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Saras Ganesh Mandir / Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple Pune Address: Sarasbaug, Pune, MH Saras Baug, Pune, Maharashtra, 411030, India
The Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple, devoted to Lord Ganesha, is one of the sacred and popular shrines in Pune, Maharashtra. The temple was built in 1784 by Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa. However, its history dates back to 1750, when Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa had commissioned development of a lake at the foot of the Parvati Hills.
The lake was developed in such a way that an area of 25000 sq ft. was retained as an island in the middle to make it a garden, which Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa named as ‘Sarasbaug’, after its completion. This is the garden where the Ganesha Temple was built later by Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa. Hence, the shrine is known as Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple.
Since the temple was situated at the middle of the lake, it was also called as Talyatla Ganpati, meaning Ganpati of lake. Shri Devdeveshwar Institute, Parvati, Kothrud presently maintains the temple.
The main sanctum of the temple houses a small, beautiful idol of Siddhivinayak Gajanan. There is a popular belief that anyone who comes here and worships for 21 days, each day at the same time, their wish gets fulfilled. The original statue of the deity that was made of Kurund stone was replaced in 1882 and the existing white marble idol, made by Rajasthani artisans, was installed in 1990.
There is a museum, Children Park, gift shop, a lush garden with tall trees, parking space and other small shops in the premises. Thousands of devotees and tourists visit this temple on a daily basis. This number goes up when special festivals like Ganesha Chaturthi are celebrated in the shrine.
History of Pune Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple
In the 18th century, after completion of the Devdeveshwar Temple - built on the top of the Parvati Hills - Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa, who built this temple, wanted to enhance the surroundings of the Parvati Hills through beautification. Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa (also known as Balaji Baji Rao) was the 8th Peshwa (Chief Minister) of the Maratha Empire. He commissioned construction of a lake near the foot of the Parvati Hills; the plan was to use the lake for boating.
The excavation for the lake began in 1750. An island of 25000 sq ft. was retained in the middle of the lake, where later a beautiful garden was built. Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa named the garden as ‘Sarasbaug’. In 1784, Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa – the 12th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire - built a small temple in the middle of the island dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
The Pune Municipality, under whose administration the Sarasbaug Isle came to be in 1861, was finding it difficult to maintain the lake; this resulted in breeding of mosquitoes. Thus, it was decided to fill a major part of the lake with debris, on which later a garden was developed while the rest area was transformed into a paved moat around the temple.
The original Lord Ganesha statue in the temple was made of Kurund stone. It was replaced in 1882 and then again, another statue made of white marble was installed in the sanctum in 1990. In 1995, a small museum was built in the temple complex, where several forms and images of Lord Ganesha were put on display.
Between 1995 and 2000, a small zoo was also established in the premises; however, the animals were later transferred to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research.
Festivals like Ganesha Chaturthi, Sankashti Chaturthi, Makar Sankranti, Holi and Diwali are celebrated in the temple. Among these, the most important one is the Ganesha Chaturthi, which is celebrated with great pomp and joy. During this occasion, a fair is also organized in the premises.
Architecture of Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple in Pune, Maharashtra
The Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple has Maratha style architecture. When built in 1784, it was quite small in size; however, continuous modifications have been done over the 200 years to enhance its structural beauty. There was only one entrance to the sanctum; however, today there are three. Restoration work at the temple was done in 1969, during which the edifice of the temple was also constructed. This new structure was inaugurated in 1977. The hall in front of the sanctum was extended and also two more additional halls were built on the sides.
The lake, which was once surrounding the temple, has now been converted into a paved moat around it, where fish and turtles can be seen and the charming lotus flowers.
Image Gallery of Saras Ganesh Mandir / Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple Pune
Things to do at Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple in Pune
On a visit to this sacred place, tourists can spend quality time at the museum and the serene gardens in the premises, besides paying their respects at the shrine. They can explore the wonderful images and various forms of Lord Ganesha kept on display at the museum. Those who wish to relax a bit can choose to roam around the campus or sit in the lush gardens while children can enjoy at the children’s park.
After visiting the Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple, tourists can head to other nearby popular shrines like Parvati Temple, Shri Mahalaxmi Temple and Shri Shwetambar Jain Temple. The Parvati Temple, dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, is only 1 km away while the Shri Mahalaxmi Temple, which is devoted to Goddess Mahalaxmi, is only at a distance of 500 m. Devoted to the Shwetambar Jains, Shri Shwetambar Jain Temple is located only 300 m away.
Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple Entry Fee and Timings
The entry into the Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple is free of cost. However, there is a nominal entry fee of Rs.5 to visit the museum in the premises. Devotees can visit the shrine as early as 5:00 am. The closing time of the temple is 8:00 pm. It remains open on all days.
A typical day at the temple begins with Sansthan Panchamrut Puja at 5:30 am. The Morning Aarti is performed at 6:40 am while the Evening Aarti is scheduled at 7:15 pm.
How to Reach Pune Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple
Tourists can easily reach this temple from any part of the Pune city by availing a private taxi from top car rental companies in Pune and auto rickshaws. The distance between Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple and the Pune International Airport is about 14 km. The distance from the Pune Railway Station to the shrine is about 6 km.
Tourists coming from nearby cities by bus to Pune can get down at MSRTC Bus Depot, which is about 6 km away from here, and then take a taxi or auto rickshaw. It takes around 17 minutes to reach Saras Baug Road, both from the railway station and the bus depot.
Things to keep in mind while visiting Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple, Pune
- Wearing conservative clothes inside the campus is advised.
- Photography is not allowed inside the temple.
- Paid parking facility is available.
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