Top 5 Famous Ganesha Temples of India
Hinduism is an ocean of cultural, traditional and spiritual beliefs representing a fusion of religions in one. Hindu gods, texts, manuscripts and spiritual values display the richness of this religion. Moreover, the royalty of Hindu religion is flaunted at its best by the immaculate architecture of temples in India. Plethora of temples of different gods are constructed in India among which Lord Ganesha’s temples occupy a special space. There are many temples of Lord Ganesha spread all over India among which few of them are most visited throughout the year due to several reasons. Visiting these temples is a fantastic idea for travellers, holidayers and devotees for blessings of Lord Ganesha. Enlisted in the pious category of marvellous temples, some of the peculiar temples of Lord Ganesha include:
1) Siddhivinayak Temple, Maharashtra:
Counted among one of the most prestigious temples of Lord Ganesha, Siddhivinayak Temple is the richest temple in India. The temple is situated in the city of Mumbai in Maharashtra which evolved from a small shrine into a magnificent one. The temple is extremely popular for its intrinsic values and is very popular throughout India, especially in Mumbai. The temple is a highly recognised one in Mumbai with majority of bollywood celebrities and politicians visiting for pious blessings of Ganesha.
The temple is visited by a large number of tourists every day which accounts for the higher amount of donation. The state of the art architecture of the temple is just flawless which is done by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil. The temple was constructed to benefit the women with no child.
2) Srimanth Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, Maharashtra:
The second well renowned temple of Lord Ganesha in Maharashtra is Srimanth Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati. It is located in the city of Pune. The temple is known for its eye capturing Golden idol of Ganesha loaded with gold jewellery. The idol is 7.5 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
It is said that the temple was built by Srimanth Dagdusheth Halwai who lost his son in an epidemic. Over the period of its 127 years of existence the temple has played a major role in maintaining the tradition of Sarvajanik Ganesha or large-scale public celebration for about ten days. The temple flaunts the majestic architecture which looks at its best during Ganeshotsav which is the major celebration in the temple.
3) Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, Andhra Pradesh:
Settled in the exotic location of Andhra Pradesh, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple is the fabulous Ganesha temple 75 kms away from Tirupati in Chittoor. The breathtaking vista of the temple is just a marvelous spot for the holiday seekers. The temple was built by the Chola King Chola King Kulothings Chola I in the 11th Century. The temple is a prominent example of stunning architecture showing off ancient designs. The temple was built to settle the dispute between people and end the existence of evil.
The idol present in the temple displays white, yellow and red colours on the forehead which is worshipped by a large number of devotees every year. Brahmotsavam is the main festival of this temple celebrated during Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is believed that the temple idol is a Swayambhu or self-appeared one.
4) Madhur Mahaganapathi Temple, Kerala:
The scenic beauty of Kerala flaunts some of the most astounding buildings, temples and sculptures. Madhur Mahaganapathi Temple situated on the banks of the river Madhuvahini in Kasaragod is one of the gorgeous temples of Ganesha built by Mypadi Rajas of Kumbla. The temple features the very unique idol of Lord Ganesha which is made up of some different material other than soil or stone.
The temple is the best location for adventure seekers who can explore the myths and hidden facts about the ancient temples including other places at Madhur. Large number of tourists visit this temple during a famous festival of Moodappa Seva to admire the idol of Ganesha which is covered with a mixture of sweet rice and ghee known as Moodappam. Idols of Lord Shiva, Maa Parvati, Lord Ram, Navgrahas and Subramanian are also present within the temple.
5) Ranthambore Ganesh Temple, Rajasthan:
Adorning the list of Lord Ganesha’s temple in India, Rajasthan has a very special temple for tourists and explorers. Other than the adventurous Ranthambore National Park, the place owns a special Ranthambore Ganesh Temple which has a three-eyed god popular as ‘Trinetra Ganesha’. The temple is located on the top of the famous Ranthambore Fort which is around 1000 years old.
The temple is approximately 6500 years old and is visited by millions of people every year during the main festival of Ganesh Mela held on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. The temple was established during the 13th century by the king during the wartime crisis. Soon after the construction of the temple there was peace and prosperity all over the place.
Read also: Interesting Reasons to Love Ganesha
