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Ganesha Rules in Vidarbha too

Chandrashekhar Gupta Ashtavinayakas
in Vidarbha
Photographs Rahul Gupta,
Assistance courtesy - Arun Kulkarni,
Prof. Balpadwal and Pundalikrao Jaonjal
 n Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha
Contrary to general assumption, there are many
Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha too. Chandrashekhar
Gupta therefore provides an account of all such lo-
cations that you can head toward
The tradition of worship of Ashtavinayakas i.e. eight icons
of Ganapati located in different places of Maharashtra
state is quite popular. These Ashtavinayakas are located
mostly in western Maharashtra, including a few in adjacent
division e.g. Marathawada, but excluding Vidarbha totally.
These selective Vinayakas are supposed to be of more sig-
nificance and said to be more jagrat in nature. Naturally,
these places attract more devotees and they swell in num-
bers on special occasions such as Angarak and Sankash-
ti Chaturthis, etc. As stated earlier, in this list of Ashtav-
inayakas of Maharashtra, Vidarbha is conspicuous by its
absence. This has moved some devotees of Ganapati in
Vidarbha to search for significant icons of Ganesha in this
region. And, they have come up with eight such selective
Vinayakas.
Vidarbha being a part of King Dandakas empire, which
was subsequently turned into a great forest by the name
Dandakaranya, has a hoary past both in history and ar-
chaeology. The mythical and factual data when reconciled
properly has yielded better results. Historically, the wor-
ship of Ganesha originated through popular folk practice.
Elephant-headed Yaksha and Yakshini, Kuber and Lakshmi
are seen carved on an early Amaravathi (AP) stupa railing
and a reference to a Yaksha (goblin) plaque bearing the
figure of Ganapati is mentioned in Gatha Saptashati of the
Satavahana period.
In Vidarbha, the earliest representation of Ganapati be-
longs to the Vakataka period. It comes from Hamalapuri
(old Yamalapuri, an extension of the capital Nandivardha-
na, Nandardhana-Nagaradhana, district Nagpur). A ter-
racotta fragment of Ganesha s head was recently found
reported from Paunar (ancient Pravarapura) in Wardha dis-
trict. Among the Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha, there may be
some images belonging to the Vakataka period, but due to
a heavy coat of vermillion, the details cannot be easily dis-
tinguished. They are described here in a little more detail.
46 MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED | Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015
Varad Vinayak Tekadi Ganapati
Nagpur
Nagpur, the most significant and one of the rich-
est heritage places in Vidarbha, is host to a good
number of Ganesha temples, one of which is
Varada Vinayaka Tekadi Ganapati Mandir wor-
thy of being considered as one of the Ashtavinay-
akas. For this reason an attempt was made in the
recent past to include it amongst the Ashtavinay-
akas of Nagpur region. Nagpur is known to have
yielded pre and proto-historical archaeological
evidences in the past. It is located at a significant
site with abundant geo-mineral deposits, water
bodies, and a rich flora and fauna domain. With
such favourable conditions, it is not surprising
that the area has been inhabited since pre-histor-
ic times.
Apart from the stone and iron-age structures and
material gathered through archaeological explo-
rations and excavations (and accidental finds
too), the land is evidenced to have had habitation
during a millennium before the birth of Jesus
Christ. However, the proper region of Nagpur
was inhabited during the Vakataka period as
proved by the finds of pot shards, a terracotta
Bhairava figure and the existence of a locality
named Jasapur, which is equated with Yashapur
found mentioned in a Vakataka grant (Patna Mu-
seum copper plate). A Ganesha image was found
from Hamalapuri near Nagardhan, the Vakataka
capital, as stated above. The hands and probos-
cis of the image are broken but the other features
show that it was a magnificent specimen of con-
temporary art.
After this period, Kalachuri, Rashtrakutas, Par-
amaras, Chalukyas, Yadavas, Gonds, Bhonslas,
etc. ruled over Nagpur. We dont know if any
Ganapati idol was made during the those ages as
all the idols are covered with a thick coat of ver-
million.
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
Raghuji Bhonsla, after setting up his capital in whispering atmosphere with their chirping and
Nagpur, built a magnificent palace on the em- whistling sirens.
bankments of the Jumma Talao (modern Gan-
dhisagar). For this purpose, the black basalt
Travel Facts
stone was quarried from the eastern side of Sitab-
ardi ekad. After winning the battle of Sitabuldi
fought between the Bhonslas and the English, the
hill was converted into a fort and its eastern side Where to stay:
ridge was chiseled out into a steep form, lest there There is a wide choice of hotels within a radius of
should be any attempt of raid from the city side. 2 kilometers of Nagpur Railway Station with tariff
In this reclaimed land the present Tekadi Gane- ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 per night. For
sha alias Varada Vinayaka came into existence. example, Pal Palace, North View, Dwarka, President,
Darshan Towers, Heritage 2000, etc. For those in
It is said that the image of Ganesha was found favour of luxury hotels, there is a choice between
buried along with the debris of an ancient temple Radisson Blue, Centre Point, Tuli International, Tuli
built by Hemadri Pandit, a courtier of the Yadava Imperial, Pride, and others.
kings in 12th century CE. It was said to be dis- Where to eat:
covered in the early seventies of the 19th century
There are a number of restaurants like Varhadi Thaat,
while reclaiming land for laying out railway lines Ganesha Sagar, Haldiram, Naivadyam, Arya Bhavan,
and the railway station. The idol is called sway-
Jagdish Saojee, Veera Swami, etc.
ambhu i.e. having emerged on its own. The ear-
Places to see:
lier structure was a simple pointed roofed shed
resting on a few poles and a dwarf parapet wall. Central Museum (Ajab Bangla), Anthropological
In the centre was a tree having the upper part of Museum, Narrow Gauge Rail Museum, Zero Mile Pillar,
Maharajbagh Zoo, Satpuda Botanical Garden, Raman
Ganapati; the trunk was bent to his proper right,
Science Centre, Kashibai Mandir, Gandhisagar Lake,
thereby making it the Siddhi Vinayaka type. It is
Futala Lake, Traffic Park, Deeksha Bhoomi, Chhota
interesting to note here that this icon or shrine is
Tajbag, Bada Tajbag, Kasturchand Park, monuments
neither referred to in any early literary or gazet- of Mahal area, Gorewada Zoo, Swaminarayan Mandir
teer work. Wathoda, All Saints Cathedral, Lourd Mata Mandir,
Civil lines.
At present, an extensive area is associated with
the temple. A huge concrete temple structure with
several sub-shrines, paved premises, a torana
dwar, office and management accommodations Shami Vighnesha Ganesha
are available besides drinking water, toilets, foot- Adasa
wear stand and vehicle stands, etc. Idols of Kala
Bhairava, Hanuman, Shivalinga on a seated Nan-
di and a few more recent ones e.g. Mahalakshmi,
Radha-Krishna also adorn the complex.
Two medieval (11th century CE) Sanskrit stone
epigraphs were found associated with the site
of Sitabardi, which at present are housed in the
Central Museum, Nagpur. They are of the Cha-
lukya and Paramara periods. The temple is quite
popular amongst the devotees and right from
4:30 in the morning, various religious practices
are performed. Tuesdays and Saturdays are espe-
cially favoured by the devotees apart from daily
visitors on other days. But on special days sup- Shami Vighnesha Ganesha is in Kalmeshvar ta-
posed to be pious to god Ganesha e.g., Ganesha luka of Nagpur district in a north by west direc-
Chaturthi, Angaraka Chaturthi, Tila (sesame) tion. Very close to the village Adasa, on a pictur-
Samkranti, Bhadrapada Ganeshotsava, etc., peo- esque rocky surface, there is a group of temples
ple from far and near throng the shrine. enshrining Shiva, Ganesha, Bhairava, Hanuman
and some other gods. The Mahadeva Mandir on
The temple complex is a pleasant environmen- the top is the oldest structure among the group,
tal area having trees of various types e.g. Pipal, but several fragments of gigantic sculptures and
Vada, Limba, etc. and thick vegetation shrubs. In architectural members viz pillars etc. and the
the early dawn and dusky evenings, hundreds of chief idol of Ganesha with the epithet Shami
parrots, sparrows and other local birds cover the
Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015 | MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED 47
 n Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha
Vighnesha are of an early date. The site has be-
come an attractive tourist destination.
This hillock is well-maintained by government of-
ficials as well as the temple management author-
ity. Flight of steps, temple structure, railings to
control masses swelling on special religious and
festive occasions, utility provisions e.g. drinking
water, toilets for men and women, arrangements
for breaking the coconuts mechanically, sepa-
rate space allotment for puja and prasada, edible
items and local handicraft objects, etc. are all ar-
ranged properly.
The main attraction of the site, the Shami-Vigh-
nesha Mandir, is situated on the right side and
can be reached by just ascending a few steps. It
has undergone much renovation from time to
time but the icon in the garbhagriha (sanctum
sanctorum) is the original one and majestic in
appearance. It is about 4 meters high. Though
it is heavily besmeared with a thick coat of ver-
million, the study of the contours of the icon sug-
gest that it was an Nritta Ganesha , i.e. Ganesha
in the dancing posture. There are 12 jyotirlingas
displayed here.
According to a reference in the old Nagpur Dis-
trict Gazetteer (1908 CE), in the temple of Gana-
pati the image consists of a single stone setup so
that worshippers may walk around it. This makes
it clear that the present renovated one and the
earlier one was of the sandhara type. A stepped
48 MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED | Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015
entrance leading to an extended terrace and the
antarala (antechamber) and garbhagriha (sanc-
tum sanctorum) are the main components of the
temple. The shikhara tower is of the pyramidal
type with diminishing flat bands.
With the temple facing the northerly direction
and proceeding towards the east after ascending
a flight of steps, one can reach the higher terrace.
Here we find a couple of water tanks and sama-
dhis of Gosavis, supposed to be associated with
temple worship and ownership. Some huge but
fragmentary sculptures lie on the further right
side, probably dating back to 7th century CE
when this region was ruled by kings of the ear-
ly Kalachuri dynasty. These fragments represent
images of the gods (e.g. Bhairava) and architec-
tural members (fragments of a shaft of a pillar,
etc.) as well. On the further left side, the sarva-
tobhadra (open on all sides) temple of Mahadev
having three shivalingas installed on a single ar-
gha is of a unique nature.
This represents the Sadashiva aspect in symbol-
ic form, probably inspired by the famous icon
of the god also belonging to the early Kalachuri
period in Cave No. 1 of Elephanta (Gharapuri)
island. The origin of this Ganesha is said to be
associated with the myth of his establishment by
Vaman, incarnation of Vishnu from the roots of
shami (Marathi - apta, Bauhinia racemosa) tree
to liberate gods from the disturbances caused
Travel Facts
Nearby major cities:
Nagpur
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur
Nearest airport:
Nagpur
Bus stand:
Frequent buses are available from Nagpur ST terminus
to Adasa
Where to stay:
Accommodation facilities are available at Nagpur
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls
What to see:
Dhapewada, which is also known as Pandharpur of
Vidarbha, is also famous for its Vitthal Mandir built by
the Bhonsla rulers whereas Waki is famous for trekking
and the Dargah of Tajuddin Baba.
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
by the asuras. Adasa is called Adosha Kshetra in
the Vaman Purana, Jaimini Ashwamedha, and
Ganesha Purana, a sectorial canon belonging to
the Ganapatya Sampradaya, cult of the followers
of Ganapati. Interestingly, the popularity of this
cult in Nagpur region during the Bhonsla period
is evidenced through some loose folios of manu-
scripts belonging to this sect.
Ashtadashabhuja Ganesha
Ramtek
Ramtek (ancient Ramagiri) is a famous heritage
place to the northeast of Nagpur at a distance of
47 kilometers. It is known for being associated
with footprints of Ram and water purified due to
the bathing of Sita. Being located in the vicinity of
the capital place, Nandivardhana of the political
powers like the Vakatakas, Nalas, the early Kala-
churis, the Rashtrakutas etc, Ramtek is also the
birthplace of the world famous poem Meghadoot
composed by the great poet Kalidas in circa 200
BCE. The picturesque and panoramic landscape
of Ramtek makes every visitor spellbound due to
the spread of the hilly Satpura ranges, heavy veg-
etation, a large number of tents, water bodies and
temples, and other structural works like the for-
tification, the ghats and serpentine stairs leading
Travel Facts
to the top of the hills. The oldest temples are of
the Vakataka period, others being of Paramaras,
Chalukyas, Yadava, and Bhonsla periods.
Nearby major cities:
One of the temples here is enshrined in a unique Nagpur
icon of Ganesha and though not of much antiq-
uity, it is worth mentioning as he has 18 hands. Nearest railway station:
Nagpur
Therefore he is called Ashtadashabhuja Ganesha.
The temple is in Gavalipura on way to Papadhu- Nearest airport:
peshwara Trth. The idol is about 1.5 meters in
Nagpur
height. Ganesha is shown seated in padmasan
and all the 18 hands are shown holding differ- Bus stand:
ent ayudhas (tools) like gada (mace), ankusha, Frequent buses are available from Nagpur ST terminus
etc. His trunk is turned to his right in a very typ- to Ramtek
ical manner, thus making him a Siddhi Vinay- Where to stay:
aka. About 350 acres of land is attached to this
Olive Aqua Resort at Khindsi Lake, 5 kilometers from
temple. Ramtek
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls in Ramtek market, restaurant at
Khindsi Lake
What to see:
Vakataka period temples, Bhonsla period temples,
Kalidas Smarak, Shantinath Jain Mandir Atishaya
kshetra, Ambala(Ambatitth of the Jatakas) Lake,
Khindsey Lake(Sudarshan tadag of the Vakatakas),
archaeological site at Mansar, Ramdham at Mansar,
Nagardhan Fort, Pench Sillari National Park which is
about 30 kilometers from Ramtek.
Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015 | MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED 49
 n Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha
Bhrushund Ganesha
Mendha-Bhandara
Mendha is a suburb of Bhandara, the district
headquarter town at a distance of about 61 kilo-
meters east of Nagpur on NH 6. The old name
of Mendha is said to be Sthandila Grama. The
actual meaning of Mendha is ram and that of
the Sthandila is a base but there appears to be
no link between the two. There is one more tra-
dition prevalent locally that the icon appears to
resemble a ram i.e. mendha. This is due to heavy
application of vermillion which looks like droop-
ing hair, resembling the beard and moustache
of rishi-munis or a woolly animal. The image is
about 2.5 meters high and 1.5 meters in width.
God is shown seated on his vehicle, the rat, in a
vamalalitasana posture i.e. his left leg is bent and
placed on the back of the animal and the right
one is hanging down. His tusk is turned to the
right side and in his four hands he holds varada-
mudra, ankusha, pasha and a bowl full of moda-
kas being touched by his trunk.
Though the details of the image are lost in a ver-
million coat, the contours can be made out. Be-
sides the details described, a canopy of five-hood-
ed nagas can be made out on the head of the
deity. Earlier, about 30 years ago, there was a
50 MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED | Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015
small temple, a garbhagriha and an open anta-
rala (antechamber) built on a small platform. A
small-domed shikhar was erected on a rectangu-
lar kapotaka resting on six pillars arranged in two
rows of four and two. The pillars had the base in
a faceted shaft and cushion and vase-shaped cap-
itals. A shivalinga is installed in the antechamber
in front of Ganesha and a Nandi faces it on a plat-
form. The shrine was named as Shri Siddhi Ga-
nesha Mandira then. Now, a majestic impressive
structure has been built on this site. The burial
shrine of Giri Gosavis associated with the shrine
since generations are in the vicinity and the man-
agement is looked after by their family and Gra-
ma Joshis.
Interestingly, in some folios of the manuscripts
acquired in Shanichara Bazar (scrap market) of
Nagpur, a reference is found to the name of a
muni called Bhrushund. A big icon of Hanuman
is placed outside the temple. River Wainganga
(ancient Vena/Bena) flows just 2 kilometers in
the eastern direction. This river finds its refer-
ence in the Puranas and numerous heritage sites
and monuments are located on its bank. During
the Vakataka period the land on both the banks
of this river formed an administrative division
called Bennakata and Bennakatasthana, identi-
fied with Thana in Nagpur district, which was the
main town.
Travel Facts
Nearby major cities:
Nagpur
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur
Nearest airport:
Nagpur
Bus stand:
Frequent buses are available from Nagpur ST terminus
to Bhandara
Where to stay:
Accommodation facilities are available at Nagpur
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls, some eating facilities are available at
Bhandara local market
What to see:
Nagzira National Park and Navegao Dam as well as a
sanctuary 60 kilometers from Bhandara for a jungle
safari. Accommodation and dining facilities provided
at Nagzira by MTDC and private resorts.
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
Panchanan Vighnaraja Ganapati
Pauni
Pauni is situated south of Bhandara at a distance
of 50 kilometers on the right bank of river Wain-
ganga. The place can be approached at a distance
of 87 kilometers southeast of Nagpur. It is de-
scribed as one of the oldest historical sights of
not only Vidarbha but also Maharashtra. Apart
from the evidence of the proto-historic period in
the form of Neolithic and Microlithic tools, sev-
eral structures, sculptures, beads, potteries, nu-
mismatic and epigraphic material, and that too
in sizeable amount, have been unearthed at this
site.
The fortified town defended by a moat connect-
ed with the river, stupas constructed at Jagan-
nath Mandir and Chandakapur sites, funeral
padukapatta erected at Hardolala Tekadi site,
more than a dozen garudakhambas, chabutaras
with numerous matamai (old-legged quern frag-
ments), temples and wadas exhibit the grandeur
of Pauni. The site tallies well with the description
of the capital of Ki-o-sa-lo (ancient south Kosa-
la that is present day Chhattisgarh found men-
tioned in the accounts of the Chinese traveler Hi-
uen Tsang). This was extended up to the banks of
the river Varada (modern Wardha of Vidarbha),
a tributary of Wainganga, as proved by contem-
porary archaeological evidence also. The pres-
ence of a stupa built by Ashoka as described by
Hiuen Tsang and the stupa excavated at Jagan-
nath Tekadi go hand in hand.
The Panchanan Ganesha Mandir is located in
the heart of the Pauni town in a simple domestic
type structure. After entering through the medi-
eval stone-built Jawahar Gate, Pauni and reach-
ing the residential area, one finds a house with
a tiled roof, a door and flanking windows, which
enshrine the Panchanan Ganesha idol. Five
Ganesha figures are carved on a single piece of
stone, thereby giving this nomenclature the ad-
jective vighnaraja. This is very much the same as
vighnakarta. He is therefore vighnaharta also.
As stated above, Pauni has numerous temples.
Amongst them, some worthy of mention are Vai-
jeshwar on the banks of the river Wainganga,
Murlidhar belonging to Sardar Kalikar of Nag-
pur, Dattatreya, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Anusuya, Lan-
gada(lame) Maroti, Vyamkatesh-Ram, Ganesha
Mandir of Kalikar, Dharanidhar Siddhi Vinayaka
near Jawahar Gate, etc. A huge Buddhist com-
plex, Samadhi Bhumi, has come into existence on
the other bank of the river under the guidance of
Bhante Sangharatna Manake.
Travel Facts
Nearby major cities:
Nagpur
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur
Nearest airport:
Nagpur
Bus stand:
Frequent buses are available from Nagpur ST terminus
to Pauni
Where to stay:
Accommodation facilities are available at Nagpur
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls. Pauni is famous for its water-melons
(tarbuja), muskmelons (kharbuja), sweet water prawns
etc. during summer
What to see:
Ambhora is another pilgrimage landmark where there
is a temple of Shiva on the bank of river Wainganga
with its confluence with other rivers.It is described in
Vivekasindhu of Mukundaraj,the first known Marathi
poet.His gurus Samadhi is here.
Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015 | MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED 51
 n Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha
Varada Vinayaka Gaurala
Bhadravati, Chandrapur
Bhadravat (also known as Bhandak) is 130 kilo-
meters from Nagpur in the south direction on
national highway leading towards Chandrapur,
which is about 20 kilometers ahead. Bhandak,
the popular name of Bhadravati, is also con-
nected by railway. Near the railway station is the
village Gaurala, a suburb located to the south
of Bhadravati. It has a small tank and a hillock
about 20 meters high on the top of which is locat-
ed the Varada Vinayaka Mandir. While ascending
the hill one can see two ancient images. On the
left is an idol of Vishnu and on the right is a mag-
nificent figure of a yaksha standing on a raised
pedestal. Both the images are defaced and quite
old.
Behind this is a small cavern dug out in the hill.
There are eight matrices here which originally
must have had idols fixed into it. On the exterior
and interior walls of the cave are the figures of
Ganesha and some incarnations of Vishnu viz.
Trivikrama, Sheshashayin, etc. along with a high
relief figure of Kevala Narasimha (similar to the
Ramtek icons of about 2 meters height). On the
basis of mode and style of execution, these be-
long to the Vakataka period. The temple has a
52 MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED | Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015
big sabha mandapa (hall) comprising 16 pillars
and two shrines attached to it. The first is on the
left and dedicated to Mahadev, but interestingly
it has a Uma Maheshwar sculpture and not the
shivalinga.
The main sanctum enshrines the Varada Vinaya-
ka icon. It is close to this mandapa and at a lower
level. Hence one has to descend a few steps in or-
der to reach it. Several years ago, the temple col-
lapsed and there was a cavity in the idol, at Gane-
shas belly. It was believed that this was brought
about by treasure hunters. About three decades
ago restoration work was undertaken by the own-
er of the land as this forms part of his property. A
small-scale archaeological excavation of the hab-
itation deposits on the hill lying to the west direc-
tion was undertaken by the Department of An-
cient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology,
Nagpur University but very little material culture
was found. A huge head of Sankarashana (known
locally as Balirama) made out of sandstone, pot-
tery and architectural evidence was the only item
found here. This suggests an exodus i.e. a planned
shifting from the site as Bhandak Bhadravati was
also a rich heritage site and probably a city state,
as copper coins of the early Christian era with el-
ephant and vedika vriksha devices with the name
Bhaddavati (Skt Bhadravat) indicated.
This mandapa is called Yauvanashva cha Mahal
by the locals and associated with the episode of
Shyamakarna Ashva mentioned in canonical
texts like Jaimini Ashvamedha etc. During the
Satavahana and Vakataka periods, Bhadrava-
ti was an equally important centre as evidenced
through the Vinjasani caves. These were initial-
ly carved out during the Satavahana period and
it shows a crucified pattern unique in the range
of rock-cut architecture. In the Vakataka period
they were further cut out to carve life-size icons of
Buddha seated in padmasan and dhyanamudra.
This cave is described by the Chinese traveler Hi-
uen Tsang as Po-lo-mo-lo-ki-li i.e. Bhadravatigi-
ri.
Numerous images of Buddhist, Jaina, and Pau-
ranik tradition have been found in addition to
the stone temples. One of them is the 23rd Tirt-
hankara Parshvanatha. Recently, restoration and
renovation of this temple was completed. A statue
of a devi within a cave, a fortress, several temples
and sculptures of VedicPauranic religious pan-
theons have also been discovered here. A unique
figure of Lakulisha, Gajabhisheka Lakshmi, Nat-
araja, Shiva and others are under the care of the
Archaeological Survey of India. Some sculptures
have been shifted to the Central Museum, Nag-
pur.
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
be quite ancient and maybe of the Vakataka pe-
Travel Facts riod. In the vicinity of the site are a good number
of vital sites and monuments, e.g. Bhatala, Chan-
Nearby major cities: drapur, Markanda, Anandvan of Baba Amte,
Pichdura, the Jurassic Park site, etc.
Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur, Ballarshah
Nearest airport: Chintamani Ganesha
Nagpur
Kalamb, Yavatmal
Bus stand:
MSRTC busses run frequently to Bhadravati from
Nagpur, Chandrapur and Warora
Where to stay:
Accommodation facilities are available at Nagpur,
Wardha and Chandrapur
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls, dining facilities are available at the
local market, Warora and Chandrapur
What to see:
Tadoba National Park, 53 kilometers. Lot of
accommodation options are available at Tadoba
ranging from the MTDC resort to a number of private
hotels. People can enjoy jungle safari in an open air
Maruti Gypsy from October to June (Morning Timings:
6 am - 10 am / Evening Timings: 2:30 pm - 6 pm).
From July to September people can go for the safari in
the buffer zone. The MTDC resort is an ideal option for
stay due to its location.
Markandeshwar: These are a group of temples
dedicated to Rishi Markandeya on the banks of the
river Wainganga. The importance of this place is that
the river becomes northbound from here. A good
dharmashala is available for accommodation near the
temple complex.
The myth related with this place refers to
Grutsamad Rishi who was very intelligent but was
insulted by others for being the illegitimate son of
Indra and a rishi kanya. So he performed hard Kalamb is a town situated on the Nagpur-Yavat-
penance and got the blessings of Ganesha. He mal MH State Highway No. 3 in the southwest at
further established the icon of Varada Vinayaka a distance of 135 kilometers. It is about 20 kilom-
here. The story is fully described in Ganesha Pu- eters before Yavatmal, the district headquarters.
rana. During that period Bhadravati was known The road further leads to Kolhapur-Ratnagiri via
as Bhadraka. The icon of Ganesha is about 2.5 Nanded. Kalamb is said to be ancient Kadam-
meters in height and 1.10 centimeters in breadth. bapur, an important peeth amongst 21 Gaapati
He is shown seated with his left leg folded and kshetras. The image installed here is called Chin-
kept vertically near the toe of his right leg which tamani Ganesha, for he is said to give relief from
is also folded but placed flat on the ground. all the chintas (worries) when worshipped.
Surprisingly, he has two hands, both with bent el- The temple of the god is quite typical and a mys-
bows holding the modakapatra (bowls with sweet terious event is related to it. There are also a few
laddoos). The left bowl rests on the left knee and myths associated with this place. The location of
his trunk is turned to the right, touching it. A big the sanctum of the temple is open and at a depth
halo is carved behind the head which is shown of about 10 meters from the surface. Three flights
wearing a high crown. Thus, this icon appears to of stairs are provided to reach the bottom. The
Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015 | MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED 53
 n Ashtavinayakas in Vidarbha
image has a thick coat of vermillion and the de-
tails are diffused. The prominent head, ears, eyes,
trunk and torso contours can however be seen.
There is a quadrangular well - a pavan kunda - in
the centre, the water of which is believed to have
curative properties for all kinds of skin diseases.
There are some sub-soil water veins and it is said
that once in 12 years cycle the water level rises
and again recedes after touching the feet of the
icon.
In the sub-shrines, flanking the main sanctum
is the installation of a shivalinga. On the upper
level are a few idols and an interesting four-facet-
ed stone carved with a figure of Ganesha on each
side. It is a dhvajasthambha fragment original-
ly mounted on the pillar erected in front of the
temple. Rishi Kadamba is the mythical person-
ality related with Kalamb, associated with other
sages like Kaundinya, Vashishtha, Gautama, etc.
This age was the dawn of agricultural activities
and the development of cotton growth and textile
weaving technology. Historically, Kaamb may
be identified with either Kadambasaraka or Kad-
ambagirigrama found mentioned in the copper
plate grants of the Vakataka king Pravarasena II
and Nala king Bhavadattavarman respectively. A
shrine housing the goddess Annapurna is quite
close to this temple. A big annual fair (jatra) is
held here for six days starting from Magha Sud-
hha Pratipada.
Travel Facts
Nearby major cities:
Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur, Wardha, Badnera, Amravati
Nearest airport:
Nagpur
Bus stand:
MSRTC buses run frequently to Kalamb from Nagpur,
Yavatmal, and Wardha
Where to stay:
Accommodation facilities are available at Wardha and
Nagpur
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls. Some eating facilities are available at
the local market.
54 MAHARASHTRA UNLIMITED | Volume 4 | Issue 3 - 2015
Ekachakra Siddhi Vinayaka
Keljhar
and a fair used to be held earlier in the month of
ters high and is a Siddhi Vinayaka as his trunk is
On the way from Nagpur to Wardha on NH 3, a
small but significant village called Keljhar (also
spelt as Keljzar) is situated. It is in Wardha dis-
trict, the headquarter town which is at a distance
of about 30 kilometers. Keljhar occupied an im-
portant position during the medieval Mughal pe-
riod. In 1637 CE, during the 10th year of Shah Ja-
hans reign, his army commandant Khan Dauran
invaded Nagpur to recover the revenue due from
the Gond king Kokshah. Khan Dauran advanced
towards Nagpur via Kulizar (Keljhar). It was a di-
visional headquarters of the then administrative
division called tarf or paragana.
Keljhar is named after keli (Hindi: kela, English:
banana) meaning the village of plantain trees,
according to the old revised district gazetteer.
The village has a hillock with a fortification now
in a ruined condition. The temple of Ganesha is
located within its premises. As per legends pop-
ular about the village, this was the Ekachakra or
Chakranagar mentioned in the great epic Mahab-
harata. There it is said that during their exile days
the Pandavas along with Kunti, their mother,
were staying with a Brahmin family. As per the
arrangements agreed upon, every day a family
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in
from the village was required to provide a human
prey to a giant named Bakasur, who used to live
there. When it was the turn of the Brahmin fam-
ily, Bhima agreed to replace the victim - the cho-
sen member of the family - by presenting him-
self. He killed the demon and relieved the village
from its curse. The demon was buried on the hill
Ganesha temples in Nagpur. These include Ganesha Bagh
Magha with the slaughter of a buffalo on the day
of Dasshera. The practice of animal sacrifice has
now been abandoned.
There are some water bodies, e.g. bavadi (step
well), pushkarnis (tanks) etc. in the village. The
idol of Ganapati is said to have been installed by a
sage called Vasishtha. There are other images also
such as those of Vishnu, Lakshmi, Hanuman, etc.
Old images and antiquities like coins are often
found in the vicinity of the village. A good num-
ber of Jain Tirthankar images, Yaksha, Yakshini
(Shasan Devis) have also been discovered here.
The idol installed in the temple is about 1.25 me-
turned to its right. The other details have been
defaced due to a heavy coat of the vermillion. The
position of the legs suggests a dancing posture.
Travel Facts
Nearby major cities:
Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati
Nearest railway station:
Nagpur, Wardha, Badnera, Amravati
Nearest airport:
Nagpur
Bus stand:
Hanuman originally stood in front of this temple but was
MSRTC busses run frequently to Kelzar from Nagpur,
Yavatmal, and Wardha
Where to stay:
A wide choice of hotels including Hotel Ramakrishna
and Hotel Centre Point with tariff ranging from Rs 600
to Rs 1,100 + taxes per night
Where to eat:
Roadside stalls. Some eating facilities are available at
the local market. Better eating facilities are available
at Wardha and Nagpur.
What to see:
Magan Sangrahalay, Bapu Kuti, Indo-Japan Maitri
Stupa, Gopuri Gitai Mandir, Sewagram, about 9
kilometers from Wardha; Paunar, 10 kilometers from
Wardha ,an archaeological site, Vakataka sculptures -
Vinoba Bhave Ashram, etc. Bordharan Tiger Reserve,
Trailokyabhumi Stupa 60km from Nagpur.
Other Vinayakas of Vidarbha
Apart from these Vinayakas of Vidarbha, which are mainly
from the eastern part, there are many more Ganesha shrines
in the region. This is due to the popularity of the Ganapatya
cult. Vinayakrao Aurangabadkar, the first historian of
Nagpur Raj working under Richard Jenkins, then resident of
Nagpur, made a survey of the history, monuments, culture,
etc. of the Bhonsla Raj. He had noted five to six important
(Ganesha Peth), Bangaji Bhure Mandir (which is near the
RSS headquarters), Upadhyes Mandir (near Gadkari Wada
and known as Kanvashram), Gujars Mandir (near Nanaji
Pinjarkars house), etc. Besides, these there are a few more
temples e.g. at Kelibagh, where a large size mushaka (rat,
his vehicle) is placed in front of the sanctum, Dharmaji
Bhonsle and Bhoot temples (Kotwal of Nagpur during the
Gond period).
The Mahaganapati of Bahiram near Paratwada in Amaravati
district is worth mentioning. This image is also quite
majestic and towers high. In posture also it is very similar to
the Shami Vighnesha of Adasa, Nagpur district. The dancing
posture, eight hands and some ayudhas can be made out.
Bahiram (corrupt form of Bhairava) is very famous for its
fair which is held in October for one whole month. People,
merchants and artisans attend it from far and near. Generally
the image of Ganapati having his trunk turned to his right
is made for performing worship or for the fulfillment of a
particular wish. This had tantrika affiliation too and was
termed Siddhi Vinayaka Ganesha. This form was particularly
popular in the Nagpur region as most of the images installed
here during the Bhonsla period are of this type. Some of
these are as described below.
On the southeastern corner of Jumma / Sukravar Talao
(presently known as Gandhisagara), this temple was
probably built by Raghuji I and was restored with the
Vinayaka newly executed by Sena Dhurandhara in 1788 CE
and again rebuilt by Haribhau Tamhankar in 1947 CE. His
descendents still reside here and look after the rituals and
management. Though the temple is recent and of modern
architectural style, the original impressive icon and a mayura
(peacock perched on the kalasha of the sikhara) is worthy
of attention. An equally high sculpture of Panchamukh
subsequently shifted to the Thadeshwar Rama Mandir,
which is just across the road to the east.
This arrangement of building shrines of Siddhi Vinayaka
and Hanuman is seen at a number of places in Nagpur e.g.
Vishveshvara Mahadeva Mandir to the west of the tank
which belongs to the Jaiswal family. There are temples on
the eastern banks of Sakkardara, Sonegaon and Pardi tanks,
Rajarajesvara Mandir adjacent to the Rukmini Mandir, Mahal,
Nagpur among others.
Besides the usual Ganeshotsava observed all over
Maharashtra and other parts of the country, Nagpur also
has an additional round of celebrations called Maskarya
Ganapati which is held during the Pitrupaksha, the origin
of which is now lost in time. It is said that Ganesha Purana
was composed by Rishi Bhrugu who belonged to Vidarbha
and was recited to the then ruling king of Gujarat. The work
was written during the 8th century CE as is evident from
the language. The places connected with the worship of
Ganesha are compiled in this work. Adasa, Kalamba and
Bhandaka are those from the Vidarbha region that have been
included in this text.
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