Shri Vighnahar Ganapati Temple,Ozar, Pune District, Maharashtra

Situated on the banks of river Kukadi at Ozhar off the Pune – Nasik highway is the Ashta Vinayak shrine of Vigneshwar. Devotees revere the Lord here as the remover of all obstacles. As at all Ashta Vinayak shrines the eyes and navel of the Lord are studded with precious stones. His consorts - Goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi, accompany the Lord. The temple is enclosed in a stonewall and houses two Overris. Apparently, this signifies the antiquity of the temple as the Overris or places of meditation are to be found only in temples of ancient origin. One can have a view of the nearby Girijatmaj temple at Lenyadri from here.

History
The temple can be traced to 1785 CE and may have been constructed by Chimaji Appa after emerging victorious against the Portuguese.

Legends
Legend has it that there once was a king named Abhinandan who went into a rigorous penance to fulfill his desire of becoming the king of heaven. This obviously has not gone down well with Indra, the reigning king of heavens and upon deciding to disturb the penance of Abhinandan employed Kalapurush to accomplish the task. Kalapurush acquired the name of Vighnasura after this successful stint. Soon the demon started to harass the worlds and became a byword for disturbance. The Gods pleaded with Lord Ganesha to help them out and the kind Lord agreed to free them out of the nuisances of Vighnasura. The Lord was born into the family of Parshwaputra and Deepvatsala and succeeded in defeating Vighnasura. The demon realized the generousness of the Lord and asked for forgiveness. The Lord agreed and asked him not to ever indulge in such practices especially where the Lord’s blessings were sought and hence the Lord, who came down to reside at Ozhar, came to be known as Vighneshwar or remover of all obstacles.


Festivals
The traditional festive months of Magha –January/February and Bhadrapada – August/September are celebrated with great fervor and so is the holy Karthika masam – October/November.

Places of Interest
The traditional Ashta Vinayak Yatra is an important pilgrimage to Hindus and all the shrines fall within a 200-mile radius. The Girijatmaj temple and Shivneri fort in the vicinity are also major attractions.

Accommodation
There is a temple administered Yatri Niwas that houses around 3000 devotees. One should also consider Pune, which offers a great many options.