MY ASHTAVINAYAK DARSHAN.

Ashtavinayak  means Eight Ganesha's. Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God of Unity,remover of Obstacles,learning and prosperity. Ashtavinayak Yatra is the most important worship yatra in Maharashtra. This pilgrimage or yatra covers the 8 holy shrines of Lord Ganesha,which are located around Pune City. Aachal temple has its own individuality  and mythology.No Humans have created these deities and we're formed completely  by nature. In today's hectic life , it's really a tough one to take on Ashtavinayak Yatra,which starts from Morgaon-Sidhatek-Pali-Mahad-Theur-Lenyadri-Ozar-Ranjangaon-Morgaon again.Its more than 1100kms distance to complete the whole route.
   Living in Mumbai , We alway wanted to go for Ashtavinayak darshan but surely cannot attempt the yatra , which has to be completed in one go ie , one cannot return back home without completing the total journey at a go.I and my husband  finally made up our mind to ,at least attempt the Ashtavinayak darshan. ..so u opted for our flexibility timing within our busy shedule life........

OUR ASHTAVINAYAK DARSHAN JOURNEY :

Since  March and April 2016 , got long weekends of 3 days each ,we chose to attempt for our Ashtavinayak darshan journey during this time. Firstly , we opted for BALLARESHWAR ASHTAVINAYAK, PALI......
PALI is a tiny little village off Mumbai - Pune highway about 11kms ahead of Nagothane.
MUMBAI-PANVEL-KHAPOLI - PALI. 
Pali is a beautiful village nestled in the hilly terrain of khapoli...the temple is in simple format....not much hussle bussle; one can give puja , one simply pray to Ganesha.

 
After darshan at pali , we preferred to get back home as there is alway huge congestion of traffic at wadkal, and we had to reach back home before sun down.

Next day ,being another holiday, was bit confused about attempting for Mahad Ganpati. ..then finally decided to go....it's not quite far away , only that we did not knew about it and the route......So OUR NEXT DARSHAN , WAS SEE VARAD VINAYAK  , MAHAD. 

After crossing Panvel, we took Old Mumbai - Pune highway towards khapoli. ...after Mathern cross it's just a kms or so ahead ...Road is very good to drive thru. ....it was a great experience at Varad Ashtavinayak, mahad. ..though the panditji was standing by ,but one has to perform ones own puja of Ganesha. .could touch it's feet and take his blessings. ....

From Pali , I got Mewa  and from Mahad , so tamarind at throw away price,before heading back home.....

Now had to wait a weeks time for another long weekend in April 8th to 10th 2016 holiday to plan for rest 6 Ashtavinayak darshan which are located around Pune and required a night halt at Pune or around.

It's was 8th of April 2016 ie .the auspicious ocassion of Gudipadwa that we planned to head off for pune city and complete the rest 6 Ashtavinayak darshan. ....though someone advice us to go for Siddhatek, Siddhivinayak which is located close to Solapur first and the farthest one but we started with CHINTAMANI GANPATI,THEUR first.

Theur temple is located by close on the highway ie Pune -Solapur.......it was almost mid day , by the time we reach Theur temple. It was beautifully  decorated on the ocassion of Gudipadwa. ...After darshan there ,we opted for food ie simple dal -rice served at mere penny of 15rs/plate in the complex itself . Chintamani Ganpati idol is very beautifully decorated besides the eye catching wooden framework on its entrance. 

 After that we had to head off to Siddhatek. ..it's really a very very long drive to the shrine . Siddhatek is situated off Pune -Solapur  Expressway in Ahmed nagar district , by the almost dried up Bhima river.....Daund Rly station is the closest  Rly station.....As we drove thru the Sugar belt , the standing crops of Sugarcane just mesmerised us....and kept us telling it's almost close by but after we left the expressway, the narrow road across Daund  to Siddhatek, just slowed down our driving speed.......The SIDDHIVINAYAK OF SIDDHATEK, was a beautiful shrine standing tall amidst total serenity. After darshan there , we just had 5 glasses full of yummy sugarcane juices each , did a bit of leather good shopping at throw away prices....and now we had to head towards MORGOAN  VIA SHIRUR -SATARA HIGHWAY and then diversion for MORGOAN. .....which was nothing less than some 40kms even after we left the highway towards Sipa. ...we had to hurry but crazy  traffic on this route too...it was almost sunset time.So after darshan at MORGOAN we had to leave first and take onto the highway before it turned dark.....

By now my husband was dead tired driving and wanted to give a stopover at the nearest best place. ....but we had to drive upto LONI to get a good hotel to stay the night and planned to head for  RANJANGAON, MAHAGANAPATI SHRINE next morning. 

 After a tiring day we just went off to sleep fast after some simple meal , to wake up fresh for the next  day trip ........We took the Magarpatta  city route to Rangangaon, to have our darshan of Mahaganapati. ...just the best shrine amongst all ...loved the complex and the way it is maintained clean and tidy. 

Now we decided to head for Ozar. ....on Pune -Nashik road.....since the highways are well laid ,didn't find too difficult to reach Chakan onto Narayangoan and then diversion into Ozar village.

VIGHNESHWAR, OZAR TEMPLE is situated on the bank of river Kukadi. ....

It's was literally  mid day and we were too exausted by the heat ....we finished our darshan fast and then headed for GIRIJATMAJ  GANPATI , LENYADRI.....it's total village road with sugarcane fields and onion and Ponegranate  fields all around ....the roads looked like Bulbuliya. ....we reached Lenyadri around 2.30pm.....it's under ASI, and a Ganpati  is placed inside cave...after climbing 350steps , one can have darshan there...the climb is almost 30 degree angle...seeing it only ,I was very sceptic to make it to the top in sun hot sun at 37c  temp.....still started but half way ,I gave up as I started feeling dizzy and asked my husband to continue instead and have darshan and I came down......it's really a nice one but only for the fittest as the stone steps are too high and really not everyone's cup of tea........

 So finally a happy soul ......we could complete our Ashtavinayak darshan  and now it's was time to head home ......My husband wanted to hit the mumbai -Pune expressway by 6.40pm but the maddening traffic on Chakan Road , got us late ...We took onto the Expressway by 7.15pm and could make it home by 9.45pm........

OM GAN GANPATAY NAMAH. .....I bow in His Prayers......

ASHTAVINAYAK :

MORESH WAR, MORGOAN 

SIDDHIVINAYAK SIDDHATEK 

BALLARESHWAR, PALI.

SHREE VARAD VINAYAK, MAHAD.

CHINTAMANI GANPATI, THEUR. 

GIRIJATMAJ, LENYADRI 

OZAR , VIGHNESHWAR GANPATI 

SHREE MAHAGANAPATI, RANJANGAON.