To commemorate the birth of Lord Ganesha, Ganesh Chaturthi is widely celebrated across the country with great pomp and passion. Most cities’ houses, streets and roads are illuminated with lights as it symbolises the triumph of good and hope. Another name for the festival is Vinayaka Chaturthi and Ganpati Chaturthi. Based on the Hindu calendar, the festival occurs on Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada. This year, the festival starts on August 31 and ends on September 9 with Ganesh Visarjan.
Devotees observe a fast throughout this 10-day festival and prepare delicacies, especially during that time. This festival holds a grandeur meaning to its name as the devotees strongly believe in Lord Ganesh. Devotees from all cultures and religions visit Ganesh temples to seek blessings from the elephant deity.
Here are the 5 oldest Ganesh temples to visit in India to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with your family and friends.
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Shree Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai
Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is one of the oldest and most renowned temples dedicated to Lord Ganesh in Prabhadevi, Mumbai. It was established in the year 1081 by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil. The temple attracts devotees from all walks of life, religion, and cultures daily. With high devotion, it is believed that Lord Ganesh hears every prayer and fulfils the wishes of his devotees. Numerous politicians and Bollywood celebrities frequently visit the shrine to seek blessings. The temple recently received the “Best Trust Award” for participating in charitable and humanitarian endeavours.
During Vinayagar Chaturthi in Mumbai, the temple is completely decorated with flowers and bright decorations, whereas the idol is dressed up with temple jewellery in gold. The temple also prepares modak, a sweet made only during the festival and other sweets as reverence from Lord Ganesh to his devotees.
Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple – Pune
A huge idol of Lord Ganesh stands 7.5 feet tall and 4 feet wide in this 129-year-old Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune, Maharashtra. The temple jewellery in gold is extensively adorned on Lord Ganesh throughout the year, especially for Ganpati Chaturthi. Devotees can view the idol from outside the temple because of how the temple was constructed.
This majestic temple was incepted by the sweet maker, Dagdusheth and his wife, who lost both their sons to a plague. Due to Dagdusheth’s dedication, Lokmanya Tilak, a close friend, decided to launch the grand Ganesh Mahotsav festival from this location. The temple trust is one of the wealthiest organisations in India and is renownedly known for its intricate decorations and the golden idol of Lord Ganesh.
see also – Konark Sun Temple – Overview, History, Architecture and Design
Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple – Chittoor
In the Andhra Pradesh district of Chittoor, this magnificent temple is situated close to the Bahuda River. It was built at the starting of the 11th century by the great Chola King. The name Kanipakam, which combines the words to mean “water flow” and “wetland,” denotes the divine power of the temple. The villagers strongly believe that as time passes, the idol of Lord Ganesh keeps expanding. This temple is one of the most exquisite Ganapati temples in existence. When it comes to Ganpati Chaturthi celebrations, the temple holds a grandeur meaning to its name.
Shree Vinayaka Devaru Temple – Idagunji
Idagunji is a town situated in a district of Karnataka. The temple’s name, Shree Vinayaka Devaru, has immense mythological importance, and over 1 million worshippers visit the 1500-year-old temple each year.
The Idagunji Ganesh temple has two specialities – one being the statue of Lord Vinayaka at Idagunji, which is a standing statue of Lord Ganesh with two hands, holding the “Padma” (lotus) and “Modhaka”. The other speciality is Panchakhadya, a special Prasada of the temple, prepared for Lord Ganpati and offered by the devotees. Every year on Ganesh Chaturthi, the temple is lavishly decorated, and the idol is beautifully adorned with fresh flowers and temple jewellery in gold.
Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple – Jaipur
One of Rajasthan’s oldest and most famous temples is the Moti Dungri Ganesh temple, situated six kilometres from Jaipur. This old temple is 250 years old and is surrounded by the Moti Dungri Fort. During the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the temple receives thousands of tourists and devotees every year to seek blessings from Bappa. The idol of Lord Ganesh is extravagantly decorated and is laden with hundreds of trays of ladoos (an Indian sweet) as offerings.
