Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati temple
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The Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati temple is a
Hindu Temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...
located in
Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
and is dedicated to the Hindu god
Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
. The temple is visited by over hundred thousand pilgrims every year. Devotees of the temple include celebrities and chief ministers of Maharashtra who visit during the annual ten-day ''Ganeshotsav'' festival. The main Ganesh idol is insured for sum of . It celebrated 130 years of its Ganapati in 2022.


History

Shrimant Dagadusheth Halwai and his wife Laxmibai was a trader and sweet maker settled in Pune. His original halwai shop still exists under the name "Dagdusheth Halwai Sweets" near Datta Mandir in Pune. Eventually he became a successful sweet seller and a rich businessman. In the later 1800s, they lost their only son in a plague epidemic. They were approached by a compassionate sage who advised them to build a Ganesha temple in Pune. Later, as they did not have any heir, Dagdusheth adopted his nephew Govindsheth (born 1865) who was 9 years old at the time of their death. Govindsheth was born in 1891 in Pune. He replaced the first Ganesh idol by a new one, with the first one still being present at Akra Maruti Chowk. A kind-hearted and generous man, he established one more Ganesh idol in wrestlers training center, which is called Jagoba Dada Talim. This talim was owned by Dagdusheth as he was also a former wrestling trainer. One of the chowk (area) in Pune is named Govind Halwai Chowk, after him. Along with his mother, Govindsheth handled all the programmes like Ganesh Utsav, Datta Jayanti and other festivities. The residence where they resided is now known as Laxmibai Dagdusheth Halwai Sansthan Datta Mandir Trust. Laxmi Road in Pune is named after Laxmibai Dagdusheth halwai. Govindsheth died in 1943. His son Dattatray Govindsheth Halwai, born in 1926, was the one who established the third Ganesh idol replacing the second. This idol, known as Navasacha Ganpati, is the one that is present today in the Dagdusheth temple. It proved to be an epoch-making event in Indian history.


Temple

The temple is a beautiful construction and boasts a rich history of over 100 years. Jay and Vijay, the two sentinels made of marble catch the eye of all at the outset. The construction is so simple that all the proceedings in the temple along with the beautiful Ganesh idol can be seen even from outside. The Ganesh idol is 2.2 metres tall and 1 metrewide. It is adorned with nearly 40 kilos of gold. The devotees of Ganesh offer Him gold and money and with every offering the Lord gets richer and richer. Moreover, heaps of coconuts offered to the deity are yet another feature of the temple. Daily pooja, abhisheka and the arti of Ganesh are worth attending. The lighting of the temple during the Ganesh festival is marvelous. Shrimant Dagdusheth Ganpati Trust looks into the maintenance of the temple. The temple is situated in the centre of city, local shopping market is also the nearby temple. Various cultural activities like music concerts, bhajans, and Atharvasheersh recitation are organized by the trust. Shri Datta Mandir placed in Budhwar Peth, Pune was their residential Building. Dagduseth's grandson govindseth was also famous for his kindness and generosity. In Pune, govind halwai chowk is famous by his name. He later established the Halwai Ganapati Trust. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, during the
British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
, gave a public form to the Ganesh festival celebrations as a way of getting around an order that barred public meetings.


Temple Trust

The Shrimant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Trust carries out philanthropic work from the donations received, and is one of the richest in Maharashtra. The trust operates an
old age home A retirement home – sometimes called an old people's home or old age home, although ''old people's home'' can also refer to a nursing home – is a multi-residence housing facility intended for the elderly. Typically, each person or couple i ...
called ''Pitashree'' at Kondhwa in Pune. The home was built at a cost of and opened in May 2003. In the same building the trust provides housing and education for 400 destitute children. Other services provided by the trust include ambulance service for poor and health clinics in tribal belts of
Pune District Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst India's 640 district ...
. Ganesh festival, Gudhi Padwa till
Ram Navami Rama Navami () is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh avatar of the deity Vishnu. people from different parts of Jharkhand attended the world famous international Hazaribagh procession organized in the city every ...
are the festivals celebrated by Dagadusheth halwai Ganapati Trust, Pune.


Covid-19

With rise in the number of
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
cases in the State, the State government has introduced restrictions in temples for the safety of devotees and employees. Temple to remain closed in till 9 April 2021. After more than a year, Maharashtra's religious institutions reopen their doors in October 2021.


See also

* Culture of Pune *
Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
* List of roads in Pune


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple Ganesha temples Buildings and structures in Pune Hindu temples in Pune Culture of Pune Tourist attractions in Pune