Karmandir Shri Mahaganapati, Ranjangaon
Ranjangaon, Shirur taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra
About
Shri Mahaganapati of Ranjangaon is the eighth and last temple in the traditional Ashtavinayak yatra; after it, pilgrims return to Morgaon to complete the yatra. The temple is about 50 km from Pune on the Pune-Ahilyanagar highway. 'Maha' means great, and devotees regard this as one of the mightiest forms of Ganesh ji. The east-facing temple has a large gate guarded by statues of Jay and Vijay, and it is built so that on certain days the sun's rays fall straight on the murti. The murti sits cross-legged, with a broad forehead and the trunk turned to the left, and Riddhi and Siddhi on both sides.
The story
The legend tells of the demon Tripurasur, who won a boon that gave him three flying cities (the Tripur) and such power that he was almost impossible to defeat. Proud of his strength, he troubled the devtas and the people of the earth. Shiv ji went to fight him but could not win at first. He realised that he had not remembered Ganesh ji before starting. So Shiv ji worshipped Ganesh ji here; then, with just one arrow, he struck all three cities at once and ended the demon. Shiv ji set up Ganesh ji at this spot, and the town that grew here, once called Manipur, is today's Ranjangaon. That is why Ganesh ji here is called Tripurarivarade Mahaganapati: the great Ganpati who blessed Shiv ji, the enemy of Tripur. This victory is remembered on Kartik Purnima, also called Tripuri Purnima.
In history, Peshwa Madhavrao I often stopped here for darshan on his way to battle, and he built the stone sanctum. Sardar Kibe of Indore built the hall. A local belief says the original murti, called Mahotkat, with ten trunks and twenty arms, is hidden in a cellar below; the temple administration says there is no such murti.
Visiting
October to February is pleasant. Ranjangaon is easy to reach by road from Pune, and pilgrims often drive back to Morgaon from here to complete the yatra. Dress modestly. The area around the village is a busy industrial zone, so allow for highway traffic. Shirur town is about 21 km further along the highway.
Festivals
- Ganesh Chaturthi festival (Bhadrapad Shukla Paksha)
- Maghi Ganesh Jayanti (Magh Shukla Chaturthi)
- Sankashti Chaturthi every month
