Situated against the beautiful backdrop of Sarasgad fort and Amba River in the district of Raigad, around 140 kilometers from Mumbai is the temple of Ballaleshwar dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is one of the Ashta Vinayak shrines in Maharashtra. This is the only shrine of the eight where the Lord is known by the name of his devotee –Ballal, whom the Lord saved from the torture of his father. The interesting aspect of the temple is that the Lord is depicted in the shape of the hill on which he resides. Another point of interest is that after the winter solstice the Sun’s rays fall directly on the Lord. The temple has two sanctums with the outer one hosting the Lord along with his vehicle while the inner sanctum hosts Lord Ballaleshwar. The Lord’s is decorated with precious stones and is dressed as a Brahmin. The Lord is flanked on either side by Goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi. Just behind the temple is the Dundhi Vinayak Shrine and is one of the rare temples where the deity faces west.
History
Though the exact origins are not clear, Nana Phadnavis restored the original temple around 1760 CE.
Legends
Legend has it that there once used to live a young boy named Ballal in the ancient village of Pali. The boy was attracted to Lord Ganesha at a very young age and used to spend all his time in the worship of the Lord. The boy even advised his friends to worship the Lord, an advice that did not go down well with the parents of his friends, who thought that Ballal was influencing their children with philosophy. The boy’s father, a successful businessman, was fed up with the constant worship and complaints from parents of Ballal’s friends and tied him to a tree in the forest nearby, where Ballal was found worshipping the Lord. The father left the boy in the forest and asked the poor lad to pray to Lord Ganesha for his freedom. Out of immense pain, Ballal continued his worship of the Lord, who came down in the guise of a Brahmin and saved the lad. Pleased with the lad’s devotion, the Lord asked the lad to ask for a boon. Ballal prayed to the Lord to stay here and the Lord granted him the wish and manifested here as Lord Ballaleshwar.
Festivals
As with the Siddhatek temple, the two major festivals celebrated here fall in the months of January/February and August/September. The first five days of the Hindu months of Magh and Bhadrapadh are celebrated with religious fervor and special rituals. Interestingly, on the fourth day of Bhadrapadh, the Lord is offered a Maha Bhog and the Prasad is believed to have the impressions of the Lord’s fingers. This event is quite popular and the atmosphere is to be experienced. The Lord is also taken on a procession around the town during the month of Magh.
Places of Interest
Mumbai, 140 odd kilometers away, is home to the famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple and Mahalakshmi Temple. Visiting the eight Ashta Vinayak Temples that fall within a 200 mile radius is also to be considered. For the traveler there are hot water springs at Unheri, 4 kilometers from pali.
Accommodation
One can find options in Mumbai, Pune, Panvel, Khopoli and some options in Karjat.