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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox Mandir
| name = Vigneshwara Temple
| image = Ozhar - Shri Vighnahar.jpg
| alt =
| caption = The gate of the temple
| map_type = Maharashtra
| map_size = 250
| coordinates = {{coord|19|11|17.07|N|73|57|34.70|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Maharashtra]]
| district = Pune District
| locale = Ozar
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Ganesha]] as Vigneshwara/Vignahar
| festivals= [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Ganesh Jayanti]]
| architecture = [[Mandir]] architecture
| number_of_temples =
| number_of_monuments=
| inscriptions =
| established =
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Vigneshwara Temple''' or '''Vighnahar Ganapati Temple'''<ref name="toi">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-29/pune/28194722_1_lodging-devasthan-temple|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924124959/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-29/pune/28194722_1_lodging-devasthan-temple|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 24, 2012|title=Ozar temple sets up lodging facilities|last=Deshkar|first=Somnath|date=May 29, 2009|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=30 August 2011}}</ref> of Ozar (also spelt as Ojhar or Ojzar) is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[Ganesha]], the elephant-headed god of wisdom. The temple is one of the [[Ashtavinayaka]], the eight revered shrines of Ganesha in [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]. The Ganesha form worshipped here is called Vigneshwara (spelt also as Vigneshvar(a), Vigneshwar : "Lord of obstacles") or ''Vignahar'' (spelt also as Vignahara, "Remover of obstacles") and is associated with the legend of Ganesha defeating Vignasura, the [[demon]] of obstacles.

==Location==
Ozar is located about 85 km from [[Pune]],<ref name=Gunaji/> off the Pune-[[Nashik]] highway and about 9 km north to Narayangaon.<ref name = "satguru"/> Along another Ashtavinayak temple of [[Lenyadri]], Ozar is in the Junnar taluka of [[Pune district]].<ref name="anne"/> Ozar is situated on the banks of [[Kukadi River]] close to the Yedagaon dam built on it.<ref name=Gunaji/>

==History==
[[Chimaji Appa]], brother and military commander of the Peshwa [[Baji Rao I]], renovated the temple and covered the ''[[Sikhara|shikhara]]'' (temple spire) with gold after seizing the [[Vasai Fort]] from the Portuguese.<ref>{{cite encyclopaedia|encyclopedia=The Indian encyclopaedia|editor=Kapoor, Subodh|publisher=Cosmo Publications|date=January 2002|volume=2|isbn=81-7755-259-7|page=427|title=Ashta Vinayak}}</ref> The temple was also renovated in 1967 by the Ganesha devotee Appa Shastri Joshi.<ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline"/>

===Religious significance===
Though Ozar is prescribed to the seventh temple to be visited in the Ashtavinayak circuit, pilgrims often visit Ozar fifth, as it is a more convenient route.<ref name="anne">{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/connectedplacesr00feld|url-access=limited|title=Connected places: region, pilgrimage, and geographical imagination in India|year=2003|last=Anne Feldhaus|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|pages=[https://archive.org/details/connectedplacesr00feld/page/n160 142], 145–6| isbn=978-1-4039-6324-6}}</ref>

The [[Mudgala Purana]], [[Skanda Purana]] and the Tamil Vinayaka Purana record: King Abhinandana performed a sacrifice in which he did not give any offering to the god-king [[Indra]]. The infuriated Indra ordered [[Kāla (time)|Kala]] (Time/Death) to destroy the sacrifice. Kala takes the form of the demon Vignasura (obstacle-demon) or Vigna (obstacle), who created obstacles in the sacrifice and ruined it. Further, he created havoc in the universe, creating obstacles in the good deeds and sacrifices of sages and other beings. The sages asked god [[Brahma]] or [[Shiva]] for help, who advised the worship of Ganesha. Hearing the prayer of the ascetics, Ganesha began to battle the demon, who soon realized that it was impossible to win and surrendered to his opponent and agreed not to harass the beings of the world. It was arranged that Vigna (obstacles) would dwell only in places where Ganesha was not invoked or worshipped. In some versions, the remorseful Vigna was made an attendant of Ganesha, who would trouble those who fail to worship his Lord. Vignasura also requested Ganesha to take the name Vigneshwara (The Lord of Vigna/obstacles) to commemorate the event. The relieved sages consecrated an image of Ganesha as Vigneshwara at Ozar to mark the event.<ref name="kapoor"/><ref>{{Cite book| last =Krishan| first =Yuvraj| year = 1999| title =Gaņeśa: Unravelling An Enigma |pages= 138, 146| location =Delhi | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass Publishers | isbn =81-208-1413-4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|series=SUNY Series in Religious Studies |last=Grimes |first=John A. |title=Ganapati: Song of the Self |url=https://archive.org/details/ganapatisongself00grim |url-access=limited |year=1995 |publisher=State University of New York Press |location=Albany |isbn=0-7914-2440-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/ganapatisongself00grim/page/n157 116]}}
</ref>

==Architecture==
The east-facing temple features a "spacious courtyard, a grand entrance, sculptural and mural work".<ref name="kapoor"/> It is surrounded by a walled compound with a large gateway flanked by two large stone ''[[Dvarapala]]'' (gatekeepers) sculptures and a row of four musicians in bas relief on the lintel. One can view the Lenyadri shrine and [[Shivneri Fort]] standing on the wall. Two large stone ''[[Deepamala]]s'' (lamp towers) stand near the gateway in front of a fine corridor of seven cusped arches. There are ''owari''s (small room for meditation) on both sides of the gateway. The courtyard is tiled. The central temple has three entrances with sculptured side posts and lintels; the east one being the central one. The central one has a lintel with a Ganesha in relief surrounded with monkeys and parrots on trees. The temple has two halls, with first one (20 feet high) having the entrances to the north and south too and has the imagee of Dhundiraj Ganesha. The next one (10 feet high) has a white marble ''mushika'' (the mouse, which is the [[vahana|vehicle]] of Ganesha) seating in attendance. The temple walls is filled with murals and colourful sculptures.<ref name = "satguru">{{Cite book|author=Subramuniya|title=Loving Ganesa: Hinduism's Endearing Elephant-Faced God|url=https://archive.org/details/lovingganesahind00subr|url-access=limited|pages=[https://archive.org/details/lovingganesahind00subr/page/n325 280]|publisher=Himalayan Academy Publications|year=2000|isbn=9780945497776}}</ref><ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline"/><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/gazeetter_reprint/Poona-III/places_o.html#.|title = Ojhar|publisher = Maharashtra Gazetteer| year = 2006 | orig-year=1885 }}</ref> The ''shikhara'' - over the sanctum - is covered with gold foil.<ref name=Gunaji>{{Cite book|last=Gunaji|first=Milind|title=Offbeat tracks in Maharashtra|chapter=Ozar|pages=103–4|year=2003|isbn=9788171546695|author-link=Milind Gunaji}}</ref> It also has two wide stone ''[[Prakaram]]''s (outer path outside a Hindu sanctum).<ref name = "satguru"/>

Like all Ashtavinayaka shrines, the central Ganesha image is believed to be ''[[svayambhu]]'' (self-existent), naturally occurring in the form of an elephant-faced stone.<ref>Grimes pp. 110–1</ref> The central icon of Ganesha faces east and is flanked with brass images of his consorts [[Consorts of Ganesha|Siddhi and Riddhi]]. He has a left-turning trunk and is covered with [[sindoor]] (vermillion). His eyes are emeralds and his forehead and navel is also adored with diamonds.<ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline"/><ref name="kapoor">{{cite encyclopaedia|encyclopedia=The Indian encyclopaedia|editor=Kapoor, Subodh|publisher=Cosmo Publications|date=January 2002|volume=24|isbn=81-7755-281-3|page=7483|title=Vigneshwara}}</ref>

==Festivals==
The temple celebrates the usual festivals associated with Ganesha: [[Ganesh Chaturthi]] and [[Ganesh Jayanti]]. In addition, a five-day festival starting on [[Kartik Poornima]] is also celebrated when the ''Deepamala''s are lit.<ref name = "ashtavinayakOnline">{{cite web|url=http://www.ashtavinayak.net/ozar/index.php|title=SHREE VIGHNESHWAR - OZAR|work=Ashtavinayaka Darshan Online}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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

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

Vigneshwara Temple, Ozar - Revision history

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