Enveloped by the thick greenness of Babul trees, on the top
of a hillock, resides SiddhiVinayak, the Lord with his trunk to the right.
Unlike the other Ashta Vinayaka temples where the trunk is to the left , the
right-trunked Lord is more powerful but
difficult to please. The original temple believed to be erected by Vishnu, was destroyed over time. The present
structure of Siddhivinayak temple was built in the 18th century by Rajmata
Ahilyabai Holkar. During the rule of Peshwas, Nagarkhana and a pathway to the door of the temple were
constructed. The outer hall which was initially built by Mairal, a landlord
from Baroda, was broken down in 1939 and built again in 1970. The Ganapatya
Saints Morya Gosavi and Narayan Maharaj are considered to have worshipped here.
The temple is now under the administration of the Chinchwad Devasthan Trust.
Location Maharashtra, Ahmednagar, Mumbai
Legend
While Lord Brahma was creating Nature, Vishnu fell asleep.
The demons Madhu and Kaitabha that emerged from
Vishnu's ears started unleashing their brutality on Gods and sages. Vishnu tried his very best to kill them but
failed . When Shiva informed Vishnu that he cannot succeed as he had forgotten
to invoke Ganesha, Vishnu performed penance at Siddhatek. Pleased, Ganesha
showered his blessings on Vishnu, who then
slayed the demons. He created a
temple of Ganesha on that hill. That shrine perished in the course of
time. But a cow herd found the deity here and started worshipping the Lord.
This Temple is part of famous Ashtavinayak Yatra
Architecture
Siddhivinayak temple at Siddhatek ,built with black
stone,faces the north. The Ganesha idol is Swayambhu and the trunk tilted
towards the right. The temple has a Sabha hall and a Nagarkhana. The sanctum
has sculptures of Jaya and Vijaya, on either side of the idol.
Pic courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org
Culture
Ahmednagar is relatively a small town and not as developed
as some of the other districts of Maharashtra. Shivapur village from where the
ferry to the temple is boarded is famous for wrestling.
Darsan Info
Siddhivinayak Temple timings- 4.00 AM to 9.15PM
On request, the temple priests will perform Abhishek, Pooja
and Sahastravartan and send the prasad by post.
Darsan Dresscode
Devotees are advised to wear clean and conservative attire
while visiting Siddhivinayak temple.
Famous Festival
January - Magha shukla Chaturthi (Jan/Feb)
September - Ganesh Chathurthi
October - Vijayadashami
Temple Rituals
Being a right-trunked Ganesha, the deity here at
Siddhivinayak temple is considered to be very powerful and hence strict rules
are followed for the puja. Devotees cannot do puja themselves. Food (Naivedya)
is offered to the deity.
Special Rituals
Pradikshana of the hillock where the temple is situated is
done by the devotees to appease the Lord. It is a five kilometer walk around
the temple where the deity is situated.
Additional Info
There are no restaurants in the vicinity. However, small
eateries are available in and around the Siddhivinayak temple premises.
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