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{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox Mandir
| name = Chintamani Temple
| image = Shri Cintamani of Theur.jpg
| image_alt =
| caption = The shikara of the temple
| map_type = Maharashtra
| map_caption = Location within Maharashtra
| map_size = 250
| coordinates = {{coord|18|31|25.67|N|74|2|46.62|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Maharashtra]]
| district = Pune District
| locale = Theur
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Ganesha]] as Chintamani
| festivals= [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Ganesh Jayanti]]
| architecture = [[Mandir]] architecture
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| date_built =
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Chintamani Temple of Theur''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[Ganesha]], the elephant-headed god of wisdom. Located {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Pune]],<ref name = "satguru"/> the temple is "one of the larger and more famous" of the [[Ashtavinayaka]], the eight revered shrines of Ganesha in the Indian state of [[Maharashtra]].

The temple lore describes how Ganesha retrieved the wish-giving jewel [[Cintamani|Chintamani]] for his devotee, the sage [[Kapila]] from the greedy king Gana and how he pacifies the uneasy mind of the god [[Brahma]], who meditated on him in Theur. The temple is associated with the [[Ganapatya]] saint [[Morya Gosavi]] (dated between 13th to 17th century). Though the temple is believed to have existed since antiquity, the current structure of the temple was built by him or his descendant. The Chintamani Temple was also a spiritual magnet for the [[Peshwa]] rulers, especially [[Madhavrao I]] (1745–1772) who renovated and made additions to the temple structure.

==Location==
Theur is located in the [[Haveli taluka]] of [[Pune district]],<ref name="yatra2yatra">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Sanjay|title=Yatra2Yatra|publisher=ICEM Communications (P) Ltd|year=2009|pages=217–8|isbn=978-81-908569-0-4}}</ref> near the confluence of river [[Bhima]] and the conjoint river [[Mula-Mutha River|Mula-Mutha]].<ref name = "satguru"/>

==Religious significance==
Though Theur is prescribed to the fifth temple to be visited in the Ashtavinayak circuit, pilgrims often visit Theur second in the circuit after Morgaon, as it is a more convenient route.<ref name="anne">{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cn7UK4y-FDUC&pg=PA140|title=Connected places: region, pilgrimage, and geographical imagination in India|last=Anne Feldhaus|date=2003|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|pages=142, 145| isbn=978-1-4039-6324-6}}</ref>

The ''[[Mudgala Purana]]'' narrates: Gana or Guna or Ganasura<ref name="yatra2yatra"/> was the son of king Abhijit and his wife Gunavati. A strong, but greedy and hot-headed warrior king, Gana pleases the god [[Shiva]] – Ganesha's father with his worship. Shiva grants Gana the kingship of the three worlds – heaven, earth and underworld and decreed that Gana could not be killed by anything that possessed any of the three ''[[guna]]''s. Once, Gana and his entire arrives at the hermitage of the sage [[Kapila]], who owned the wish-granting jewel [[Cintamani|Chintamani]]. Kapila serves the prince and his army with delicious food created with the help of the jewel. The greedy prince desires to acquire the jewel, however the sage refuses. However, Gana seizes it from the sage. Kapila, a devotee of Ganesha, prays to Ganesha to retrieve the gem. Ganesha with his army appears in Gana's dream; one of his soldiers cuts Gana's head. Gana wakes up and marches towards Kapila's hermitage with his army, intending to slay the sage. Abhijit tries to dissuade his son and advises him to return Chintamani to the sage, but in vain. Gana starts to destroy the hermitage. Ganesha's ''[[shakti]]'' ("power") – the goddess [[Consorts of Ganesha|Siddhi]] appears and creates a thousand-armed warrior Laksha, who destroys Gana's army while Ganesha himself beheads the arrogant prince. Ganesha returns the jewel to Kapila, however, the sage chooses to have his Lord instead of the jewel itself. So, Ganesha stays on in Theur with Kapila, taking the name of the jewel Chintamani.<ref name="grimes">Grimes pp. 118–9</ref>

The name ''Theur'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''Sthavar'' meaning stable. According to another legend, the god [[Brahma]] meditated here and his restless mind became ''sthavar'' due to Ganesha's blessings. Since Ganesha got rid of Brahma's ''Chinta''s ("worries"), he became known as Chintamani.<ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline">{{cite web|url=http://www.ashtavinayak.net/theur/index.php|title=SHREE CHINTAMANI – THEUR|work=Ashtavinayaka Darshan Online|access-date=20 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904122341/http://www.ashtavinayak.net/theur/index.php|archive-date=4 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to another tale, the god-king [[Indra]] worshipped Ganesha here under the [[Kadamba tree]] to get rid of the sage [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]]'s curse. The place was thus known as Kadamaba-Nagar, the town of Kadamba trees.<ref name="yatra2yatra"/>

==History==
Though Theur is believed to a [[Ganapatya]] (sect which considers Ganesha as the Supreme Being) pilgrimage centre since ancient times,<ref name="yatra2yatra"/> the current temple was built by the Ganapatya saint [[Morya Gosavi]] or his descendant Dharmadhar (Dharanidhar).<ref name="yatra2yatra"/><ref name="grimes"/><ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline"/> The exact date of the temple is unknown.

Morya Gosavi often visited the temple on his trips between his home town [[Chinchwad]] and [[Morgaon]], the foremost of the Ashtavinayaka temples.<ref name = "satguru"/> On every fourth lunar day after the full moon, Morya used to visit the Theur temple.<ref name="municipal">{{cite web|url=http://www.pcmcindia.gov.in/history.asp?MID=0&PID=0&MenuID=114&Title=History%20And%20Culture|title=Culture and History|year=2008|publisher=Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)|access-date=9 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222231738/http://www.pcmcindia.gov.in/history.asp?MID=0&PID=0&MenuID=114&Title=History%20And%20Culture|archive-date=22 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to a story, as per his guru's orders, Morya performed penance at Theur by observing a strict fast for 42 days, within this period, he is believed to have "divine revelations".<ref name="dhere">{{cite web|url=http://rcdhere.com/Prachin_Marathichya_Navdhara/Prachin_Marathichya_Navdhara_3.html|title=Summary of ''Prachin Marathichya Navdhara'' (Marathi book) chapter 2: Marathi literature of Ganesha cult|last=Dhere|first=R C|work=Official site of R C Dhere|access-date=12 January 2010}}</ref> Ganesha is believed to have appeared in the form of a tiger to Morya and granted him ''[[siddhi]]'' (spiritual powers).<ref name="yatra2yatra"/>

The Theur temple along with other Ganapatya centres near [[Pune]], enjoyed royal patronage from the [[Brahmin]] [[Peshwa]] rulers of the [[Maratha Empire]] during the 18th century. The Peshwas, who worshipped Ganesha as their ''[[Kuladevata|kuladaivat]]'' ("family deity"), donated in land and/or cash and/or made additions to these Ganesha temples, especially Theur and Morgaon.<ref name="anne"/> The Theur temple has been a spiritual magnet of the Peshwas, especially [[Madhavrao I]].<ref name = "satguru"/> Madhavrao, who also renovated the temple, used to visit before engaging in any battle and after a battle to thank for the success in battle.<ref name="grimes"/> Madhavrao also spent in his last days in the precincts of the temple. In the period of extreme illness that led to his death, Madhavrao tried to please the Lord by performing him a perennial ''[[abhisheka]]'' of milk.<ref name=Gunaji/> [[Chimaji Appa]], brother and military commander of the Peshwa [[Baji Rao I]], donated a large European bell, which still hangs in the temple. He had acquired it as war booty from the Portuguese after seizing the [[Vasai Fort]].<ref name="yatra2yatra"/><ref name="grimes"/>

Currently, the temple is under the administration of the ''Chinchwad Devasthan Trust'', which also governs Morgaon and [[Siddhivinayak Temple, Siddhatek|Siddhatek]] Ashtavinayak temples.<ref>As per the official receipt of donation, provided by the Morgaon temple</ref>

==Architecture==

Described as "one of the larger and more famous" of the Ashtavinayaka temples,<ref name="grimes"/> the temple's main gate located to the North is relatively smaller compared to the scale of the temple, however the central icon of Chintamani-Ganesha faces East.<ref name="yatra2yatra"/><ref name="grimes"/> The temple has a wooden ''Sabha-[[mandapa]]'' (assembly hall), which was built by Madhavrao. The hall also has a black stone water fountain in it. Besides the central shrine dedicated to Ganesha, there are number of smaller shrines in the temple complex: Mahadeva ([[Shiva]]) temple, [[Vishnu]]-[[Lakshmi]] temple, [[Hanuman]] temple etc. Behind the temple is the ''Peshwa Wada'' – the Peshwa Palace. Once the residence of Madhavrao, today the day-to-day activities of the temple are carried from this place.<ref name="yatra2yatra"/>

Like other Ashtavinyaka icons, the central icon of Ganesha is considered self-manifested<ref name=Gunaji>{{Cite book|last=Gunaji|first=Milind|title=Offbeat tracks in Maharashtra|chapter=Theur|pages=98–9|access-date=26 November 2009|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JIjmDLardesC&q=Ganesh%20jayanti&pg=PA105|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2003|isbn=978-81-7154-669-5}}</ref> and hardly any features are visible except the elephantine head – studded with jewel eyes – and trunk, which turns to his left.<ref name = "satguru"/><ref name="yatra2yatra"/><ref name="grimes"/> The icon is interpreted to be seated in cross-legged posture.<ref name="grimes"/><ref name=Gunaji/> The icon is smeared with [[sindoor|sindur]] like rest of the Ashtavinyaka images.<ref name = "satguru">{{Cite book|first=Satguru Sivaya |last=Subramuniyaswami|title=Loving Ganesa: Hinduism's Endearing Elephant-Faced God|work=The Morgaon Temple|page=279|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_sV4_JpQvycC&pg=PA279|publisher=Himalayan Academy Publications|year=2000|isbn=978-0-945497-77-6}}</ref>

==Temple festivals==

The temple celebrates three main festivals. The ''Ganesha Prakatostav'' which corresponds to the [[Ganesh Chaturthi]] festival. The festival is celebrated from the first to the seventh day of the Hindu month of [[Bhadrapada]], where Ganesh Chaturthi is the fourth day. A fair is held on this occasion. The ''Maghotsav'' festival is held to commemorate the birthday of Ganesha - [[Ganesha Jayanti]], which falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of [[Magha (month)|Magha]]. The temple festival is celebrated from the first to the eighth of the month. A fair is also organized. The ''Rama-Madhav Punyostav'' on the eighth day of the [[Kartika (month)|Kartik]] month commemorates the death anniversary of the temple's best known patron, Madhavrao and his wife [[Ramabai Peshwa|Ramabai]], who performed [[Sati (practice)|Sati]] on his funeral pyre and was burnt with him.<ref name="yatra2yatra"/><ref name=Gunaji/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{Cite book|series=SUNY Series in Religious Studies |last=Grimes |first=John A. |title=Ganapati: Song of the Self |year=1995 |publisher=State University of New York Press |location=Albany |isbn=978-0-7914-2440-7}}

{{Ganesha}}
{{Hindu temples in Maharashtra}}
{{Hindu holy cities}}

[[Category:Ganesha temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Pune district]]

Chintamani Temple, Theur - Revision history

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