Guess who dropped by the famous Dagadusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple during his visit to Pune? None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself!
Now, you might be wondering what brought him to this temple in particular. Well, besides soaking in the wonderful vibes of the place, PM Modi was here to receive the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award. Talk about an honor!
But wait, there's more! Our beloved Prime Minister also took the time to lay the foundation stone for some exciting development projects in the city. And the cherry on top? He inaugurated the Pune Metro rail services!
Pune's Treasures: The Riches of Dagadusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple
Now, what makes this visit even more special is that PM Modi became the very first serving Prime Minister to perform puja at this incredible temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
By the way, this temple is not just your regular run-of-the-mill place of worship. It's managed by the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Trust and is considered one of the richest temples in the entire state. It's no wonder that devotees flock here, believing that Lord Ganapati grants their wishes.
In fact, during the temple's 125th-year anniversary celebrations in 2017, the jewelry collection alone was worth a staggering Rs 15 crores. Crafted by more than 40 talented artisans over five months, the collection boasted 60,000 precious stones, including emeralds and rubies. Whoa!
Now, here's an interesting tidbit: the temple is named after Dagdusheth Halwai, a man who moved to Pune from Karnataka and built the temple as a tribute to his late son. It's heartwarming to see how this place holds such significance in people's lives, from dignitaries like former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandra Shekhar, and I K Gujral to the more recent visitors like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, just to name a few.
The temple is bustling during the ten-day Ganeshotsav celebration in Maharashtra, where they hold five maha artis daily. Can you imagine the energy and devotion during that time? It's absolutely electric!
So, if you're ever in Pune, make sure to swing by the Dagadusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple for a memorable experience. And who knows, maybe you'll get lucky, and Lord Ganapati will grant your travel wishes too!
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