Jhansi, April 25 (). In the historical city of Jhansi, where the stories of bravery of the brave queen Rani Lakshmibai echo on every wall and every stone, there is a wonderful ancient temple of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, located right at the entrance of the Jhansi Fort. This temple is not only famous for its unique architecture and devotion, but is also known for its historical story.
This ancient Ganesh temple not only holds religious importance but is also an important part of the cultural and historical heritage of Jhansi. A large number of devotees come here to seek blessings from Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles.
In this ancient temple of Shri Ganesh, the brave queen Lakshmibai used to worship daily. The structure of the temple has a special dome like structure, which is an example of the magnificent workmanship of ancient architecture. A beautiful marble idol of Lord Ganesha is installed inside the temple, whose divine face shines.
In 1842, the marriage of Raja Gangadhar Rao and Manikarnika Tambe (later named Rani Lakshmibai) took place in this temple. Amidst the sacred rituals and ceremonies, Manikarnika got the name of ‘Rani Lakshmibai’. Legend has it that Rani Lakshmibai used to visit this temple regularly to worship Lord Ganesha and get strength and peace of mind from him.
There is a little mystery in history regarding the construction of the temple. It is believed that this temple was built around 1760 AD. Some historians believe that Vishwas Rao Laxman, the Subedar of Jhansi under the Maratha Peshwas, got it built, while others say that Raghunath Rao Newalkar, the founder of the Newalkar dynasty, laid its foundation. However, one thing is certain that even today this temple remains a symbol of unwavering faith and reverence of the older generations.
The biggest specialty of Ganesh temple is that the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated here with great pomp. Even today, local people worship in this temple before bringing the Ganesh idol to their homes. This tradition has been going on even before the time of Rani Laxmibai.
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MT/ABM