Ashtavinayak Yatra – Part 4, The Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali Maharastra, India

Ashtavinayak literally means "Eight Ganeshas" in Sanskrit. Lord Ganesha is the Hindu deity of prosperity and learning.

Ballaleshwar Pali temple is one of the eight temples of Lord Ganesha, Ashtavinayak. Among Astavinayakas, Pali's Ballaleshwar is the only vinayak who is famous by his devotee's name. Ganesha is believed to have saved this boy-devotee, Ballala, who was beaten by local villagers and his father (Kalyani-seth) for his single-minded devotion to him.

The original wooden temple was reconstructed in to a stone temple by Shri Nana Phadanavis in 1760. This stone is shaped in the form of the letter 'SHREE' it was made by mixing lead with the cement during construction. There are two small lakes constructed on two sides of the temple. The lakes are tiled throughout. One of them is reserved for the puja (worship) of the Deity.

This Temple faces the east and has two Sanctums (Gribhagriha), an Inner and Outer Sanctum. The Outer Sanctum houses the murti and has a Mushika (Ganesha's mouse vahana) with modaka in his forepaws in front of it. The main hall, supported by eight exquisitely carved pillars demands as much attention as the idol, sitting on throne carved like a Cyprus tree. The main hall is 40 feet long and 20 feet broad. The eight pillars depict the eight directions. Inner Sanctum is 15 feet tall and outer one is 12 feet tall. The temple is constructed in such a way that after the winter (Dakshinayan: southward movement of the sun) solstice, the sun rays fall on the Ganesha murti at sunrise. The temple is built with stones which are stuck together very tight using melted lead. The temple contains a bell that was brought back by Chimaji Appa after his defeat of the Portuguese in Vasai and Sasthi.

The murti of Vinayaka, sits on a stone throne against a background of silver which displays Riddhi and Siddhi waving chamaras. The murti faces east. Like a few other murtis, this one has diamonds embedded in the eyes and navel, and with His trunk pointing to the left.

One speciality of this temple is that the prasad offered to this Ganapati at Pali is Besan Laadu instead of Modak that is normally offered to other Ganapatis.

The shape of the idol itself bears a striking semblance with the mountain which forms the backdrop of this temple. This is more prominently felt if one views the photograph of the mountain and then sees the idol.

Behind this temple is the temple of Shri Dhundi-Vinayak which is West facing. This is a very rare idol which is facing the West. The story says that this idol was the same one which was thrown by Ballala's father (Kalyani-seth) while Ballala was worshipping it.

Another legend goes that Dhundi Vinayak is the elder brother of Ballal Vinayak and hence it seems that the devotees first worship Shri Dhundi-Vinayak and then Shri Ballaleshwar.

This is story of Krityuga in the country Sindhu. In the village of Pali there was a businessman called Kalyan & his wife Indumati. They had a son Ballal who was a staunch devotee of Ganpati. Along with other children Ballal used to worship with small stones being treated as Gods. Once the children went outside the village & saw a big stone. At the insistence of Ballal, the children treated the stone as Ganpati & started worshipping. All of them got so engrossed that they forgot about hunger & thirst or about day or night.

Their parents were waiting for the children at their homes. When the children did not return on time, they all went to Kalyan's house and complained about Ballal. Kalyan seth become furious took a stick and went in search of children. He saw children listening Ganesh purana outside the village. In rage he broke the small temples built by the children who fled away. Ballal was caught by his father submerged in meditation and beaten until he bleed. His father tied him to a tree and smashed all pooja materials collected by the children. He threw away the big stone which children treated as Ganpati. "Let me see which God protects you now" saying this he went home. Ballal started entreating Vinayaka.

Lord Ganpati was moved by the childs devotion and appeared in the form of a Brahmin before Ballal & touched him. Ballal's thirst hunger vanished, wounds were healed & he felt a new vigour moving in his body. He prostrated before the Brahmin whom he recognised as Gajanan & worshipped him. Ganpati told Ballal to ask for a boon. Ballal said "Let me have unshaken devotion towards you. You must stay at this place & remove the miseries of the people, who come to you." Ganesh said, "I shall ever remain here in my part form, I will take your name before mine & be called as Ballal Vinayak." Then he embraced Ballal & vanished into the nearby stone. Then the stone cured from the breakings. The stone statue is called Ballaleshwar. The stone idol which Kalyan vaishya threw away is also called as Dhundi Vinayak. This is a swayambhoo Moorti. He is worshipped before Ballaleshwar is worshipped.