SHREE MAHAGANAPATI - RANJANGAON
Mahaganapati means powerful Ganapati. Mahaganapati has eight,
ten or twelve hands. Lord Shivshankar got victory over Tripurasur (demon)
on worshipping Mahaganapati. Therefore it is called 'Tripurari Varado Mahaganapati'.
(Lord Shivshankar is called as Tripurari after his victory over Tripurasur.)
||||
Reach || Temple || Idol
|| Programme & Festival ||
||
Ranjangaon is situated on Pune-Ahmednagar Highway.
As such all state transport buses going from Pune to Ahmednagar halt at Ranjangaon.
1) On Pune-Ahmednagar Highway via Pune-Koregaon & Shikrapur, Ranjangaon is
at a distance of 50 kms. from Pune.
2) Regular state transport buses ply from Shivajinagar bus stand of Pune.
While coming from Siddhatek to Ranjangaon you will come across Srigonda sugar
factory.
||||
Reach || Temple || Idol
|| Programme & Festival ||
||
Temple facing east has a huge & beautiful entrance
gate. Idols of two door keepers namely Jay & Vijay are present near the gateway.
Nagarkhana is situated above the entrance gate. This Nagarkhana was inaugarated
by Maharashtra's honourable ex-Chief Minister Shri Manohar Joshi On 3rd May,
1997.
The main temple looks like temples from the Peshwa period. Temple is so constructed
that sun rays fall directly on Shree Ganesha's idol. Since, this temple was
on his way while going for war, Shreemant Madhavrao Peshwa used to halt here
& have Mahaganapati's darshan. He had constructed a stone sanctum around this
swayambhu or self emanated idol. In 1790 A.D. he gave a hereditary right to
perform pooja of Mahaganapati to Shri Anyaba Dev. Temple hall was built by
Sardar Kibe & owaris (several small apartments erected along enclosing wall
of the temple) were built by Sardar Pawar & Shinde. Famous hermit Morya Gosavi
had presented an idol made of five metals to shri Anyaba Dev. This idol is
taken out during processions on festive days.
||||
Reach || Temple || Idol
|| Programme & Festival ||
||
Idol facing east is in a crossed legged sitting
position with a broad forehead & the trunk turned towards the left. Riddhi
& Siddhi are on both sides of Mahaganapati.
It is said that, the original idol of Mahaganapati is hidden in a cellar in
the basement. It is also said that it has 10 trunks & 20 hands. Meditating
on that idol is called Mahaganapati Dhyan. That idol is not taken out usually.
Due to fear of Muslim invasion in olden days, that idol was hidden. That Ganesha
is called Mahotkata. However, temple trustees have refused existence of such
an idol in the cellar.
The stone pillars of the old temple can be seen in the compound. This architecture
bears similarity to the architecture of the 9th & 10th century.
||||
Reach || Temple || Idol
|| Programme & Festival ||
||
In Ranjangaon, villagers do not bring Ganesh
idol to their houses. Instead everybody comes to the temple for Ganesh Pooja,
in the month of Bhadrapada. The Ganesh festival is celebrated for first six
days. During the first four days, palanquin of Shree Mahaganapati is taken
around the village. It is called as 'Dwaryatra'. For the first four days villagers
are allowed to enter the sanctum & perform pooja on their own. On the fifth
day Mahaprasad is distributed among the devotees. In the afternoon wrestling
competitions (kusti) are held in the village. On the sixth day devotees take
darshan of Maruti & then go to Mahaganapati's temple performing Lotangan (prostration)
on the way. (Lotangan means proceeding by rolling one's self over & over).
|| Shree Tripurarivarado Mahaganapati Vijayate ||