Ashta Vinayaka

Ashta Vinayaka in real sense means eight Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is considered to be the God of prosperity, unity and learning and he is the destroyer of all the evils that comes in the way. Ashta Vinayak refers to the pilgrimage to the eight Ganesha temples of the Maharashtra state. There is a legend associated with each of these temples as the idols placed in all these temples are different from each other also the trunks are different.

1. Temple Name: Moreshwar Temple
Location: Morgaon, Pune district

2. Temple Name: Siddhivinayak Temple
Location: Siddhatek, Ahmednagar district

3. Temple Name: Ballaleshwar Temple
Location: Pali, Raigad district

4. Temple Name: Varadavinayak Temple
Location: Mahad, near Khopoli, Raigad district

5. Temple Name: Chintamani Temple
Location: Theur, Pune district

6. Temple Name: Girijatmaj Temple
Location: Lenyadri, Pune district

7. Temple Name: Vighneshwar
Location: Ozar, Pune district

8. Temple Name: Mahaganapati Temple
Location: Ranjangaon, Pune district

On the day of Ganesha Chaturthi, people from various parts of the country come to visit Ashta Vinayaka as a part of showing their devotion to the Lord. The Moreshwara temple is visited first in the sequence during the pilgrimage. And after that, the temples visited in the order are Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Thevur, Lenyandri, Ozar, Ranjangaon. All the idols are called as Swayambhu which in sanskrot means self-existent. It is believed that these Murthis were not sculpted rather they were born from the nature.