Divine Tekdi Ganesh, Sitabardi Tekdi, Nagpur, Ji. Nagpur

The Tekdi Ganesh temple, located in the Sitabuldi area of Nagpur city, is one of the Ashtavinayakas of Vidarbha. This site is mentioned in the Mudgala Purana. It is said that the idol, situated under a Peepal tree in the center of the temple, is hundreds of years old. This shrine is considered the wealthiest in Nagpur. Due to its location on a hill (Tekdi) in Nagpur city, this Ganesha came to be known as ‘Tekdi Ganesh’.

It is said regarding the temple that in 1866, work was underway to lay railway tracks by cutting through the hill. During the excavation, workers discovered an idol of Ganesha smeared with vermilion. As soon as the workers saw the idol, the sky suddenly clouded over and thunder and lightning began. The workers removed the idol from there and consecrated it under a Peepal tree. Since then, the worship of this idol has continued. The temple is not mentioned in the 1865 map of Nagpur; this implies that an ancient Ganesha site that existed there at some point in the past must have been demolished or destroyed, as there are records of a temple existing there before that time. During the Yadava period, along with building the Ram temple at Ramtek, Hemadri Pandit had built the Tekdi Ganesha temple. There is a record that this Ganesha was worshipped by the Yadava dynasty; however, scholars are skeptical about the idol belonging to the Yadava period.

After the death of the Maratha Empire’s Sardar Raghuji Bhonsle, the British arrived in Nagpur in 1896. The British Residency was located right below the Sitabuldi Hill where the temple currently stands. Since then, this area remained under the British and has been under the jurisdiction of the Indian Armed Forces since independence. During the British era, no locals were allowed to enter the Sitabuldi Fort. Because of the nearby military cantonment, the British only permitted the construction of a tin shed over the idol. Accordingly, a shed was erected around this Ganesha idol in 1936. The temple remained in that state until 1965. Thereafter, gradual restoration and renovation took place. After the renovation carried out in 2020, the temple attained its current form. Rajasthani artisans have built this magnificent temple using light reddish stone. The carvings on it and the structure of the temple appear distinctive. This temple stands on an area of 20,000 square feet.

The entrance to the temple is on the eastern side, facing the railway tracks. Under the Peepal tree in the center of the temple’s assembly hall (Sabhamandap) is the Ganesha idol with its trunk turned to the right. The crown and eyes of the Ganesha idol are made of silver. Every Tuesday, vermilion is applied to this idol. Behind the idol, on the left side, is a 5-foot-tall idol of Kalbhairav, while on the right side is a Shiva Linga mounted on Nandi. Near the Peepal tree here is a Radha-Krishna temple. Apart from this, there are also idols of Ram-Sita-Lakshman, Dakshinmukhi Hanuman, and Mahalakshmi.

Every Tuesday and on Sankashti Chaturthi, thousands of devotees come here for Darshan. During Angarki Chaturthi, Ganesha Jayanti, and from Ganesha Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi, the place takes on the appearance of a fair. Besides this, festivals are also celebrated on Kalbhairav Jayanti, Hanuman Jayanti, and Kojagiri Purnima. This is a magnificent and spiritually awakened (Jagrut) shrine, and devotees believe that the Ganesha here fulfills their prayers. That is why thousands of devotees come for Darshan every day. A large fair is held here on Magh Shuddha Chaturthi (Tili Chaturthi).

It is said that former Prime Ministers of the country P. V. Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Smt. Asha Bhosle, Anup Jalota, Jitendra Abhisheki, and Sunil Dutt have visited this temple. Whenever cricket matches were held in Nagpur, Sachin Tendulkar would also make it a point to come for the Darshan of this Ganesha. The Aarti of Ganesha is performed 4 times daily. On the days of Sankashti Chaturthi and Ekadashi, this Ganesha idol is adorned with ornaments and decorations. Devotees can visit the temple and have Darshan of Ganesha every day from 6 in the morning until 12 at night.

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