Vighneshwara Ganapati Ozhar

Sree Vighneshwara Ganapati

Lord Ganesha defeated Vighnasura, a demon of obstacle or Vighna(obstacle), then the demon request and pray Lord Ganesha, "devotees have take his name before Lord Ganesha", thus the name of Ganesha became Vighnahara or Vighneshwar means "remover of obstacles". Vighnahara temple is at Ozhar near Narayangaon.

Vigneshwar Ganapati with Riddhi and Siddhi

Ozhar is located in the Junnar taluka of Pune district, about 85 KM from Pune, off the Pune-Nasik

highway along another Ashtavinayak temple of Lenyadri in Maharashtra, India. Ozhar is situated

on the banks of Kukadi River where the Yedagaon dam is built on it.

Vighneswar Ganapati Temple Ozar

Existence of Vighneswara Ganapati

According to the Mudgala Purana, Skanda Purana and the Tamil Vinayaka Purana King Abhinandana performed a great sacrifice in which he forgot to gave offering to the God-King Indra. God Indra become furious and ordered Kala, "God of death or Time" to destroy the sacrifice. Then Kala takes the form of the obstacle demon called Vighnasura and started to destroy the sacrifice of king Abhinandana. Further he continued to destroy sacrifices of all sages and become obstacle in the good deeds. The Sages requested Lord Brahma for help, Lord Brahma ask them to pray Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva advised them to worship Lord Vighnaharta(Lord Ganesha son of Mata Parvati and Lord Shiva). After hearing the prayer of sages Lord Ganesha agreed to punish the demon Vighnasura and asked him to stop the obstacles in good deeds. On one request agreed to stop the obstacle, he asked Ganesha "devotees should take his name before Lord Ganesha". Ganesha agreed and blessed him. Ganesha became 'Vighnahara or Vighneshwar' means "remover of obstacles". To mark the event ascetics installed the Ganesha as Vigneshwara at Ozhar. Like all Ashtavinayaka shrines, the central Ganesha image is svayambhu (self-existent), naturally occurring in the form of an elephant-faced stone Ganapati.

The central statue of Ganesha faces east and its trunk towards the left with rubies in eyes. Forehead and navel is decorated with diamonds. The trunk is covered with sindoor (vermillion). Ganesha's both side Idols of Riddhi (Spiritual Power) and Siddhi (Prosperity) are also present.

The temple faces east and having a "spacious courtyard, a huge entrance, sculpture, artwork painted directly on a wall of the temple". The temple is surrounded by a thick walled compound. In fornt of the temple two large stone Dwarapalak(gatekeepers) sculptures are there. On both sides of the gateway owaris is constructed for meditation.

Temple was renovated two times, first time Chimaji Appa,brother and military commander of the Peshwa Baji Rao I, covered the shikhara (temple spire) with gold foil after seizing the Vasai Fort from the Portuguese. Second time temple was renovated in 1967 by the Ganesha devotee Appa Shastri Joshi.

Milan Tomic

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