Chintamani Ganpati Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is one of the eight Ashtavinayak Temples in Maharashtra. The temple is in Theur in Haveli Taluka. Chintamani Ganpati temple has specially designated sections for meditation. The main mandap consists of wood with a stone fountain at its centre.
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Chintamani Ganpati Temple – Facts
| Deity | Lord Ganesha |
| Location | Theur, Maharashtra |
| Significance | Part of Ashtavinayak Temples |
| Best Time to Visit | July – November |
| Darshan Timings | 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM |
| Entry Fees | Free |
| Vehicle Parking Fees | 20 to 30 Rs (As per vehicle) |
| Photography | Not Allowed |
| Dress Code | Traditional |
| Festivals | Badrapat, Magh and Rama-Madhav Punyotsav |
Chintamani Ganpati Temple – Timings
The timings of Chintamani Ganapati Temple are:
| Timings | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Morning Darshan | 6 AM | 1 PM |
| Evening Darshan | 2 PM | 10 PM |
| Darshan Timing on Angarkhi Chaturthi | 4 AM | 11 PM |
| Maha Aarti Timing | 7:30 AM | |
| Maha Prasad Timing | 10 AM | 1 PM |
| Madhyan Aarti Timing | 12 PM | |
| Shejaarti Timing | 10 PM |
- Notes/Tips: Plan to spend 1-2 hours for darshan. On weekends, the rush will be more. During the festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and few other Ganesh festivals, devotees have to wait for 3 – 4 hours for darshan.
Donations by devotees on Abhishek, Ekadashi, Sahastravartana, and so forth are done by Priests. Prasad and Angara (wholy fiery remains) are sent by post.
What are the poojas and sevas conducted at Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
Here are the poojas and rituals that take place at Chintamani Ganapati Temple:
| Poojas and Rituals |
|---|
| Sahastravartan |
| Abhishek |
| Ekadashi |
Devotees may make the appropriate payments at the temple and receive the Holy Prasad and ashes of Yagna.
The famous Chintamani Ganpati temple has a separate section known as Overry where devotees can meditate peacefully.
What is the significance of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
The significance of Chintamani Ganapati Temple is that Lord Chintamani is the God who brings peace mind. The idol of Lord Chintamani faces east. The Lord’s eyes are precious gems. The Mahadwar or the main gate of the temple is north-facing, and a road connects it to river Mula Muth.
There are numerous little temples inside the temple complex like Mahadeva temple. Also, there is additionally a Vishnu-Lakshmi temple and a Hanuman temple. So while doing the temple Parikrama, those temples can be equally viewed. Since the legend of Chintamani occurred under a Kadamba tree, therefore, the village of Theur has another name- Kadambapur.
Lord Chintamani is the family deity of Shree Madhwarao Peshwa. Shree Madhwarao spent his last days at the temple and breathed his last while chanting the Lord’s name. Saint Morya Gosavi did severe penance at Theur. Pleased with his penance, Lord Ganesh emerged from the nearby river Mula Muth as two tigers and granted the saint with Siddhi.
It is beleived that Kapila Muni received this gem through worshipping Lord Shiva at Talaiaalankaadu near Thanjavur in Tamilnadu. Legends says that he walked on his head to reach the shrine.
What is the architecture of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
It is portrayed as one of the largest and increasingly acclaimed of the Ashtavinayak temples. The temple’s entryway situated toward the North is moderately smaller. The central icon of Chintamani Ganpati faces East. The temple has a wooden Sabha-mandapa which was built by Madhavrao. The lobby of the temple additionally has a black stone drinking fountain in it.
There are a number of smaller hallowed shrines in the temple complex. Behind the temple is the Peshwa Wada also known as the Peshwa Palace. Once it was the living arrangement of Madhavrao. Today the everyday activities of the temple are conveyed from this spot.
While there is no definite date of the origin of these places of worship, the present temple was built during the Peshwa rule in the eighteenth century CE.
What is the history of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
History of the Chintamani Ganapati is that there is no record of the person who built it. However, devotees believe that it exists since ancient times. Also, Chintamani Ganpati is related to the Saint Morya Gosavi, a staunch devotee of Lord Ganesh. Moreover, his descendants constructed the main temple structure.
Following a hundred years, Madhavrao Peshwa raised the Sabhamandap of the temple. A couple of years prior to the Shikhar (peak), of the temple was blessed in gold. As Peshwas visited these spot frequently, the two 5 metal bell purchased from Europe was one kept in Mahad and another one was kept here.
After the passing of Madhav Rao Peshwa, his wife performed Sati, the beautiful garden in the temple was made in her memory.
It is said that Emperor Aurangzeb had offered many grants to this temple. These days the organization of this temple is administered by Chinchwad Temple Trust.
What are the legends of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
Legend of Theur: Lord Brahma was once feeling very restless and plagued by an unwavering mind. He then meditated to Lord Ganesh in this village to help him to pacify his restless mind. The name Theur is a derivative of the Sanskrit word – Sthavar, which means stable. Since Lord Ganesh helped clear Lord Brahma’s worries, the Lord became popular as Chintamani Vinayak.
Legend of Chintamani: King Abhijeet and his wife did severe penance and gave birth to Ganaraja, also known as Guna. When Ganaraja visited Sage Kapila’s ashram, the sage took the help of the precious jewel – Chintamani to serve food to the prince. However, the greedy Ganaraja wanted the jewel for himself and forcibly took it from the Sage.
Goddess Durga advised Sage Kapila to seek Lord Ganesh’s help. Then, Lord Ganesh defeated Ganaraja under a Kadamba tree, retrieved the precious jewel and took it back to sage Kapila. So, the sage rewarded Lord Ganesh by putting the jewel around his neck. Henceforth the Lord became famous as Chintamani Vinayak
What are the festivals celebrated at Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
Some festivals celebrated at Chintamani Ganapati Temple are:
Bhadrapat: Lord Ganesh’s birth celebrations known as Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi is a key festival in the state of Maharashtra. In Theur, Lord Chintamani’s birthday is a big event during Bhadrapat Shudh (August / September)
Magh: The Dwaryatra festival held during Magh Shudh, the Chintamani Ganpati Temple is bustling with arrangements. Devotees celebrate the celebrations in Magh Shudh until Ashtami, or the eighth day (January – February)
Rama-Madhav Punyotsav: A fair is organized in the month of Karthik by the temple as part of the Rama-Madhav Punnyotsav. This commemorates the death anniversary of the temple patrons Madhavrao and his wife Ramabai.
The town of Theur sits at the conjunction of three noteworthy provincial rivers Mula, Mutha and Bhima, making it a picturesque delight.
How to reach Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
Here’s how to reach Chintamani Ganpati Temple:
- By road: Theur is nearly 25 km from Pune. Several state-run buses operate from Pune and Mumbai to Theur. In the event you are self-driving you can take Mumbai to Khandala road course. After crossing the Bhor Ghat, the town of Theur can be seen which is situated in Haveli Taluka, Pune District.
- By rail: The nearest railway station to Theur is in Pune. The Pune station connects to major Indian cities. Pune Junction railroad station associates the city with all the prime Maharashtra cities. There are a few mail/express trains and superfast trains connecting the city from south, north, and west.
- By air: The nearest airport is at Pune, which connects to all major Indian cities. Lohegaon Airport or Pune Airport is a universal air terminal, found 15 km far from Pune downtown area. Regular flights from Bangalore, Jaipur, Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Nagpur lands in the airport. Theur is 22 km from Pune Airport.
Where to stay near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
There are not many places to stay for accommodation at Theur. Therefore, pilgrims usually consider staying at Pune which is just 25 km from the Temple.
Where to eat near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
- There are no restaurants at Lenyadri except for the Yatri Niwas which offer food options. Therefore, devotees opt to eat at the smaller restaurants on the highway or at Junnar.
- Moreover, one can consider having lunch inside the temple premises served by the foundation. A small amount of Rs 15 is charged for having Lunch in the temple. In this thali, you get the opportunity to eat rice, dal/lentil, aloo chana curry dish, chappati, and sooji halwa/Sheera.
- The temple volunteers served the food while you sit in a table and chair. Lunch timing is from 12 to 2 pm.
What are some temples near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?
Bhima Gada: Adjacent to the Girijatmaj Temple, cave no. 6 houses a Buddhist stupa. This is popular as Bhima’s Gada. This stupa has good acoustics that allows sounds to echo.
What are some other Ashtavinayak Temples?
Here’s a list of the other Ashtavinayak Temples:
Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon: Devotees begin and end their journey at the Mayureshwar Temple. The temple derives its name from the legend of Mayureshwar – Lord Ganesh riding a peacock, who defeated a demon at this place. The Mayureshwar Temple is in Moregaon, 63 km from the Chintamani Temple.
Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Siddhatek: It is believed that Lord Vishnu appeased Lord Ganesh at this place. Lord Vishnu then proceeded to slay the demons known as Madhu and Kaitabh. Moreover, Lord Siddhi Vinayak is the only idol with the trunk pointing towards the right. The Siddhi Vinayak Temple is in Siddhatek, 100 km from the Chintamani Temple.
Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali: As the name suggests this temple is named after Lord Ganesh’s devotee Ballal. This is the only Ganesh Temple whose name is after a devotee. The Ballaleshwar Temple is in Pali, 140 km from the Chintamani Temple.
Varadha Vinayak Temple, Mahad: Lord Ganesh is Varadha Vinayak, the Lord who grants boons and wishes. The Varadha Vinayak Temple is in Mahad, 150 km from the Chintamani.
Girijatmaj Temple, Lenyadri: Goddess Parvathi is believed to have performed penance at this place to have a child. The deities prayers were answered when Lord Ganesh was born. The temple gets its name from the words Girija (Parvathi) and Atmaj (son). The Girijatmaj Temple is in Lenyadri, 110 km from the Chintamani Temple.
Vighneshwar Vinayak Temple, Ozar: King Abhinandan’s prayer was disturbed by Vighnasur, the demon who was sent by Lord Indra. So King Abhinandan sought helped from Lord Ganesh who defeated the demon at this place. The Vighneswar Vinayak Temple is in Ozar, 105 km from the Chintamani.
Mahaganapati Temple, Ranjangaon: To defeat the demon Tripurasura, Lord Shiva is believed to have worshipped Lord Ganesh here. The Mahaganapati Temple is in Ranjangaon, 42 km from the Chintamani.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chintamani Ganpati Temple –
Entry to the temple is free and no booking is needed to visit the temple.
Being 25 km from the temple of Theur, Pune is the best option for lodging.
Hiring a Cab or a Uber is the best and fastest mode to reach Theur.
The cheapest way to reach Theur from Pune is self-driving where the fuel will cost you around ₹180 – ₹270 for 23 km.
Lohegaon Airport in Pune is the closest airport to Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur.
The maximum temperature in summer can reach till 35°C. The minimum temperature that can fall down is 13°C in winter.
The Chintamani Ganpati Temple comes in 5th number during the Ashtavinayak Yatra.
Ladoo and Modak prasad which are known to be favorite of Lord Ganesh are offered in the temple.
