The Chintamani Temple of Theur is an Ashtavinayaka temple dedicated to the Lord ‘Ganesha located in Theur which is 27 Km Away From Pune, Maharashtra. Theur is in the Pune district’s Haveli Taluka, close to where the rivers Mula and Mutha, as well as the river Bhima, meet. The idol of the deity is self-emanated (swayambhu murti) and is East-Facing called purvabhimukha, with his trunk turned left and beautiful diamonds studded in his eyes.

Story Behind Chintamani Temple

After performing severe penance with his wife, King Abhijeet gave birth to Ganaraja, also known as Guna. One Day, Ganaraja visited Sage Kapila’s ashram. The sage took the help of the precious jewel Chintamani to serve food to the prince Ganaraj. The greedy Ganaraja, on the other hand, demanded the jewel for himself and forced the Sage to give it to him. He snatched this precious jewel Chintamani from sage Kapila.

Sage Kapila was advised by Goddess Durga to seek the aid of Lord Ganesh. Lord Ganesha Appeared before Sage Kapila after his request and he narrated the whole story before lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha came and defeated Ganaraja in front of a Kadamba tree, got the priceless jewel, and gave it to the wise Kapila. Thus, Lord Ganesh was rewarded by the wise man by having the jewel hung around his neck. As a result, the Lord came to be known as Chintamani Vinayak.

History of Chintamani Temple

There is no documentation of the builder of Chintamani Temple. However, devotees hold the belief that it has been around since antiquity. Chintamani Temple is related to the revered saint Morya Gosavi. In addition, the primary temple structure was constructed by his descendants.

After a hundred years, Madhavrao Peshwa raised the temple’s Sabha mandap. The Shikhar (top) of the temple was honoured in gold several years before. The two five-pound metal bells purchased from Europe by the Peshwas were kept in Mahad and here due to their frequent visits to these locations. After Madhav Rao Peshwa’s death, his wife performed Sati ( Pratha During the Attack Of Mughal Invaders), and the temple’s lovely garden was built in her honour.

Architecture of Chintamani Temple

The Chintamani Temple’s vibrant architectural style is prominent, having been built around the 18th century CE during Peshwa’s reign.
It is portrayed as one of the largest Ashtavinayak temples, which is gaining popularity. The temple’s entrance, which faces north, is slightly smaller. The central icon of Chintamani Ganpati faces east. Madhavrao built the temple’s wooden Sabha-mandapa. In the temple’s lobby, there is also a drinking fountain made of black stone.

The central Ashtavinyaka icon of Ganesha, like other icons, is regarded as self-manifested; the only features that are visible are the elephantine head with its jewel-studded eyes and the trunk that turns to his left. It is thought that the icon is seated with his legs crossed. Similar to the rest of the Ashtavinyaka images, the icon is covered in sindur.

The Temple complex contains a number of smaller committed sanctuaries. Behind the temple is the Peshwa Wada, also known as the Peshwa Palace. That used to be Madhavrao’s way of life. Today, the temple’s regular activities are carried out from this location.

Facts about Chintamani Temple

• The name Theur originates from the Sanskrit word Sthavar meaning stable. According to legends, the god Brahma meditated here and his restless mind became sthavar due to Ganesha’s blessings.
• legend says that the god-king Indra prayed to Ganesha here under the Kadamba tree to end Gautama’s curse. The spot was in this way known as Kadamaba-Nagar, the town of Kadamba trees.
• After the passing of Madhav Rao Peshwa, his wife performed Sati, and the beautiful garden in the temple was made in her memory.
• The famous Chintamani Ganpati temple has a separate section known as Overry where devotees can meditate peacefully.
• There are numerous little temples inside the temple complex like Mahadeva temple. Also, there is additionally a Vishnu-Lakshmi temple and a Hanuman temple.
• It is believed that Kapila Muni received this gem through worshipping Lord Shiva at Talaiaalankaadu near Thanjavur in Tamilnadu.

Famous Festivals In Chintamani Temple

• The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is celebrated from the first to the fifth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, where Ganesh Chaturthi is the fourth day. The palkhi of Ganesha is taken for three consecutive days in these festivals.
• The Magh Utsav is an important festival at the Varadvinayak Temple. The colourful festival of Holi is in the month of Phalgun (February/March), on Phalgun Shudh Poornima.
• In the month of Bhadrapada, a five-day festival is celebrated starting from Pratipada to Panchami at Shri Varadvinayak Mahad.
• Rama-Madhav Punyotsav: A fair is coordinated in the long stretch of Karthik by the sanctuary as a component of the Rama-Madhav Punnyotsav. This marks the Madhavrao and Ramabai, patrons of the temple,’s death anniversary.

How to Reach Chintamani Temple

Theur is nearly 25 km from Pune and well connected through various modes of transportation.

By Air: The nearest airport is Pune, which connects to all major Indian cities.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Pune Junction. The Pune station connects to major Indian cities.

By Road: Pune is nearly 27.04 kilometres from Theur. From Pune and Mumbai, a number of state-owned buses and automobiles travel to Theur.

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