Shree Ganesh Temple, Sangli, Maharashtra India

Ganesh temple is of the greatest attraction and draws hundreds of devotees every day. It is said and believed by one and all that the Patvardhan Sardars achieved power and success and ultimate greatness due to the blessings, of this deity. It is the Kuldaivat aof not only the Patvardhans but of at least more than half the population of Sangli. Besides the main temple of Ganes there are four more, but smaller ones, of Suryanarayan, Cintamanesvar, Laksmi - Narayan and Cinta - manesvari, which together with the chief deity forms the Ganapati panchyatan.

The construction work was started by the late Sri Appasahch Patvardhan and was actually completed in about 1844. The blocks of stone employed in the construction were brought from the Jyotiba hills near Kolhapur, a distance of nearly 64.37 to 72.42 km (40 to 45 miles). Those had to be brought on huge platforms which required about fifteen bullocks to pull.

The whole, including the former residence of the Chief, stands in a fairly large quadrangular court. The Chief’s residence is close by and facing the river, on which side there is a wall flanked by two bastions and loopholed for musketry. Sri Cintamanrav Appahaheb Patvardhan built the mandap at a later date. The stone used is of the same type as that employed for the construction of the original temple and the sculptural work and the designs are also befitting the original shrine. It was completed in 1952 and was inaugurated at the hands of Dr. Sarvapalli Radbakrishnan, the then Vice - President of India and the present President.

Ganes Caturthi festival is the most important of all and attracts thousands of persons. The temple enjoys inam grants made by the Patvardhans which continue till the present day. To look after the maintenance of the temple a Ganapati Pancayatan Trust has been created. In the backyard of the Ganes temple court there is a small black stone idol of Kuranesvari. It is housed in a small arch of stone. The goddess is said to fulfill the wishes of her devotees and hence people attach much religious significance to it. People visiting the Ganes temple generally take darsan of this goddess too.