The Chintamani is a stone imbued with the power to realize any wish made by its owner. Once the sage Kapil, who had the Chintamani, invited a prince, Prince Guna, to his forest home and entertained him lavishly with the help of the stone. But the aggressive Guna, impressed with its powers, snatched it forcibly from Kapil. The great sage prayed for help to Ganesha, who fought Guna and successfully retrieved the stone. Kapil though, no longer desired it and placed it around Ganesha’s neck in gratitude, giving Ganesha the name Chintamani Vinayak.
Approximately 22 km from Pune, the temple is located close to where the Mula, Mutha and Bhima rivers meet. A lake surrounding it on three sides is called Kadambateertha, after the Kadamb tree beneath which Ganesha battled the greedy Guna.
Chinta means worry and anxiety. It is believed that those who seek peace of mind should worship Chintamani Vinayak for relief from their woes.
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