Shree Gajanan Maharaj Birthplace Memorial Temple Shri Kshetra Thal, Motala Buldana

Among the great saints who performed the noble task of guiding humanity toward the righteous path through the worship of the Divine, the place of Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon in the spiritual world of Maharashtra is unshakable. Although official information regarding the exact time and place of birth of Gajanan Maharaj, who gave the great mantra ‘Gan Gan Ganaat Bote’, is not available, many believe that Thal in the Motala taluka of Buldana district is his birthplace. A memorial temple of Gajanan Maharaj has been erected at this Shri Kshetra Thal. Countless devotees who have faith in Gajanan Maharaj come here for darshan. To the right of this temple are smaller shrines dedicated to Gajanan Maharaj and Gomaji Maharaj. It is the firm belief of the devotees that on the occasion of Gajanan Maharaj’s Prakat Din (Appearance Day) and Punyatithi (Rishi Panchami), both these shrines are seen swaying for hours, from the pinnacle down to the steps.

Although there is no official historical evidence regarding the birthplace of Gajanan Maharaj, according to the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Janmasthan Pratishthan and local tradition, Thal is considered to be his birthplace. The Shegaon Sansthan, however, maintains a stance of silence regarding the Maharaj’s early life. It is believed that Dada Pande, the founder of this temple, raised public awareness about Gajanan Maharaj’s birthplace in Thal. For this purpose, he also ran a series of articles for two years in a daily newspaper published from Vidarbha. According to his research, Gajanan Maharaj was born into the family of Bhavaniram Sable in the village of Thal. He was named Ganoji. Gajanan Maharaj possessed the eight siddhis (divine powers) from birth. From childhood, Gajanan Maharaj remained in a state of digambara (unclothed). If anyone gave him clothes, he would tear them into rags and hang them on a babhul tree in the village. A few years after the birth of Gajanan Maharaj, his sister, Nurai, was born. One year, bidding farewell to his parents, Gajanan Maharaj went to the Maruti temple situated on a height in the village. Some naked sadhus had arrived at this temple. It is believed that Gajanan Maharaj left the village with them.

On 23 February 1878, on the day of Magh Vadya Saptami, Gajanan Maharaj appeared in Shegaon. At that time, the Maharaj was between 18 and 25 years old. Bankatlal and Damodar, residents of the village, saw the digambara Gajanan Maharaj picking up and eating grains of rice from discarded leaf plates outside the monastery of Devidas Paturkar, and later drinking water from a trough kept for cattle before moving on. Bankatlal took Gajanan Maharaj to his home. Thereafter, Gajanan Maharaj performed many leelas (divine plays) in Shegaon and across the state. On 8 September 1910, he attained Samadhi in Shegaon. Thal is a small village nestled in the lap of the Ajanta mountain ranges near Rohinikhed in Motala taluka. Descendants of Gajanan Maharaj’s Sable family still reside in this village today. The temple is located about three-quarters of a kilometer from the village. Ramji Laxman Sable, a descendant of Gajanan Maharaj’s Sable family, donated seven acres of land for this temple, which was built through the efforts of Dada Pande. Pande purchased another acre of land to complete the temple. The idol of Gajanan Maharaj was consecrated here on 30 August 2010.

Entering through the temple arch, one finds a spacious courtyard. The temple is a few steps away from here. The temple stands on a high plinth and is reached by a flight of steps. In the upper part of the temple entrance, there is an idol of Lord Ganesha in the center. In the sanctum sanctorum, on a large marble pedestal, stands a beautiful marble idol of Gajanan Maharaj. The idol wears a turban (pheta). In front of the idol, his smaller idol and padukas (footwear) are placed. To the left of the idol are the idols of Shri Ram, Lakshman, Sita, and Hanuman. To the right of the temple, at a short distance, are the small shrines of Gajanan Maharaj and Shri Gomaji Maharaj. Previously, Ramji Laxman Sable had built small shrines for Gajanan Maharaj and Shri Gomaji Maharaj in this area. Gajanan Maharaj’s shrine housed his staff (kathi), while Gomaji Maharaj’s shrine housed his padukas. However, as these shrines were obstructing the construction of the new temple, the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Janmasthan Pratishthan built new shrines at a suitable distance to the right of the main temple. The idol of Gajanan Maharaj, his staff, and the padukas of Gomaji Maharaj were ceremonially worshipped and installed in these new shrines. There is also a small Shiva Linga near these tin-roofed shrines.

It is the belief of the devotees that every Thursday, as well as on Gajanan Maharaj’s Prakat Din and Punyatithi (Rishi Panchami), when the chanting of the Lord’s name and the sound of the dindis (processions) fill the air, both these shrines sway from the pinnacle to the steps for hours. Daily worship is performed in this temple. The Prakat Din of Gajanan Maharaj is celebrated with great enthusiasm on Magh Vadya Saptami. On this occasion, thousands of devotees from Vidarbha come for darshan, and dindis arrive from surrounding villages. A seven-day kirtan festival is organized here for the Prakat Din. Additionally, various religious programs are organized on the occasion of Gajanan Maharaj’s Punyatithi, Ram Navami, Janmashtami, and Dattajayanti.

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