Khajrana Ganesh Temple at Indore in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh is located at the center of India and is famous for its brilliant architecture and natural surroundings. It is home to the fine specimens of architecture and is also a famous pilgrimage destination as well. Indore is a beautiful place which attracts pilgrims from across various parts of the nation. A tourist who visits this place opines that each part of Indore is different from the other. People in this modern world are often tired with their hectic and busy work schedules and places like Indore in Madhya Pradesh offers you a fine way to seek solace and relief. Many tourists from around the world visit this place to offer prayers and rejuvenate their mind and soul. The Khajrana Ganesh Temple at Indore is one of the most visited shrines in this city owing to the history and religious beliefs associated with it. It is said that the natives have a lot of faith in the Lord and seek blessings as well. This temple is highly popular and is visited by anyone who visits Indore.
Khajrana Ganesh History
- It is said that this holy place of worship was originally built by Ahilya Bai Holkar which was later subjected to some last minute beautification by different historic personalities.
- According to many people, it is said that whoever comes at this place and wishes for something, gets it fulfilled within a very short duration. All the obstacles of the devotee also get eliminated as well. That is the reason for pilgrims gathering here and praying for getting a baby or some work related problems.
- In addition, the religious importance of this temple increases manifold as there is also a dargah located nearby this temple. This is dedicated to Nahar Sayed who as the natives say, is believed to be buried headless here. For Muslims, this place stands auspicious and holds a great religious importance which is visited by a dozen of people every day.
- Although the Khajrana Ganesh Temple has been presently taken over by the government, yet the shrine is managed by the Bhatt family. It is trusted that keeping in mind the end goal to protect the monument from the ruler, Aurangzeb, the deity was kept in a well and in 1735, it was taken out from the well and a shrine was built up in 1735 by Ahilya Bai Holkar who belongs to the Holkar line of the Maratha Empire.
Significance of the Khajrana Ganesh Temple
- The Khajrana Ganesh temple stands tall for being the home to the famous Lord Ganapati idol in Indore. The deity measures eight meters in length.
- The idol of Lord Ganapati is made up of a mixture comprising of limestone, jaggery, bricks, mud and the soil and water brought from all important pilgrimage destinations. The deity is believed to generate positive energy on the devotees.
- The frame of the Lord’s idol is developed using precious metals and offers a wonderful look.
- The enormous statue of Ganapati is an important pilgrimage destination for all tourists who visit Indore and devotees gather to offer their prayers at this temple especially on Wednesdays and Sundays.
- On a visit to this temple, you will discover that the gate, outer and upper sections of the Garbhagriha are made up of silver. There are paintings of various festivals inscribed on it.
- The eyes of the Ganapati idol are made up of diamonds and it was donated by an Indore businessman.
- This holy place of worship was a small hut which later became a huge structure. Pilgrims from around the world offer gold, diamond and precious jewels as a donation.
- There are several shrines within the temple premises and these are dedicated to numerous Gods, besides Lord Ganesh.
- There are no entrance fees needed in order to pay a visit to the temple.
- The temple has a committee with members who help in the administration of the temple activities. Not every priest can worship the God. There is a list of priests who have the permission to offer pooja at this temple.
- Visitors are not allowed to take pictures or videos inside the temple premises.
- A pilgrim is also not allowed to take any pets inside the holy shrine.
Khajarana Ganesh Temple Timings
- The holy shrine is open for pilgrims all throughout the year. It also remains open during the public holidays as well.
- Khajrana Ganesh Temple opens its door for the devotees from as early as 5 A.M. and is available for darshan or visit until 12 P.M.
- Khajrana Ganesh Temple reopens again during the evening from 4 A.M. and finally closes at 9 P.M.
- A pilgrim can complete his darshan within 30 minutes on a normal day.
Khajarana Ganesh Temple Food Timings
- A visitor can buy food or Prasad to offer to the Lord on the way to the temple.
- Prasad consists mainly of sweets, fruits, and coconuts and is available for pilgrims after 12 P.M.
Festivals celebrated at the Khajrana Ganesh Temple
- Vinayaka Chaturthi is one of the most important festivals that are observed in this Khajrana Ganesh Temple for Lord Ganapati. It is celebrated every year during the months of August and September. Lots of devotees gather to take part in this pious occasion. There is also fair that is organized in the Khajrana region.
- Raksha Bandhan is the celebration of a bond between a sister and a brother is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in this temple. Sisters tie a thread on their brother’s wrists and pray for their long lives as a part of this festival.
- Diwali or the festival of lights sees people lighting candles and oil lamps at their homes. The temple is well decorated during this occasion and many pilgrims gather to offer prayers to the Almighty.
Poojas and Rituals at Khajrana Ganesh
- The Lord is bathed in the morning and is decorated with clothes made of fine material and jewelry on special occasions. Red flowers along with incense sticks and oil lamps are a must in the pooja and vermilion paste is applied on the deity’s forehead. The priest recites the Ganapati mantras and devotees offer their pooja. Special sweet also called as modak is also offered to Lord Ganapati.
- Arati takes place twice in this temple. The priest does the morning arati from 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. The evening arati or the sandhya arati takes place between 8 P.M. to 8:40 P.M.
- Bhajans or songs sung in praise of the God are also organized in this temple. The poetic content of these songs also consists of a wide category. Mira or Kabir bhajans are assumed to be the highest with regards to its literal quality. The lowest poetic form is the dhun, which can be referred to nothing more than a musical version of a chant.
How to Reach: Road, Rail, and Air
- By Air– In order to visit this auspicious Khajarana Ganesh Temple, a tourist can travel by air and reach the Indore airport. This is the nearest airport that connects it with the temple. There are local cabs available outside the airport which will take you to this sacred shrine.
- By Train– There are regular trains from Indore that connects it with other major cities of the sub-continent. The Indore Junction is the nearest railway station for people traveling by train.
- By Road– Indore is very well connected through roads as well. It has proper roads and connects various parts of Madhya Pradesh. There are government bus services that travel to and fro from Indore to other states as well.
Hotels in Madhya Pradesh: Where to stay
There are reliable and clean places of accommodation for all tourists who visits Indore. If you want to relax and enjoy the luxuries of life, take a pick from the exclusive resorts that come with their signature restaurants. On the other hand, you can also opt to save up on your expenses by putting up at budget hotels. Most of these lodging inns provide complimentary breakfast for its clients. There are also rooms available with private balconies. You can choose the room you want depending on the number of travelers accompanying you. Rooms of all sizes are available with all the modern amenities. For single voyagers, there are dormitories available that provide good stay at competitive prices. It is advisable for tourists to book the hotel rooms in advance to avoid any disappointment. Pre-booking rooms will also facilitate the pickup and drop services provided by the hotel staff. Moreover, you can also bargain and get lucky when it comes to paying the rent of the rooms in advance.
Where to eat
Indore in Madhya Pradesh offers a variety of both traditional and contemporary cuisines when it comes to satisfying one’s appetite. India is famous for its spices and the variety which is evident as you move one part of the nation to another. When planning a visit to the famous Khajrana Ganesh temple, it is a must to taste the street food of Indore like poha, samosa, jalebi and moong dal ki halwa. From snacks to main meals, a visitor is bound to fall in love with its sweets and milk offerings. The traditional meal or Thali comprises mainly of rice, roti, sabzi, dal, papad, pickle, salad and dahi. There are also options available like tandoori chicken and kebabs for nonvegetarian lovers as well.
For people looking for fine dining, there are also various eating joints that pave a way for international cuisines as well. From Chinese to Thai and Continental, take your pick from the awesome spread and satisfy your senses. In addition, the cost that one has to bear is very reasonable and the restaurants are also equipped with good ambience. High-end city eateries also arrange live performances for their tourists as well. Most of the people visiting Indore also opt for takeaway namkeens and sweets on their return from the temple.
Nearby Temples
- Bijasen Tekri- Bijasen Tekri refers to a small shrine that is dedicated to Bijasen Mata. This temple was constructed in 1920, on the top of a hill which is also called as Tekri. This temple is located at a distance of 9 km from the railway station but is close to the airport. It just takes two minutes drive to reach the temple from the airport. There was once a guest house of the Holkars which paved the way for a Border Security Force Arms Museum. The hill presents a panoramic view of the surrounding and the nearby area has been converted into a garden with a small lake in it. A fair is organized every year during the festival of Navaratri.
- Gomatgiri- This is a very popular pilgrimage destination for the followers of Jain religion. It is a small hillock that is situated near Indore and is the home to a 21 feet Gomateshwar idol. There are 24 marble temples built with shikhars that are dedicated to each of the 24 Tirthankaras of the Jain religion. There is a lodging facility and a restaurant for the benefit of the travelers and the M.P. government in 1981 had donated this hillock to the Jain Samaj.
- Bada Ganapati- It refers to the deity of Lord Ganesha that measure 25 feet. It is said that the Idol has been built here following a fantasy of an Avantika (Ujjain) citizen, named Shri Dadhich. It was constructed in the year 1875. It boasts of being the largest Ganesha idol in the whole world. Thousands of pilgrims visit this place every year and seek blessings.
- Annapurna Temple- This sacred shrine is dedicated to the Goddess of nourishment, Devi Annapurna. This temple is distinct as it has no Mandap or pillared halls. It has Indo-Dravidian architecture with the main gate of the temple decorated with four life-sized elephants made of plaster of Paris.
Priya Singh says
Wonderful post. This blog has an amazing information about the destination places of Indore and near by places beautiful visiting spot……and captures very impressive photos.
Chandrakant rana says
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