Ashta Vinayak Darshan-Vigneshwara, Ozhar

Lord Vigneshwara at Ozhar is our third Ganapathy, from Mumbai. Vigneshwar means the Lord of the Obstacles, the Lord got this name by killing the Demon called Vignasura who is the embodiment of all the obstacles in this Universe. So this Ganesa is to be called the Vignahar, who removes the obstacles. His abode is on the banks of Kukdeswar River in Ozhar, Maharashtra. Vigneshwar is the Swayambu Idol at Ozhar.To reach Ozhar from our last Ganapathy at Mahad, one has to take the Bombay-Pune expressway from the Khopoli Exit and take exit for Chakan from the expressway. If travelled 50 Kms. one will reach Narayangaon and from there Ozhar is about 15 Kms. away. From Pune Ozhar is about 100 Kms. away.

The Legend........
A king called Abhinandan wanted to become the King of the Heavens and started a Yagna for the purposes. King of the Heavens , Lord Indra heard about it and wnated to destroy that Yagna to save his throne. He summoned Kalapurush and asked him to destroy the Yagna of King Abhinandan. After doing so Kalapurush acquired the name of Vignasura, the demon of obstacles. Vignasura then went on the rampage and created obstalces to all the Yagnas and other Vedic practices on the Earth. Gods realised that they have to kill this demaon and approached Gajanan for help. Gajanan was in the Ashram of Sage Parashar. He took the birth as the son of Parshwaputra and Deepavatsala and then fought valiantly against Vignasura. The demon had to accept the defeat and he fell on the feet of Gajanana, and asked for pardon. Ganesh said that He would let him go, but he has to make the promise that he would never any place where Ganesh Puja is performed. Vignasura accepted the condition and from that day onwards all the religious activities start with the Ganesha Puja to remove any obstacles. Vignasura again requested the Lord He be known with his name and Ganesha accepted and He became the Vigneshwara. And all the Devatas were happy and installed the idol of Vigneshwara in Ozher and started worshiping Him.

Lord Vigneswara or Vignaharta's abode in Ozhar, is protected by stone walls on all the sides and it is facing the East side, from the temple boundaries one can see the Lenyadri and Fort Shivneri of the Chatrapthi Shivaji Maharaj. At the entrance there are two statues of guards, and then there two meditaions halls and the 20 ft. long Sabhamandap where there is a marble statue of Mushika,the Lord's Vahana. All the walls are covered with colourful paintings. In the Garbagriha sits the Diety facing the East, the eyes are studded with Rubies,a diamond adorns it's forehead, and it's Naval is studded with other precious stones. On both sides of the diety are Bronze statue of Riddhi and Siddhi. Very few people get the Darshan of the Vigneshwara, as He is the most powerful of all the other dieties, in the three worlds. He is the God who blesses the devotees without any delay and removes all their obstacles instantly and hence most worshipped Diety in this Kaliyuga.
GANAPATHY BAPPA MORYA, VIGNAHARTA MORYA.