Attractions

The Temple of Maha Ganpati is very close to the centre of the town Ranjangaon. The temple was erected during the rule of the Peshwas. The temple was built by Sardar Kine.Peshwa Madhavrao had constructed the Garbhagriha, the sanctum to house the swayambhoo statue.

The Maha Ganpati at Ashtavinayak is the most powerful representation of Lord Ganesha. Maha Ganpati is depicted as having eight, ten or twelve arms. It is after invoking this form of Ganpati that Shiva vanquished the demon Tripurasur and so he is also known as Tripurarivade Mahaganpati.

The temple faces east. It has an imposing main gate which is guarded by two statues of Jay and Vijay. The temple is designed in such away that during Dakshinayan[ the apparent movement of the son to the south] the rays of the sun fall directly on the deity.

The deity is seated and flanked on both sides by Riddhi and Siddhi. The trunk of the deity turns to the left. There is a local belief that the real statue of Mahaganpati is hidden in some vault and this statue has ten trunks and twenty arms.In the Temple coumpound one can see old temple pillars. This confirms the fact that the temple wa built in 9th - 10th century.