Ashtavinayak is a group of eight forms of Lord Ganesha. These eight Ganeshas are located in eight temples in Maharashtra around Pune and Mumbai. These eight temples are very popular in Maharashtra, and thousands of devotees visit these temples every year. Many tour operators arrange tours to visit these temples.

Who is Lord Ganesha?

Lord Ganesha is a Hindu god who has the head of an elephant. Hindus worship him at the start of every auspicious work. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He killed many demons and freed humanity from their clutches. Lord Ganesha has two wives named Riddhi and Siddhi.

List of Asthavinayak Names:

1. Moreshwar or Mayureshwar (Morgaon).

2. Siddhivinayak (Siddhatek).

3. Ballaleshwar (Pali).

4. Varadvinayak (Mahad).

5. Chintamani (Theur).

6. Girijatmaj (Lenyadri).

7. Vighnahar (Ozar).

8. Mahaganapati (Ranjangaon).

1. Moreshwar or Mayureshwar of Morgaon:

Per the Ganesha Purana, Lord Ganesha assumed the form of Mayureshwara to kill a demon named Sindhura. He has six arms and a white complexion. He is named Mayureshwar or Moreshwar because he is riding a peacock. Generally, Lord Ganesha rides a mouse. The Mayureshwar Temple is the first temple to visit when one starts the Ashtavinayak Yatra. It is considered the most important of the eight temples. The famous Ganapatya saint, Morya Gosavi, used to worship at the Morgaon Temple before shifting to Chinchwad.

2. Siddhivinayak of Siddhatek:

A Ganesha idol whose trunk tip is tilted toward the right side is known as Siddhivinayak. The idol in the Siddhatek Temple is a right-trunked. Therefore, it is called Siddhivinayak.

Once, Lord Vishnu was unable to defeat demons named Madhu and Kaitabha. Therefore, he worshipped Lord Ganesha, who appeared as Siddhivinayak in Siddhatek and blessed Lord Vishnu with many powers. After which, Lord Vishnu killed the demons.

3. Ballaleshwar:

Lord Ganesha assumed the form of Ballaleshwar to rescue his devotee Ballal, who was a small boy. Ballal and his friends used to play Puja by worshipping stones instead of idols.

Once, they worshipped a massive stone like Lord Ganesha and got lost during worship day and night. Other kids’ parents complained to Kalyan, Ballal’s father, about Ballal’s behavior. Kalyan got furious and destroyed the stone that the children were worshipping. He beat Ballal severely, tied him to a tree, and left him there to die.

But Lord Ganesha appeared there as a sadhu and rescued Ballal. He told him to ask a boon. Ballal requested Lord Ganesha to stay there forever and help people in misery. Lord Ganesha accepted his request and stayed there in the form of Ballaleshwar.

4. Varadvinayak:

Varad Vinayaka means “the Ganesha who gives blessings”. The Varadvinayak Temple is located in Mahad village. It is one of the Ashtavinayaka temples.

Once, a prince named Rukmaganda stopped at a hermitage of Sage Vachaknavi. The sage’s wife fell in love with the prince and wanted to bear a child with him. But the prince refused her offer and left. Lord Indra took advantage of the situation and made love to her in disguise as the prince. After some time, she gave birth to a son named Gritsamada.

When her son came to know about his birth, he cursed her mother to be a thorny plant. She, in turn, cursed him to father a demon.

Gritsamada went into a forest and prayed to Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha gave him a boon that only Lord Shiva could defeat his son. Gritsamada asked him to stay there and help people. Therefore, Lord Ganesha stayed there in the form of Varad Vinayaka.

5. Chintamani:

Lord Ganesha in the Chintamani Temple of Theur is named after a jewel named Chintamani. The jewel removes the worries (Chinta) of a person. Hence, it is called so.

Demon Ganasura propitiated Lord Shiva, who granted him a boon to rule over the three worlds and not to be killed by anything that possesses trigunas. Once, he and his army reached the hermitage of Sage Kapila, who possessed the Chintamani jewel. Ganasura forcibly took it from the sage. Sage Kapila prayed to Lord Ganesha to retrieve the gem. Lord Ganesha appeared in Ganasura’s dream with his army, and one of his soldiers beheaded the demon.

Ganasura woke up and returned to Sage Kapila’s hermitage to behead him. When he started to destroy the hermitage, Lord Ganesha appeared there with his army and killed Ganasura and his soldiers.

Lord Ganesha returned the jewel to the sage, but Sage Kapila requested him to stay there instead. Therefore, Ganesha in Theur is named after the jewel Chintamani.

6. Girijatmaj:

Girijatmaj Ganpati is the name of Lord Ganesha at Lenyadri temple. It is believed that Goddess Parvati did penance for 12 years for a child, after which Lord Ganesha was born. “Girija” is one of the names of Goddess Parvati, and “atmaj” means the son. Therefore, Lord Ganesha is called Girijatmaj in this temple.

7. Vighnahar:

Vighnahar means “the one who removes the debacles”. It is the name of Lord Ganesha’s idol in the Vighneshwara Temple in Ozar village. Lord Ganesha assumed the form of Vighneshwara to defeat the demon Vighnasura.

Once upon a time, King Abhinandana performed a yajna where he did not offer a sacrifice to Lord Indra. Infuriated, Indra sent Vighnasura to destroy the yajna. When Vighnasura started ruining the ritual, sages worshipped Lord Ganesha, who defeated the demon. The demon surrendered to Lord Ganesha and requested him to take the name Vighneshwara. Therefore, the Ganesha at Ozar temple is called Vighneshwara.

8. Mahaganapati:

Mahaganapati means “Great Ganesha”. The followers of the Ganapatya sect believe that Lord Ganesha is the Supreme God. The Mahaganapati Temple at Ranjangaon is the eighth temple to be visited during the Ashtavinayak Yatra.

Per a story, Tripurasura was a group of three mighty demons. Even Lord Shiva was unable to defeat them. Therefore, he recited the Shadaakhar mantra to invoke Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha appeared there in the form of Mahaganapati. He blessed and guided him to kill Tripurasura.

The place where Lord Ganesha appeared to help Lord Shiva is in Ranjangaon village. Therefore, the Mahaganapati Temple is built there.

The idol of Mahaganapati is in a seated position facing east. It has a broad forehead and a trunk pointing to the left. It is believed that the original idol of Mahaganapati is in the basement and has 10 trunks and 20 hands.

Ashtavinayak Yatra:

Ashtavinayak Yatra is one of the most popular pilgrimages in Maharashtra. There are eight temples of Lord Ganesha around Pune, which devotees visit during this yatra in a particular order.

List of Asthavinayak Temples in Order:

1. Shri Mayureshwar Temple (Morgaon).

2. Siddhivinayak Temple (Siddhatek).

3. Ballaleshwar Ganapati Temple (Pali).

4. Varad Vinayak Temple (Mahad).

5. Chintamani Temple (Theur).

6. Girijatmaj Ganapati Temple (Lenyadri).

7. Vighneshwar Temple (Ozar).

8. Mahaganapati Temple (Ranjangaon).

Ultimately, one needs to return to Morgaon and visit Mayureshwar Temple.

Image: Wikipedia