Shree Mahaganapati Temple Chirner, Uran, Raigad

Chirner, a beautiful village in Uran taluka blessed abundantly by nature, has etched its name in history due to the Jungle Satyagraha, and has also gained profound religious significance thanks to the revered Maha Ganapati temple located here. The memories of the Jungle Satyagraha are deeply intertwined with this temple. The Maha Ganapati Devsthan has now become the primary identity of this village. Among the prominent Ganesha abodes in the state, the Maha Ganapati of Chirner holds a unique and revered position. This Maha Ganapati is widely renowned as one who fulfills the heartfelt prayers and wishes of his devotees. It is for this very reason that thousands of Ganesha devotees visit here every day for darshan.

In those times of 1930, the Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi was receiving a nationwide response. Protests and uprisings were taking place in many places. The Salt Satyagraha took place at Dandi in Gujarat. At the same time, the forest was used as a medium for this Satyagraha at Chirner. Along with the Adivasis living in this region, the youth from the local Agri community also participated in this Satyagraha in large numbers. The occasion was an ordinance issued by the British Government. Through this ordinance, the rights of the local Adivasis over the forest were denied. Back then, the Adivasis here took a firm stand, declaring, “We are not just residents of this forest for generations, but its owners. We do not recognize the British rule, so the question of obeying their laws simply does not arise.” 

On September 25, 1930, under the leadership of the Panvel Congress Committee, about six thousand Satyagrahis gathered in the forest near Chirner. Among them, the number of tribal youth was large. Slogans like ‘The forest belongs to our fathers, it is not anyone’s property’, ‘Victory to Mother India’, ‘Vande Mataram’, and ‘Forest law’ Slogans such as ‘Cut it down’ were being raised. At that time, some tribal youths began cutting down the forest using sickles and axes. Present there for security were Police Inspector Ram D. Patil and Mamledar K. M. Joshi, along with 14 armed policemen and 6 stick-wielding policemen. The police arrested some individuals at this time and put handcuffs on them. Enraged by this, the Satyagrahis demanded that the handcuffs be removed. To disperse them, the police began a lathi charge. The Satyagrahis began to resist them. Suddenly, the Police Inspector ordered to open fire on them. In this firing, eight Satyagrahis—Raghunath Moreshwar Navi, Anand Maya Patil, Dhaku Gavatya Fopherkar, Parshuram Rama Patil, Aalu Bematya Mhatre, Rama Bama Koli, Hasuram Budhaji Gharat, and Nagya Mahadu Katkari—lost their lives. According to the report submitted on October 13, 1930, by K. V. Koundinya, the government official appointed to investigate this incident, a bullet fired from a policeman’s ‘303 rifle’ during the chaos claimed the life of Mamledar K. M. Joshi. Similarly, policemen Hari Narayan Tavate, Jayram Babaji, Narayan Pandu Kadam, and a guard named Kashinath Shevde lost their lives. During the inquiry into this incident, some youths from Chirner village were arrested by the police as accused. Since there was no police outpost in the village at that time, the accused were locked up inside the Mahaganapati Temple of Chirner. They were tied to the pillars here and beaten, but no one turned approver. The villagers here created the history of the freedom struggle. The memorial of the brave martyrs of this place is situated right next to this temple. 

The Mahaganapati Temple at Chirner was established during the reign of Nanasaheb, also known as Balaji Bajirao Peshwa (CE 1740 to 1761). His Subhedar Ramji Mahadev Phadke was a devout worshipper of Lord Ganesha. When he came to Chirner, Lord Ganesha appeared to him in a dream and revealed, “I am in the pond here. Take me out and consecrate me.” Accordingly, upon searching, this idol of Ganesha was found in the pond. Thereafter, a temple in the Hemadpanthi architectural style was constructed, and this idol was consecrated within it. Near the entrance of this temple stands a stone lamp pillar (deepmal) with an inscription at its base. In front of the main temple is a twenty-foot-long assembly hall (sabhamandap). Formerly, this assembly hall had six pillars, each ten inches wide. The police had tied the accused of the Jungle Satyagraha to these very pillars. Previously, this assembly hall had simple roof tiles. During the renovation carried out in 1990, a new assembly hall was constructed using cement concrete. As a result, those wooden pillars are no longer seen here today.

The entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of the east-facing temple is somewhat small in size. There is an idol of Lord Ganesha on the lalatabimba (lintel) of this entrance. In the sanctum sanctorum, on a vajrapitha The existing idol of Lord Ganesha is magnificent, smeared with vermilion (shendur), and stands six feet tall and three and a half feet wide. Because of this, it has come to be known as Mahaganpati. Devotees have a firm belief that this idol grows in size grain by grain. This belief among the devotees has been further strengthened because the door of the inner sanctum is smaller than the size of the idol. It is said that this idol must be more than four hundred years old. The idol is adorned during the Maghi Ganeshotsav and Sankashti Chaturthi, and a silver crown is placed upon it.

The main spire of the temple is dome-shaped and topped with a kalash. There are lotus carvings on this dome. During the rainy season, water trickling from this dome falls on the idol of Maha Ganapati. It is said that despite many attempts, it has not been possible to stop this water leakage to this day. There are raised platforms on all four sides of the main dome. The entire construction of this temple is made of black stone. Intricate craftsmanship can be seen on the outer walls of the temple. 

The shrine of Mahaganpati is considered to be spiritually vibrant and awakened. There is a tradition here of seeking divine guidance through *Kaul* (asking for the deity’s permission or oracle). A grand festival is held here on Magha Vadya Chaturthi. For the three days preceding it, a *Kirtan* festival is organized. On the day of Chaturthi, the idol of Mahaganpati is adorned. After the birth celebration takes place in the afternoon, there is a *Palkhi* (palanquin) procession at night. Traveling through the seven *padas* (settlements) of Chirner, the *Palkhi* returns to the temple the next morning. A large crowd of devotees gathers here every Tuesday and on Sankashti Chaturthi as well. On Angarki Chaturthi, the village takes on the festive appearance of a grand pilgrimage fair (*Jatra*). Adjacent to the Mahaganpati temple is a temple of Lord Shiva. Although this temple appears modern, various sculptures located there suggest that it is ancient.

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