- October 18, 2022
Bade Ganesh
The temple situated above the tank near the Mahakaleshwar temple is dedicated to Ganesh, the son of Shiva. It houses a large and artistic sculpture of Ganesh, which is rare to find in terms of both size and beauty. The Ganesh idol enshrined here is believed to be swayambhu, meaning born of itself.
Apart from the impressive Ganesh idol, the middle of the temple features an idol of Pancha-mukhi (five-faced) Hanuman. This adds to the spiritual significance of the temple. The temple also serves as a place for learning Sanskrit and Astrology, providing a holistic space for both worship and education.
The deity in this temple is traditionally known as Chintaharan Ganesh, signifying “the assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties.” Devotees flock to this temple to seek blessings and relief from their worries, making it a significant place of worship in Ujjain.
In the middle of the Ganesha temple lies a unique idol of loyalty and faith, that of the monkey-god, Hanuman. Nowhere else but in this temple Hanuman is depicted with five faces. Known as Panchamukhi (five-faced), Hanuman here symbolises courage, loyalty, devotion, strength, and righteousness. The Ganesha temple is also an important centre of learning. This reflects on the status of temples in ancient Vedic times, circa 1500 b.c. when houses of prayer were study centres too. This practice is prevalent even today in the South Indian temple complexes where idols are worshiped and religious teachings are imparted.
In Ujjain, the Bade Ganesha Ji Temple is an institute for teaching astrology and Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language considered the root of other Indian languages.