The most famous temple of Lord Ganesha, Siddhivinayak is located in the Prabhadevi area of Mumbai. Built in 1801, it is now the richest Temple Trust in Mumbai. A large number of devotees visit this temple regularly; however, Tuesdays are believed to be the most important days for darshan. The idol of the Lord is positioned between Riddhi and Siddhi, the goddesses of sanctity and prosperity. The popularity of the temple could be noted from the fact that many celebrities, especially the film stars, visit this temple frequently.
Ashtavinayaka - The Eight Ganesha Temples, Maharashtra
The Ashtavinayaka is a group of eight Ganesha temples located in Maharashtra. These temples as per their religious sequence are the following- (i) the Moreshwar Temple (Moregaon), (ii) Siddhivinayak Temple (Siddhatek), (iii) Ballaleshwar Temple (Pali), (iv) Varadavinayak Temple (Mahad), (v) Chintamani Temple (Theur), (vi) Girijatmaj Temple (Lenyadri), (vii) Vighnahar Temple (Ozar), and (viii) Mahaganapati Temple (Ranjangaon). These temples house the 'swayambhu' or 'self-formed' idols of the Lord Ganesha.
Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple
One of the most popular temples in Pune, it is thronged by thousands of pilgrims every year. Visitors to the temple include politicians and celebrities. The golden idol of Lord Ganesha is popular in the entire country. The Halwai Ganapati Trust is known for the philanthropic work that it undertakes from the donations it receives. The images of the deity in the temple are used mostly in wall calendars.
Ganesh Tok, Sikkim
Situated in the beautiful north-east state of Sikkim, Ganesh Tok is a shrine dedicated to the elephant God. Standing at the height of 6,500 feet on a hill, the temple offers a scenic view of the surrounding areas. The temple is very small in size; it is so small that literally a devotee has to creep inside it to have darshan of the Lord. Only one devotee can enter the temple at a time. Although, it is small in size, but the temple is very beautiful and attractive and hence is popular among devotees.
Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, Chittoor
The Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple or Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple is located in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and is one of the historical temples in India. The temple was built by Kulothunga Chola I in the 11th century CE. In the rock cut temple, the idol of the Ganesha is seated in padmasana (lotus position). The idol is black in colour and hence it is given the name of Karpaga Vinayakar. Brahmotsavam is held every year; the celebrations begun with the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and goes for 20 days.
Dodda Ganesha Temple, Bengaluru
The temple is one of the major tourist attractions of the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation. The temple is located in a park, Bugle Park and was built by Kempegowda I who was also the founder of Bengaluru. The idol of Ganesha in the temple is 18 feet tall and is carved out of a single stone. In the Hindu month of Karthika Maasa, on the last Monday and Tuesday, a fair is organised in the temple in which groundnuts are offered to the lord.
The Ucchi Pillayar Temple is located on the top of a hill and is one of the most prominent landmarks in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. The temple is popular for its architecture and natural surroundings. There is a legendary mythological story behind this temple. The story goes like this. When Vibhishana, brother of Ravana, came back to Lanka from Ayodhya after the coronation of Lord Rama, he was carrying an image of Ranganatha (Vishnu) which was given by Rama to Vibhishan. If the image was to be placed on the ground, it was to get stuck to the earth. While on his way to Lanka, Vibhishan met Ganesha who was disguised as a young lad. Ganesha took the image from him promising to take care of it but placed it on earth. Ganesha ran away from the scene to a hill and the place where Ganesha ran is what came to be known as Ucchi Pillayar Temple.
Trinetra Ganesha Temple, Ranthambore
The Trinetra Ganesha Temple is the oldest Ganesha temple in Rajasthan. The entire Ganesha family is present in the temple including his two wives Riddhi and Siddhi and sons Shubh and Labh. The temple is believed to be about 700 years and the Ganesha idol has three eyes, like his father Shiva. It has beautiful surroundings and the devotees take a parikrama of the temple and pray to the lord.
Shree Vinayaka Devaru Temple, Idagunji, Kerala
The temple located in the Uttara Kannada region of Karnataka, is one of the most popular places in India. It is about 1500-years-old and is visited by a large number of devotees every year. The idol of the Ganesha here has only two hands - one is holding a lotus and the other, a modhaka.
Khade Ganeshji Temple, Kota, Rajasthan
There are very few temples in India where the standing idol of Ganesha can be found and Khade Ganeshji Temple is one of them. The temple is located in Kota, Rajasthan, and is quite popular among devotees. The temple is about 600-years-old and is located at the banks of river Chambal. There is a tradition in the temple that the devotees hang a bell at the temple after requesting the lord to fulfill their wishes.
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Last Updated on : September 15, 2015
