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The Mayureshwar Temple, Moregaon

The Mayureshwar Temple, Moregaon.

Shree Mayureshvara ( also called as Moreshwara) Ashtavinayak temple is at Morgaon.Morgaon is at the distance of 64 kms from Pune, Maharashtra, next to the river Karha in the village of Moregaon.

The temple, built from black-stone during the Bahamani reign, has four gates (It is supposed to have been built by one of the knights named Mr. Gole, from the court of Bidar's Sultan). The temple is situated in the centre of the village. The temple is covered from all sides by four Minarets and gives feeling of a mosque if seen from a distance. This may have been done to prevent attacks on the temple during Mughal periods. The temple has 50 feet tall wall around it.

There is a Nandi (Shiva's bull mount) sitting in front of this temple entrance, which is unique, as Nandi is normally in front of only Shiva temples. However, the story says that this statue was being carried to some Shiva mandir during which the vehicle carrying it broke down and the Nandi statue could not be removed from its current place

The idol of Lord Ganesha, riding a peacock, in the form of Mayureshwara is believed to have slain the demon Sindhu at this spot. The idol, with its trunk turned to the left, has a cobra (Nagaraja) poised over it protecting it. This form of Ganesha also has two other murtis of Siddhi (Capability) and Buddhi (Intelligence).

However, this is not the original idol which is said to have been consecrated twice by Brahma, once before and once after being destroyed by the asura Sindhurasur. The original murti, smaller in size and made of atoms of sand, iron, and diamonds, was supposedly enclosed in a copper sheet by the Pandavas and placed behind the one that is currently worshiped.

The Divine Belief

It was predicted by Lord Brahma that Lord Ganesha would incarnate as Vinayak in the Kritayug, as Mayureshwar in Treta yug, as Gajanan in the Dwaparyug and as Dhumraketu in the Kalyug. All these incarnations are related to certain legends of Lord Ganesha killing various demons.

In the Gandaki Nagari of Mithila, a king named Chakrapani was ruling. He and his wife Queen Ugra were unhappy, as they did not have a child. The couple worshipped God Surya and the queen with the blessings of the Sun God became pregnant. But soon released the embryo in the sea as she could not bear the brilliance and the radiance of the embryo. From that embryo, brilliant son was born. The sea in the disguise of a Brahmin approached King Chakrapani with the child and gave the child to the King. As the child was born in the sea the king named him Sindhu. Sindhu, after growing old and strong became more powerful by worshipping the Sun God as advised by his Guru Shukracharya.

Lord Surya, as a boon gave the nectar to Sindhu and said that as long as the nectar remains near his navel he will not die. Sindhu thus received immortality and started attacking Gods like Indra, Vishnu etc. he defeated all of them and kept them in prison in his kingdom. The remaining gods worshipped Lord Ganesh and requested him to rescue them from the demon King Sindhu. Ganesha pleased with their prayers, promised to take birth as Devi Parvati'sson and kill the demon.

Parvati recited the Ekakshari ‘OM’ mantra to please the Lord and made a clay idol of Ganesha on the Bhadrapada Shuddha Chaturthi Day and worshipped. The idol soon turned into a real child. When the child was ten years old, Shiva and Parvati along with their son decided to leave the mountain Meru and on their way to mountain kailash, Lord Ganesha defeated the demon Kamalasura with the help of Siddhi (the personified shakti) and Buddhi (the personified Intelligence).

After this incident on their way, Lord Ganesha found the Gandaki Nagari of the demon king Sindhu and decided to attack him with all the army of Shiva's attendants. He thus attacked Sindhu and at first killed the two sons of Sindhu. Sindhu was advised to release the Gods and Goddesses in prison and leave the battlefield by his father. But he did not listen to it and continued the battle. Lord Ganesha removed the nectar from his navel with his Parashu and killed him. During this battle, Lord Ganesha was riding a peacock and therefore he got the name Mayureshvara, the one who rides a peacock.

Puja Schedule of Mayureshwar Temple

The temple is open to pilgrims from 5 A.M. to 10 P.M.

Prakshal Puja - The first puja of the day is done at 5 A.M. comprising the water abhisheka and flower offerings.

Shodoshpchar Puja – It is conducted twice a day at 7 A.M. and at 12 Noon. At both these this time the Ganpati Atharvashirsh is recited.

Panchopchar Puja – This is performed at 8 P.M.

The temple closes for the devotees after the Shejarti at 10 P.M.

Naivedya – The food is offered to the deity thrice a day

In the morning Khichadi (made of Rice) is offered.

In the afternoon the whole meal with sweets is offered.

At night milk and rice is offered.

Location

The temple is situated at a distance of 55 Km from Pune, next to the river Karha in the village of Moregaon. The village derives its name from the Marathi name of the bird peacock - also the national bird of India; there used to be a lot of peacocks in this village in the ancient time, and the village is also set out in the shape of a peacock.

Pune is the most convenient city to reach Morgaon. Pune itself is well connected by road as well as by rail. There are daily buses, trains and flights between Mumbai and Pune. Morgaon is at a distance of 79 km from Pune via the village Chaufala on the Pune-Sholapur Highway.

State Transport buses known locally as S.T. buses are available at the Swargate Bus Depot in Pune.

The other way a pilgrim can take is to go to Jejuri from Pune and from Jejuri can proceed to Morgaon which is 15 km away from Jejuri. By this route the distance between Pune and Morgaon is 64kms. Jejuri is a well-known pilgrim center for worshippers of Khandoba.

On the Pune –Daund rail route one can get down at Kedgaon and take a bus from there to Morgaon.

On the southern rail route one can get off at the railway station called Nira and then take a bus from there to Morgaon.

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