Tasgaon Ganapati Mandir, Kolhapur - Timings, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 24 km from Sangli, and 71 km from Kolhapur, Tasgaon Ganapati Temple is a sacred Hindu temple situated at Tasgaon town in the Sangli district of Maharashtra. It is one of the prominent temples in Maharashtra, and among the popular places to visit near Kolhapur.

The Ganesh Temple at Tasgaon is dedicated to the elephant-headed god Ganesh. The construction of a temple was begun in 1779 by Parasuram Bhau Patwardhan who fought against Tipu Sultan and Haider Khan in South Mulukhgiri during the Peshwa period as the Commander-in-Chief of the Marathas, laid the foundation stone of the temple, and was completed by his son Appaji Patwardhan in 1799. The construction of the temple took 20 years. The temple was built by artisans from the Vadar community in Karnataka.

The architecture of the temple resembles South Indian temple construction. It consists of an image−chamber and a hall. An important feature of the Ganesh Temple at Tasgaon is that the gopura is unmatched anywhere in Western Maharashtra. It is seven-storied, gradually tapering to a ridge at the top. About 96 feet high, the gopura of the temple is adorned with images of gods and goddesses. Unlike most of the Ganapati idols, the trunk of the Ganapati idol of this temple bends towards the right and is regarded as a living idol, ready to bless communities with good luck, wisdom, prosperity, and happiness. The idol is embellished with solid gold, weighing 125 kilograms.

The Ganesh Temple at Tasgaon is well known for the tradition of the 235-year-old rath yatra. The grand celebration occurs in the temple on the next day of Bhadrapat Chaturthi when thousands of people gather to celebrate this auspicious occasion. This festival is a cultural and religious event helping the people to unit together. The procession starts in the afternoon for the immersion of Ganpati. The 30 feet 'Ratha' (chariot) used to decorate especially for this occasion. Ratha is pulled by the Ganpati devotees up to stream where they do immersion of Ganpati. This tradition is being continued since 1785.

Timings: 6 AM - 12 PM & 2 PM - 8.30 PM

Entry: Free