Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani 2015

Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani 2015

Lalbaugcha Raja 2015 (Mumbai)

Parel Cha Raja ( Narepark ) -2015

Parel Cha Raja ( Narepark ) -2015

Raja Tejukaya Cha-2015

Raja Tejukaya Cha

Mumbai Cha Raja 2015 | Lalbaug | Ganesh Galli

Mumbai Cha Raja 2015

Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple

Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati 

Shrimanmt Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple (mandir) has been the centre of attraction in Pune. If you come to the city of Pune and don’t go to this holy shrine of Hindu Lord Ganesh, you will miss something very important. The temple is situated at a walking distance from the famous historical monument called Shaniwar Wada, which used to be the administrative headquarter during the Peshwa Regime.Shrimmant Dagdusheth Ganesh is considered to be the richest deity in Pune. Oodles of devotees gather in the temple every day to seek blessings from Lord Ganesh.

Lord Ganesh and Hindu Mythology:

According to Ganesh Purana, Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva made a clay image of a boy, breathed life into it and placed him as a sentinel as she wanted to go to take a bath. She told the boy not to allow anyone to enter in. When Lord Shiva returned from his meditation, the boy did not let Him in. There was a hot exchange of words between Shiva and the boy and as a result Shiva severed the boy’s head.When Parvati returned from her bath and saw the boy in the pool of blood, she shrieked in grief and called the boy her own son. Shiva consoled her and sent his attendants to the forest and asked them to bring the head of the first animal they came across. The attendants saw an elephant, cut its head and handed it over to Shiva. Shiva placed it on the boy’s body. This was how he was brought back to life. Shiva chose him as the chief of His attendants and the boy was named Ganesh (meaning chief attendant).All the gods blessed Ganesh and gave Him the honor of being worshipped in the very beginning of every important work, ahead of any other God.

History of the Temple:

Mr. Dagdusheth Halwai was a successful sweetmeat seller and a rich businessman in Pune. A very down to earth and righteous person, he, constructed the Ganesh Temple in 1893. Earlier, he lost his son in a plague epidemic. Both he and his wife sank into depression. To shun away this grief he built a beautiful Ganesh temple as per his Guru Madhavnath Maharaj’s advice.

Mr. Lokmanya Tilak, a famous name in the Indian freedom struggle, was a close friend to Mr. Dagdusheth. Tilak saw his dedication and also the construction of the temple and it was here that the idea of celebrating public Ganesh festival struck him. It proved to be an epoch making event in Indian history.The temple is a beautiful construction and boasts of a rich history of over 100 years. Jay and Vijay, the two sentinels made of marble catch the eye of all at the outset. The construction is so simple that all the proceedings in the temple along with the beautiful Ganesh idol can be seen even from outside.The Ganesh idol is a sheer beauty. 7.5 feet tall and 4 feet wide idol is adorned with nearly 8 kilos of gold. The devotees of Lord Ganesh offer Him gold and money and with every offering the Lord gets richer and richer. Moreover, heaps of coconuts offered to the deity are yet another feature of the temple.Daily pooja, abhisheka and the arti of Lord Ganesh are worth attending.

The lighting of the temple during the Ganesh festival is marvelous. Shrimant Dagdusheth Ganpati Trust looks into the maintenance of the temple. Various cultural activities like singing concerts, bhajans, Atharvasheersh recitation, etc are organized by the trust.

How to Get There:

This is one of the most famous temples in Pune and hence to reach there is not a big issue. Take a bus from Swargate going from Mahatma Phule Market, get down near the market and you will find the temple easily. Hiring a rickshaw is a better option.

So do come to bow down before Lord Ganesh and seek His blessings.

Kasba Ganapati,Pune,Maharashtra

Kasba Ganapati

Temples in the city of Pune have always been the major attractions for people coming to Pune from all over the world. The temples in and around Pune have been the powerhouses for the theists. These temples have served as the centres of inspiration for many great warriors, kings, leaders and freedom fighters. A sense of sanctity and solemnity can be breathed in the surroundings of these temples.

The list of worship places in the city starts from the Kasba Ganpati temple. Kasba Ganesh is considered to be the presiding deity i.e. gramadevata of Pune. Devotees of Lord Ganesh believe that the idol of Ganesh in the Kasba Ganpati temple is the protector of the city and He protects all from all sorts of evils and dangers.

As per the historical references, the temple was constructed as per the instructions of Queen Jijabai, mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Dadoji Konddev, a loyal and faithful employee of Shahajiraje Bhonsale and Shivaji’s mentor reported to her that a beautiful Ganesh idol was found in Pune. It was much later in the nineteenth century when Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak imparted the status of premier god to Kasba Ganesh.

Tracing back the history of the Maratha Empire the references related to the construction of the temple could be traced. Queen Jijabai gave birth to Shivaji on the Shivneri Fort in the Junnar taluka in Pune.

She came to Pune along with little Shivaji and Dadoji Konddev in 1630. Shivaji was growing up as a sensitive human being thanks to the upbringing of mother Jijabai. Shivaji was disturbed to see the pathetic condition of Maharashtra smothered under the Mughal rule.

At an early age of just 12, Shivaji vowed to dedicate all his life for the liberation of the Maval Region from the tyrannical Mughal reign. Around this time itself, the idol of Lord Ganesh was found near the residence of Vinayak Thakar. Queen Jijabai took it as an auspicious omen and the blessings of the divine for Shivaji’s freedom struggle. Queen Jijabai ordered that a beautiful temple be built and the Ganesh idol be placed in the sanctum of the temple. Soon the order was put into practice and a big Ganesh temple was built which is known as the Kasba Ganesh Temple.

Later during the Peshwa reign, a few renovations took place in the temple. The Peshwas were the ardent devotees of Lord Ganesh and used to frequent the Kasba Ganesh Temple. The Peshwas celebrated the Ganesh festival with great zeal and fervor.

Where is it located?

The temple is located in the Kasba Peth area in Pune to be precise. The two famous historical monuments Shaniwar Wada and Lal Mahal stand at handshake distance from the temple. Reaching Kasba Ganesh Temple is not a big deal as you can hire an auto rickshaw from any part of the city and reach the place with ease.

Ganesh Festival Celebrations:

Initially the Ganesh festival was celebrated individually in Maharashtra and the neighboring states. It was in 1893 that Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak thought of giving it a public form and since then the public Ganesh Festival in India has been one of the grand celebrations in the country. Making private festival a public one was Tilak’s attempt of bringing people together and thereby giving the Indian freedom struggle a form of a systematic revolt against the British Rule.

As the time passed the nature of the festival went on chaining and then started the rivalry among the Ganesh Mandals in Pune over the issue of which Mandal should get the privilege of immersing the Ganesh idol into river water before all others. The rivalry turned into a great dispute and finally Tilak had to intervene. Tilak said that the Kasba Ganesh being the Premier God of the city should get the privilege in the Ganesh Immersion Procession.

In a nutshell, the Kasba Ganesh boasts to be one of the ancient shrines of Lord Ganesh in the city of Pune. The temple has got a rich legacy of history and the idol here was placed in the sanctum by young Shivaji in the year 1639. During the Ganesh Festival, oodles of people from all over the world come to Pune to see the Kasba Ganesh. On the final day of the Ganesh Festival, Kasba Ganesh gets the privilege in the immersion procession. The deity is rightly called the premier god of the town.

The temple is open from 6.00 A.M. to 9.00 P.M. every day.

The place is always crowded. But it is heavily crowded especially on Tuesdays and during the Ganesh Festival.

So whenever you come to the city of Pune, don’t forget to visit the Kasba Ganesh Temple.

108 Names of Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is known by many names. There exists 108 different names of Ganesha in the Hindu scriptures. Many of these are suitable for baby names - for both boys and girls. The following are these various Sanskrit names of Ganesha with their meaning.

1. Akhuratha: One whose chariot is pulled by a mouse
2. Alampata: One who is forever eternal
3. Amit: One who is incomparable
4. Anantachidrupamayam: One who is the personification of the infinite consciousness
5. Avaneesh: Master of the universe
6. Avighna: The remover of obstacles
7. Balaganapati: Beloved child
8. Bhalchandra: One who is moon crested
9. Bheema: One who is gigantic
10. Bhupati: The lord of lords
11. Bhuvanpati: The lord of the heaven
12. Buddhinath: The God of wisdom
13. Buddhipriya: One who bestows of knowledge and intellect
14. Buddhividhata: The God of knowledge
15. Chaturbhuj: The four-armed lord
16. Devadeva: The lord of lords
17. Devantakanashakarin: Destroyer of evils and demons
18. Devavrata: One who accepts all penances
19. Devendrashika: The protector of all gods

1. Ganapati: The lord of lords
2. 1. Dharmik: One who is righteous and charitable
3. Dhoomravarna: One whose skin is smoke-hued
4. Durja: The invincible
5. Dvaimatura: One who has two mothers
6. Ekaakshara: One who is of a single syllable
7. Ekadanta: Single-tusked
8. Ekadrishta: Single-focused
9. Eshanputra: The son of Shiva
10. Gadadhara: One whose weapon is the mace
11. Gajakarna: One who has elephantine-ears
12. Gajanana: One who has an elephantine face
13. Gajananeti: One who has the looks of an elephant
14. Gajavakra: The trunk of an elephant
15. Gajavaktra: One who has an elephantine mouth
16. Ganadhakshya: The lord of lords
17. Ganadhyakshina: Leader of all celestial bodies

1. Gaurisuta: The son of Gauri
2. Gunina: The lord of virtues
3. Haridra: One who is golden-hued
4. Heramba: Mother's beloved son
5. Kapila: One who is yellowish-brown
6. Kaveesha: The lord of poets
7. Kirti: The lord of music
8. Kripalu: Merciful lord
9. Krishapingaksha: One who has yellowish-brown eyes
10. Kshamakaram: The abode of forgiveness
11. Kshipra: One who is easy to appease
12. Lambakarna: One who has large ears

1. Lambodara: One who has a big belly           
2. Mahabala: One who is enormously strong
3. Mahaganapati: The Supreme Lord
4. Maheshwaram: Lord of the universe
5. Mangalamurti: The all auspicious Lord
6. Manomay: The winner of hearts
7. Mrityuanjaya: The conqueror of death
8. Mundakarama: The abode of happiness
9. Muktidaya: Bestower of eternal bliss
10. Musikvahana: One who rides a mouse
11. Nadapratithishta: One who appreciates music
12. Namasthetu: Destroyer of evils and sins
13. Nandana: Lord Shiva's son
14. Nideeshwaram: Bestower of wealth
15. Omkara: One who has the form of 'Om'
16. Pitambara: One who has yellowish skin
17. Pramoda: Lord of all abodes
18. Prathameshwara: First among all Gods

1. Purush: The omnipotent personality
2. Rakta: One who is blood-hued
3. Rudrapriya: One who is the beloved of Shiva
4. Sarvadevatman: One who accepts all celestial offerings
5. Sarvasiddhanta: Bestower of skills and knowledge
6. Sarvatman: Protector of the universe
7. Shambhavi: Son of Parvati
8. Shashivarnam: One who has a moon-like complexion
9. Shoorpakarna: One who is large-eared
10. Shuban: The all auspicious Lord
11. Shubhagunakanan One who is The Master of All Virtues
12. Shweta: One who is as pure as the white
13. Siddhidhata: Bestower of accomplishments and successes
14. Siddhipriya: Giver of wishes and boons
15. Siddhivinayaka: Bestower of success
16. Skandapurvaja: Elder of Skanda or Kartikya
17. Sumukha: One who has an auspicious face
18. Sureshwaram: The lord of lords
19. Swaroop: Lover of beauty
20. Tarun: One who is ageless
21. Uddanda: The nemesis of evils and vices
22. Umaputra: The son of Goddess Uma
23. Vakratunda: One with a curved trunk
24. Varaganapati: Bestower of boons
25. Varaprada: One who grants wishes
26. Varadavinayaka: Bestower of success
27. Veeraganapati: The vigorous lord
28. Vidyavaridhi: The God of wisdom
29. Vighnahara: Remover of obstacles
30. Vignaharta: Destroyer of all obstacles
31. Vighnaraja: Lord of all obstacles
32. Vighnarajendra: Lord of all obstacles
33. Vighnavinashanaya: Destroyer of all obstacles
34. Vigneshwara: Lord of all obstacles
35. Vikat: One who is huge
36. Vinayaka: The Supreme Lord
37. Vishwamukha: Master of the universe
38. Vishwaraja: King of the world
39. Yagnakaya: One who accepts sacrificial offerings
40. Yashaskaram: The bestower of fame and fortune
41. Yashvasin: The beloved and ever popular lord
42. Yogadhipa: The lord of meditation
43.