Ashta Vinayak Yatra - March, 2021 (Part 5)

After a wonderful darshan of Chintamani Ganesh and good breakfast at Theur, we proceeded towards Moregaon. The distance of approx 60 kms could be covered in an hour and half.  As we drove towards Moregaon, we saw huge areas under sugarcane cultivation. This crop consumes too much water which is a scarce resource in these parts. There were hardly any trees along the fields or the roads. 

We reached Moregaon by 11 a.m. and proceeded towards the temple. The temple is a short walk away from the parking place and the heat was making it look longer. We had to walk through small village roads where they had tied plastic sheet above the road to protect from the Sun. If only people grow more trees, we would have natural shade as well as cool breeze & also attract rains.

The temple is at a higher level - perhaps built on a small hillock. We had to climb few steps to reach the temple. As usual, no crowds and easy entry as well as darshan of the Lord Mayureshwar sitting majestically with Riddhi & Siddhi on either side,  awaiting His devotees. He is known as Mayureshwar as He rode on a peacock and also become this place used to be inhabited by many peacocks.

The Morgaon temple is not only the most important temple in the Ashtavinayak circuit, but also is described as "India's foremost Ganesha pilgrimage"

Morgaon is the adhya pitha – foremost centre of worship of the Ganapatya sect, which considers Ganesha as the Supreme Being. It attracts the greatest number of pilgrims in the Ashtavinayak circuit. This location is believed to be as holy as Kashi / Varanasi.

Legend links the temple to killing of the demon Sindhu by Ganesha. The exact date of building of the temple is unknown, though the Ganapatya saint Moraya Gosavi is known to be associated with it. The temple flourished due to the patronage of the Peshwa rulers and descendants of Moraya Gosavi.

After finishing darshan and doing my mid day prayers just outside the Sanctum beneath a Hanuman temple, we came around the temple. The heat being high, we couldn't linger there for long. We soon departed for Siddhatek after brief halt at a footwear store to buy a pair of slippers for one of our yatris whose sandals had broken.