About Ganesh Temple
It is said that one day when the king of Mewar was returning to his palace, he was carrying a huge idol of Lord Ganesha on a bullock cart. The king wanted to build a huge temple of Lord Ganesha and he decided that wherever the bullock cart would stop first, he would lay the foundation of the temple at that particular place.
History says that the bullock cart stopped at the foothills of Moti Dungri, where the temple is presently located. The construction of the temple was handed over to Seth Jai Ram Paliwal, who built this magnificent structure. The temple was built only for the followers of Lord Shiva. After that a complex was made like a palace, which was named Moti Dungri, housing the Ganesh Temple within it.
Today, the temple has a very special place not only in the hearts of the people of Jaipur but also the people coming from all over the country.
The temple is surrounded by a beautiful palace which resembles a Scottish castle. The palace was the home of Maharaja Madho Singh's son. It is considered to be a private property and is not open for visitors, though the palace has hosted several elite parties.
The temple offers a glimpse of modern Indian architecture. Consisting of three domes which symbolise the three main religions of India, the temple covers an area of around two kilometres and is surrounded by a beautiful castle designed in Scottish castle style, known as Moti Dungri. The temple is carved out of stone and has some beautiful lattice work consisting of mythological images which are engraved on the marble. For art lovers this view is breath-taking.
The main attraction, which is the idol of Lord Ganesha is in a sitting posture and the trunk is towards the left, which is considered very auspicious. A massive idol of mushak, on which Lord Ganesha was said to ride, is also placed in front of the Ganesh idol.
Lord Ganesha is known as the deity of wisdom and prosperity. The devotees seek the blessings of the Lord before starting any kind of venture. Every Wednesday, a special fair is held in the temple as Lord Ganesha is the Lord of Mercury and Wednesday is his special day, as Mercury is denoted as Budh according to Hinduism. Around seven darshans are held every day in the temple, and for every special appearance of the idol, special bhajans and keertans are recited.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, Janamastami, Annkuta and Paush Bada are the major attractions with devotees thronging the temple in huge numbers.
Location
The Ganesh temple is situated on the top of a small hill in the heart of Jaipur, surrounded by a palace, Moti Dungri.
