How often have we been thwarted in an enterprise by an unforeseen obstacle? Vighna, in Sanskrit, is the term for such unfortunate occurrences. In order to block King Abhinandan's ambitions of conquering the heavens, the god Indra brought into existence, the demonic Vighnasura, creator of obstacles. Vighnasura successfully stopped Abhinandan in his tracks, but then proceeded to spread havoc on earth. The gods prayed to Ganesha for deliverance. In the fight that ensued, Vighnasura surrendered to Ganesha, pleading for mercy. The Lord agreed to spare his life, on the condition that he would never appear where Ganesha was worshipped. Vighnasura agreed, with another request, that Ganesha incorporate the demon’s name with his own. Thus, Vighneswara, or "Conqueror of Obstacles".
Ozhar, the site of this temple, is a small town located off the Pune-Nashik highway. The temple stands on the banks of the River Kukdi and possibly dates back to 1785 AD. A high stone wall protects the shrine; from here, it is possible to view the Lenyadri Mountain, the site of the Girijatmaj Temple.
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