Pune Xplorer: April 2014

Monday, 7 April 2014

Chaturshrungi Temple

The Chaturshringi Temple is a Hindu temple in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India. The temple is located on the slope of a hill on Senapati Bapat Road. It is said to have been built during the reign of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle. The temple is looked after by Chaturshringi Devasthan (Temple) trustees, with full dedication.

Chaturshringi (Chatur means four) is a mountain with four peaks. The Chaturshringi temple is 90 feet high and 125 feet wide and is a symbol of power and faith. One has to climb more than 100 steps to reach the shrine of Goddess Chaturshringi. In the temple premises there are also temples of Goddess Durga and Lord Ganesh. This includes eight miniature idols of Ashtavinayakaa. These small temples are located on the four separate hillocks

The legend associated with the temple is that, once there was a rich and prosperous merchant named Durlabhsheth Pitambardas Mahajan who was an ardent believer of Goddess Chaturshringi and visited all Her temples everywhere. But as he grew older, he could no longer travel and this hindered him from visiting the temples. Then one night the Goddess Chaturshringi appeared in his dream and told him, "if you can not come to me, I will come to you & stay near you." She told him to come to a mountain situated in the North-West of Pune & dig there. The place as described by the goddess was traced out and miracle happened as he found a natural statue of goddess (swayambhu devi). He constructed the temple at that place and this is the same temple which was renovated time to time, which is the present temple.

The presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Chaturshringi, also known as Goddess Ambareshwari. She is also considered as the presiding deity of the city of Pune. The temple is maintained by the Chaturshringi Devasthan Trust. Every year a fair is held at the foothills on the eve of Navratri. Thousands of people gather to worship the Goddess Chaturshringi.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati

Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple (श्रीमंत दगडूशेठ हलवाई गणपती) in Pune is dedicated to the Hindu God Ganesh. The temple is popular in Maharashtra and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. Devotees of the temple include celebrities

Address: 250, Budhwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030

Dagadusheth Halwai (Dagadusheth Gadve) was Lingayat trader originally from Karnataka and settled in Pune. His original surname was "Gadve" but later more renowned as Halwai (sweetmaker) as his surname due to his profession.Later he was known as Dagadusheth Halwai. Original Halwai shop still exists near by named Kaka Halwai (as franchise run by his posterity of "Gadve Family" ) near Datta Mandir in Pune.

He was very famous and rich sweet trader. He was a very virtuous and righteous man. Shri.. Datta Mandir placed in Budhwar Peth, Pune was their residential Building. During those times in the outbreak of plague Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai lost his son. Due to this episode he himself and his wife were very depressed and disturbed. During the same time his Guruji Shri.. Madhavnath Maharaj consoled him and advised him to make two idols of God Shri. Datta Maharaj and Shri. Ganpati and asked him to worship them and to take care of them like his own son. In future just as offspring brings radiance to his father´s name these idols would do the same for him. And as per his Guruji´s advice he made two idols of Shri.. Datta Maharaj and Shri. Ganpati, and this very idol is the first idol, now this idol is placed in Aakara Maruti Temple, Shukrawar Peth, this idol is worshiped everyday with detailed rituals and rites.

Tuesday, 1 April 2014

Sarasbaug Ganpati

Sarasbaug ganpati temple is run under the auspices of Shree Devdeveshwar Sansthan, Parvati and Kothrud. The Sarasbaug temple houses the idol of Shree Siddhivinayak (God who makes wishes true).A sacred ground of faith for millions of devotees in Pune and around the world, on an average the Sarasbaug temple receives ten thousand visitors a day and this figure goes upto eighty thousand devotees per day on Ganesha Chaturthi and other special occasions.Various dignitaries and luminaries through out India have made it a point to visit this sacred temple and seek the blessings of Shree Shiddivinayak.

Sarasbaug Ganpati (Talyatla Ganpati)

Saras Baug is a major landmark in City of Pune in India.The place where the park now stands was once occupied by a small lake. However, the lake got dried up and was later developed into Saras Baug. The whole 25-acre complex is known as Saras Baug. The Ganesh temple in SarasBaug is also known as Talyatla Ganpati (in Marathi:तळ्यातला गणपती ).

Sarasbaug Ganpati (Talyatla Ganpati)

The Construction of the Temple started in 1750 under the direction of the Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa and Mahadji Shinde of the Maratha confederacy. The temple construction completed in 1784 with the idol of Hindu Lord Ganesh in the temple.The temple was built in the Lake near the Parvati Temple which was also the primary residence of the Head of the Maratha confederacy.Several renovations were done to the temple and the area surrounding it in the last 219 years. One of the renovation was done in 1842 with the help of East India Company of the British empire.

The last major renovation was done in 1969 under the direction Mahadev Kumthekar and Anandrao Mane. As part of the last renovation a Zoo called Peshwe Park was added to this 25-acre (10 ha) area. Then starting in 1999 and ending in 2005, the animals at the zoo were all moved to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park South of the city.This garden and Temple are one of the primary landmarks of Pune.

In 1995 a small museum displaying over few hundred idols of Lord Ganesha was added to the temple premise.