Prasanna Shree Ganesh Temple Hanuman Gad, Hingana, Nagpur

The Ganesh Temple at Hanuman Gad in Hingna Taluka, renowned as the ‘Prayag of Vidarbha’, is situated at the confluence of the Vena and Durga rivers. This temple was built by Madhavrao Peshwa as a symbol of victory in war, and he consecrated the idol of Shri Ganesha within it. Established by the Marathas, this temple is today famous as the presiding deity (Gramdaivat) of Hingna Taluka.

According to historical records, a conflict arose between the Nagpurkar Bhonsles and the Peshwas, leading to a battle. Although the Bhonsles emerged victorious, they adopted a policy of reconciliation, viewing the Peshwas as closer allies than the Nizams or the Mughals, and thus accepted the Peshwas’ dominance in the region. At that time, the Peshwas, who were devout worshippers of Shri Ganesha, requested land from the Bhonsles to construct a Ganesha temple. In response, the Bhonsles suggested the site of Hanuman Gad, located at the confluence of two rivers. A shrine dedicated to the goddess Mansamay already existed here, but it had fallen into neglect. After beautifying the site, the installation of the idol of Shri Ganesha was performed here in the month of February 1788.

For the next 150 years, this site remained neglected. Around the year 1945, Devaraj Swami from Jalna arrived here. At that time, it was difficult to move around due to the dense forest of Nagphani (prickly pear cactus). (Where there are Nagphani plants, there is a large presence of snakes). When he saw the condition of the temple, he convinced the villagers of the need for the renovation of this sacred site. Swami himself began the cleaning work here. Since the hand of the idol was damaged, the idol was removed from the sanctum sanctorum and placed under a neem tree, and it was decided to install a new idol; however, Devaraj Swami stated that whoever carved the new idol would only have six months left to live. Consequently, no sculptor was willing to carve the idol. Then, Swami said to a craftsman, “You have only two and a half months of your life remaining.” Seeing the sharpness of Swami’s words and the gleam in his eyes, the craftsman became convinced and carved the idol. After carving the idol, however, the craftsman was blessed with a long life. In the course of time, Devaraj Swami attained Samadhi at this very place. His Samadhi shrine is still present today within the Ganesha temple premises.

There is an arched entrance to reach the Ganesha temple on Hanuman Gad. Located at a slight elevation from the riverbank, the temple premises offer a panoramic view of the confluence of two rivers. The Vena River flows from west to east, while the Durga River flows from the south to join the Vena River. A beautiful garden has been developed by the temple committee along the riverside. The Ganesha temple is a two-story structure consisting of a Darshan Mandap, a Sabha Mandap, and a Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). In the Sabha Mandap, there is an idol of Mushakraj (the mouse) carved in black stone, and in the Garbhagriha in front of it, there is an idol of Lord Ganesha adorned with vermilion (sindoor) placed on a high pedestal. This idol is 4.5 feet tall and 2 feet wide, carved from black stone. The temple attained its current form after renovations carried out on 26 February 1991. During this renovation, the original idol, which had been set aside by the Bhendi family from Hingna, was re-consecrated. The temple complex also houses idols of various deities and the samadhis of saints.

A grand fair is held here on the occasion of Sankashti Chaturthi in the month of Paush. It is said that once, the great saint Tukdoji Maharaj was scheduled to visit this region. The villagers requested him to visit the temple for darshan. In response, Maharaj stated that he would not stay in the village, but all those accompanying him would stay at the temple itself. Furthermore, he added that Mahaprasad would need to be prepared for 500 devotees. Accordingly, the villagers hurriedly constructed a sabha mandap (assembly hall) next to the temple. On January 1, 1964, on the day of Paush Chaturthi, Tukdoji Maharaj stayed at this temple along with his devotees. The festival that began then is still celebrated here today. Regarding the Ganesha shrine here, there is a legend that in 2001, there was a drought-like situation. Due to the lack of rain, the rivers here had dried up. To invoke rain, the villagers decided to take a sankalpa (vow) of 121 Atharvashirsha recitations in the Ganesha temple. It was decided that this should be announced to everyone in the village via davandi (public proclamation). The person who went to announce the davandi returned to the temple drenched in rain. Following the prayers, the rain began the very next day, and the rivers and streams here started flowing to the brim.

This Ganesha shrine is a *Jagrut* (spiritually awakened) site and a center of deep faith for the devotees of Hingna taluka. Every year, on the *Sankashti Chaturthi* of the *Paush* month, devotees from approximately 170 villages in the taluka make it a point to visit this place. Since this pilgrimage site is situated at the confluence of rivers, there is a large influx of devotees who gather to bathe at this holy confluence during the months of *Shravan* and *Adhik Maas*. Due to the beautiful surroundings and the increasing number of devotees and tourists, the Government of Maharashtra has included this site in the ‘C’ category list of pilgrimage centers. Thanks to the funds received periodically from the government, the area has undergone beautification, and many facilities have been made available for the devotees.

Sacred History & Spiritual Significance

This sacred temple stands as a testament to deep spiritual devotion, ancient architectural grandeur, and rich local cultural traditions.

Temple Sanctum & Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum houses the divine idol consecrated according to ancient Vedic traditions, surrounded by serene courtyards and traditional temple architecture.

Sacred Darshan Gallery