Historic Ganesha of Gare / Varadvinayak Temple Chimanpura / Phutke Lake, Satara, t. Satara

The city of Satara in Maharashtra holds a rich historical and religious background. The city derives its name, ‘Satara’, from the seven hills (saat tara) that surround it. This city has been the capital of the Marathas and a major center of the Maratha Empire. There are many sacred sites dedicated to Lord Ganesha in this city and district. Among them, the ancient Garecha Ganpati Temple in the Chimanpura area is renowned. Devotees believe that if those in distress share their grievances here, this Ganpati resolves their troubles.

The Garecha Ganpati Temple is located in the Chimanpura area, west of Satara city. This temple is approximately 400 years old. Legend has it that before the installation of the Garecha (a white, crystal-like stone) idol here, it was kept at the home of Rakhmaji Teli, who lived in the Shahunagar area of Somwar Peth. He used to worship the idol from a distance and kept an eternal lamp (Nandadeep) burning before it. Once, Ganpati appeared to Rakhmaji Teli in a dream and told him, “Some Brahmins will come to take me; entrust me to them. They will make all the necessary arrangements for me.” At that very moment, Ganpati also appeared in a vision to Vedmurti Joshi and Bhagwat, telling them, “I am at Rakhmaji Teli’s house. Bring me from there and make proper arrangements for me.” Accordingly, Teli handed over the idol to the Brahmins. With the consent of the villagers, the idol was brought to Chimanpura with great fanfare and consecrated on Vaishakh Shuddha Tritiya (Akshaya Tritiya).

It is said that once, when Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was in distress, he followed the advice of the Brahmins and shared his grievances before this Ganpati. After receiving the desired outcome through Ganpati’s blessings, he immediately donated funds for the temple’s eternal lamp and offerings (Naivedya). The temple attained its current form after a renovation in 1996. The idol in the sanctum sanctorum has a trunk turned to the right, with Riddhi and Siddhi on either side. The deity’s birthday is celebrated in this temple on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. A seven-day festival is held from Magh Shuddha Dwitiya to Ashtami. The worship of Ganpati is performed with strict purity, with the devotee bathing and performing rituals while still wearing wet clothes. A Maha-Aarti is organized on the day of Kojagiri Purnima.

Located one and a half kilometers from the Garecha Ganpati Temple in Shaniwar Peth, the Varadvinayak Temple, situated in the middle of the ancient Phutke Talav (Broken Lake), is also a place of faith for thousands of devotees. It is also known as the Phutke Talav Ganesh Temple. The lake has natural springs, ensuring it remains filled with water throughout the year. A channel was created for water to flow out from the left corner of the lake to keep it circulating, which is why it is called ‘Phutke Tale’ (Broken Lake).

After independence, around 1954, the local citizens started the tradition of celebrating Ganesh Utsav in this lake. On Bhadrapad Chaturthi, the Ganesh idol was placed on a raft and worshipped. Since then, the lake gained spiritual significance, and the scale of the festival grew every year. Ganesh devotees in the area decided to build a temple in the middle of the lake instead of placing the idol on a raft. Accordingly, the temple was built in 1994, and a unique idol carved from black stone was consecrated by Acharya Narayan Swami.

This temple in the middle of the lake is hexagonal in shape, and a small bridge supported by pillars has been built to reach the temple from the main road. The temple is constructed of marble. There is a two-foot-wide circumambulation path (Pradakshina Marg) around the temple. The Ganesh idol here is four-armed (Chaturbhuj). The upper left hand holds a laddu, with the trunk resting upon it, while the upper right hand is in the Varada Mudra (blessing gesture). This idol of Varadvinayak wears a unique silver crown.

A grand Ganesh Utsav is celebrated here during Maghi and Bhadrapad Chaturthi. During this time, a procession of Varadvinayak is taken out on a chariot. Every day, a meal is offered as Naivedya to this Ganpati. Thirty households in the area have been assigned specific days for this service. Many devotees and tourists visit this temple in the lake to seek blessings and admire its beauty.

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