March 28, 2024

Shri Moreshwar Mandir is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is the elephant headed God of wisdom and the Moregaon Ganapati temple is situated in Moregaon in Pune District in the state of Maharashtra.   Moregaon is around 80 kilometeres from the city of Pune and Moregaon Ganapati temple is the starting and ending point of the pilgrimage of eight holy Ganesha temples called the Ashtavinayaka. According to the Ganesha Purana, Ganesha incarnated as Mayureswara or Mayreshwar to kill the demon Sindhu. He had six arms and was white in complexion. Ganesha was born to Lord Shiva and Parvati in the treta yuga. It is believed that Brhama, Vishnu and Shiva, Surya and Divine Mother Devi meditated at Moregaon to know more about the creator and the purpose of their existence. At the end of the prayer Ganesha emerged before them in the form of Omkara flame and blessed them.

Another story says that Parvati underwent strict meditation on Ganesha for twelve years in Lenyadri and Ganesha who was pleased by her penance blessed Parvati. Ganesha gave her a boon that he would be born as her son and in the due course Ganesha was born as the son of Parvati at Lenyadri and was named Ganesha by the father, Lord Shiva. Ganesha once knocked an egg from amangoe tree and from the egg emerged a peacock on which Ganesha mounted and assumed the name Mayureshwara. Sindhu, the demon had received a boon from the Sun God, Surya and was threatening the three worlds. Ganesha was approached by the Gods for help and defeated the demon’s army and killed Sindhu. Lord Brahma is said to have built the Moregaon shrine and it was Brahma who got married Siddhi and Buddhi to Ganesha. When Ganesha’s purpose of incarnation was over he returned to the celestial abode and gave the peacock mount to his younger brother, Skanda.