The Pune of 1980s and 1990s has changed dramatically. It is now a growing metropolis. The core of Pune are the 17 peths which form part of the old city now. There is hardly any city in the world like Pune where to history of the city has been centered around these old peths or localities and around one iconic place in particular in Sadashiv Peth – Saras Bagh.
The oldest temple in India is believed to be around 1900 years old. The oldest city, Kashi was believed to be established by Shiva around 5000 years ago. The Pataleshwar Caves at Jangli Maharaj Road dates to the year 800 which is officially the oldest structure in Pune. It was however the entry of Peshwas in Pune which suddenly changed the fortunes of this city with Saras Baug as the Crown Jewel.
About Shri Siddhivinayak Ganesh Mandir
Saras Bagh is a square shaped garden which once housed a lake. In the center is a temple, the Shri Siddhivinayak Ganesh Mandir. The idol in this temple has the trunk curved towards the right. This signifies that the religious rituals performed in this temple are different from other temples and the devotees and worshippers too follow strict discipline and reverence towards Siddhivinayak.
The temple remains open throughout the day, however the garden closes for lunch time between 12 to 4 pm. There are some serious and strict rules around the temple and park. Here are the most important of them.
- You are not allowed to speak loudly or play music inside the temple premises. Same rule applies to the garden complex.
- They usually allow some kind of photography with professional camera in the garden area but photoshoots or wedding photography is not allowed. Within the temple premises all kind of photography is prohibited.
- Dress decently and avoid shorts and sleeveless T shirts. Anything flashy will be frowned upon.
- There is no pooja or any such activity conducted inside the temple premises. A basket of flowers, garland and modak is all that you can offer.
- You can carry a small bag or utility stuff but it will be checked and eatables are not allowed.
- I have not seen entry of pets in the garden area.
- There is a lake surrounding the temple which has number of birds and fishes. There are no clear cut rules about feeding. But mostly I have seen no one doing so in all my visits.
The temple in run by Dev Deveshwar Sansthan which originated at Parvati after the first temple was constructed by the Peshwas, Shree Devdeveshwar Temple in 1749. Construction of the next temple began the very next year. This Sansthan now manages six different temple complexes in and around Pune.
History of Saras Baug
During the 20 year rule of the 8th Peshwa, Nana Saheb, a number of developmental projects were undertaken all across the Maratha Empire. He united all the clans like the Holkars, Bhonsales, Scindias, Gaekwads, etc together under his banner. Maratha Empire ruled stretched from present day Pakistan to West Bengal and to Karnataka in the South.
The development of Saras Bagh begins with the construction of an artificial lake at the foot hills of Parvati. An island is created in the middle of the lake in 1750. First a beautiful garden is created on the island followed by the construction of the temple itself. In those days it was an engineering challenge. The lake was primarily constructed to cater for the water requirements of Pune which was expanding due to influence of Peshwas. The name ‘Saras Bagh’ was given by Nana Saheb. It took 34 years for the temple to be constructed. In the year 1784, the idol of Ganpati was placed by Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa. 2034 will mark 250 years of the construction of the temple!
The original statue was installed by the Peshwa himself but was replaced in 1882 and then again in 1990. The present statue is a pristine white and has been made by artists from Rajasthan.
Once the temple was ready, it was only accessible by boat. Peshwa used to visit the temple with his advisors. The boat ride was used to discuss important state matters. Rumour is that the Peshwas employed African boatmen who did not understand the local language.
Everyone has contributed to the development of Saras Bagh over the years. After the Marathas, the British and East India Company did some work. For a long time after independence the park surrounding the temple was not maintained well. But the present govt and local authorities now have transformed this place into a wonder.
Location of Saras Bagh
Saras Baug is well connected by all means of transport but it would be a good option to reach there by a shared ride on a two wheeler. If you are reaching by own car, there is a pay and park facility nearby the Peshwa Energy Park. Public bus transport network is also good but you will need to use Google Maps as a guide for bus routes.
Here is a link to the video of the place. Since there was a lot of security around, this video is quite small and just a representative glimpse.