she should become a thorny Bhor tree. She in turn cursed him that he would father a demon-child. When the truth was known, both realised their folly but it was too late. A forlorn Gritsamada retreated to the Pushpak forest to pray to Ganpati. A pleased Ganpati blessed him saying that his son, even if he was a demon could never be killed by anyone other than Shiva.The son was none other than Tripurasura, who was killed by Shiva after invoking the blessings of Ranjangaon Mahaganapati (Ashtavinayak Diaries-3.) Gritsamada requested Ganpati to impart to him Brahma’s teachings and also reside permanently in the forest. Ganpati agreed and thus was born the legend of Varadavinayak of Mahad, the fourth of the Ashtavinayak as per Shastokta but seventh on our trip.

We reached the quaint village early in the morning ( the clock on the clock tower had stopped). Simply loved the temple exteriors, the small pond in which is marked the spot where the original idol was found, and of course the clock tower.

The speciality here is that one can go inside the sanctum sanctorum and pray, touching the idol. Then when you sit in the main hall, you feel at peace with the world. The original temple was supposedly set up by Gritsamada himself but the current structure itself dates back to 1725 AD. The original stone idol is also kept in a separate glass enclosure, though not worshipped now. 

Ganpati Bappa Morya!