01Vighnasura
The Mudgala and Skanda Puranas tell of King Abhinandana, who began a yajna and left Indra out of the offerings. Indra sent Kala against it, and Kala took the form of Vighnasura, the asura of obstacles, who wrecked the yajna and then went on to spoil the rites of rishis everywhere. The rishis turned to Ganesha. Ganesha fought him, and Vighnasura, seeing he could not win, gave in. He was allowed to dwell only where Ganesha is not first worshipped, and he asked that Ganesha take his name. So the rishis consecrated Ganesha here as Vighneshwar, lord of obstacles, and for that reason every rite begins with Ganesha.
02The golden shikhara
The temple faces east inside a walled court entered by a tall gate guarded by two stone dvarapalas, with four musicians carved on the lintel. Two stone deepamalas stand before it. From the wall you can see the Lenyadri hill and the fort of Shivneri, where Chhatrapati Shivaji was born. Chimaji Appa, brother of Peshwa Bajirao I, renovated the temple and had the shikhara covered in gold after taking Vasai from the Portuguese; Appa Shastri Joshi restored it again in 1967. The murti has emerald eyes and diamonds on the forehead and navel, with brass figures of Riddhi and Siddhi beside it. A five-day festival begins on Kartik Purnima.
The life of this place
- After 1739Chimaji Appa renovates the temple and gilds the shikhara after the capture of Vasai.
- 1967The temple is restored by Appa Shastri Joshi.
Ozar lies on the Kukadi near the Yedgaon dam, about 9 km north of Narayangaon and about 85 km from Pune. Pair it with Lenyadri and Shivneri in one day.
