Hidden Stories: a Peshwa-era Pune temple that is looking to influencers for survival

Indian Express

2 days ago

Also by Kavyaa Masurkar
A sculpture of three British soldiers near a chained rhinoceros serves as a reminder of the grim days of India's colonisation, especially the Battle of Plassey in 1757 after which the British captured Bengal. Another sculpture points towards a little-known myth of Lingodbhava in which Shiva takes the form of a column of fire to resolve an argument between Vishnu and Brahma over who was superior. These stories, carved in stone, can be found in a surprising location – the Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir in Somwar Peth.
Multi-storeyed buildings tower over Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir on all sides, but like a timeless cave that it resembles, the temple effortlessly dominates the landscape. Made entirely of basalt rock and richly studded with sculptures, the temple was constructed between 1754 and 1770. Though Pune has undergone great changes over the centuries, the temple has stood the test of time.
Devotees flock here for darshan every day but the temple also attracts a crowd that is curious over the late Peshwa-era architecture, the blend of Rajasthani, Malwa and South Indian elements in the entrance design and the intriguing carvings that connect with 250 years of history.
A mahant's vision
The Shri Trishunda Ganpati Mandir was the vision of Bhimjigiri Gosavi, a mahant from Dhampur near Indore who had moved to Pune. The chief deity is Trishund Mayureshwar Ganapati, i.e. Lord Ganesh with three trunks – trishund – and six arms, sitting astride a peacock. 'We believe the idol is from the Peshwa era, but there is no documentation for this or any information of when or how it arrived here,' says Harshad Vijay Barlal, a sevak of the temple trust.
Another unique feature of the temple is an underground chamber that contains the samadhi of Bhimjigiri Gosavi. Only once a year, on Guru Purnima, is this part of the temple opened to the public and queues form from the early hours. 'The disciples of Bhimjigiri Gosavi used to come on Guru Purnima to meet him, starting the tradition of the basement chamber being opened only on this day,' says Sachin Pawar, karyakarta of the temple and the Trishunda Ganapati Vijay Mandal Trust.
On Guru Purnima this year, which fell on July 10, the temple received a record number of visitors. 'There were 75,000 to 1 lakh people who waited for five to six hours to enter,' says Pawar. The basement sanctum is accessed through narrow passage ways, halls, steep steps and a natural spring – making the temple one of its kind in the city.
Significantly, the temple contains two inscriptions in Sanskrit and one in Farsi, the former mentioning its construction period and the consecration of Lord Rameshar (Shiva) while the latter states that the temple is dedicated to Gurudev Dattatreya. It is at the temple that one can also find a sculpture of the mythical guardian creature, Gajasimha, who has the face of an elephant and the body of a lion.
Efforts towards preservation and publicity
Look closely, however, and you will notice the signs of age catching up with the temple. The elements have eroded the stonework in places, flattening or breaking the surfaces and several sculptures. 'Maintenance is a challenge. The temple was built in a different era and needs special care. If we put marble or paint, we would be destroying its original aesthetics. But it needs treatment. We are making a project in consultation with historians and architecture experts. There are a number of new temples being constructed in India but, here we are, struggling to preserve this historic one,' says Pawar.
The committee has approached the Pune Municipal Corporation and the collector's office, among others, for support. 'Around 15-20 years ago, we realised that nobody was going to donate a large sum of money to the temple. We decided to make efforts to spread awareness about the temple. It was ironic that few people in Pune were aware of the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir, including people in our neighbourhood,' he says.
The karyakartas began to talk about the temple, creating word-of-mouth publicity. They distributed pamphlets in shops and public spaces. They made the most of the Internet. 'Social media has come as a boon. In the last five or six years, there have been many viral reels of the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir. These get lakhs of views. Suddenly, we are hearing about the Trishunda Ganapati Mandir from different people in different parts of the country,' says Pawar.
The crowds have increased. Influencer feeds are boosting the popularity of the temple. 'On Guru Purnima this year, I spoke to people who had come from villages and towns far outside Pune. The interest of the people gives us hope that the mandir that has lasted 250 years will be here for the next 250 years as well,' says Pawar.
Dipanita Nath is interested in the climate crisis and sustainability. She has written extensively on social trends, heritage, theatre and startups. She has worked with major news organizations such as Hindustan Times, The Times of India and Mint. ... Read More