Cintāmaṇī, the fifth Gaṇeśa in the Aṣṭavināyakas of Maharashtra, is located in Theur village, 25 km from Pune city on the bank of the river Mula-Mutha, surrounded by the river on three sides. The village can be reached from Theur Phata on the Pune-National Highway. 

It is said that Cintāmaṇī Mahārāja Deva, son of the famous devotee of Gaṇeśa Morayā Gosāvī of Chinchvad, rebuilt a Gaṇeśa temple here probably during the 16th -17th century. Subsequently, during the era of his descendants Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja Deva and Dharaṇīdhara Mahārāja Deva, the prominence of this temple increased manifold. Mādhavarāo Peśavā, who reigned from 1761 to 1772, constructed a teakwood hall in front of the temple. As is well known, the Peśavā family were devout followers of Lord Gaṇeśa. Mādhavarāo Peśavā was brought to this location at the age of 27 due to tuberculosis and passed away in the presence of Lord Gaṇeśa.

Cintāmaṇī temple.

Legends: The Mudgala Purāṇa have three legends that establish this place as one of the Aṣṭavināyakas.

According to the first legend, Lord Brahmā experienced a decline in his creative powers due to instability in his mind. To regain his peace of mind, he performed penance dedicated to Lord Gaṇeśa. As a result, the instability in his mind was dispelled, restoring his calmness and stability. In recognition of the site where he gained this newfound clarity and power, Lord Brahmā named it 'Sthāvara Kṣetra.' and subsequently established the Cintāmaṇī idol.

According to another legend, the royal couple Abhijīta and Guṇavatī, blessed by Brahmā, had a son named 'Gaṇa,' who turned out to be a demon. Kapila Munī fed Gaṇarāja with the power of ' ‘Cintāmaṇī gem'. Lusting after that gem, he snatched it from the sage. Kapila Munī worshipped Vināyaka, fought with the demon, killed him, and regained the gem. God took the name Cintāmaṇī and lived permanently under the tree where this incident occurred. It is also known as ‘Kadamba Tīrtha’.

According to the third legend, Gautama Munī cursed Indra for cheating on the sage's wife, Ahalyā, and Indra begged for forgiveness. The sages showed him how to eliminate the curse's effects by worshipping Gaṇeśa with the six-syllable (ṣaḍākṣarī) mantra. The place where Indra attained purity and freedom from anxiety is the same place where he consecrated Gaṇeśa and named the adjacent lake Cintāmaṇī. Theur village is called 'Kadambapur' as this legend takes place under the Kadamba tree. It is believed that the rituals performed here grant peace and stability to the seeker's mind.

Cintāmaṇī Gaṇeśa.

Morayā Gosāvī's penance place

Morayā Gosāvī arrived in Theur following the instructions of his guru, Nayan Bhāratī Gosāvī. Pleased to learn about the area's spiritual significance from the local villagers, he visited the Cintāmaṇī shrine and began his penance. Seeking solitude, he found a spot known today as the ‘Seat of Morayā.’ Despite the severe weather conditions, he meditated for forty-two days without consuming food or water, ultimately achieving a state of samādhī. During this period, he survived a tiger attack that mysteriously became non-threatening. Unaware of the incident, Morayā Gosāvī continued his meditation after the tiger departed.

Upon completing his forty-two days of penance, the presiding deity of the Cintāmaṇī shrine appeared before him, pleased by his unwavering devotion. The deity said that as a result of his penance, it will willingly incarnate through him. It exhorted him to embrace the life of a householder and pursue Svadharma with full devotion to God. Initially hesitant, fearing a breach of his vow of celibacy, Morayā Gosāvī was reassured by Cintāmaṇī that he would remain steadfast in his spiritual commitment. Furthermore, his son would be born with distinctive marks indicating his divine origins: the Khecarī mudrā and a vermillion claw on his chest.

Thus, Cintāmaṇī Mahārāja Deva, the son of Morayā Gosāvī, is considered to be the incarnation of Cintāmaṇī Gaṇēsha of Theur.

The Architecture of Cintāmaṇī Gaṇeśa Temple

The Cintāmaṇī temple is enclosed by a fencing wall with a main gate on its north. The temple has a wooden maṇḍapa, a stone sabhā maṇḍapa, and a garbhagṛha. As soon as one enters the temple from the main entrance, the lamp pillar and the Śamī and Mandāra trees catch one's attention. A huge bell is hanging in the temple courtyard, which Cimājī Appā, a Marāṭhā general, captured from the Portuguese during his conquest of Vasai.

The idol in the garbhagṛha of Cintāmaṇī Temple is self-manifested (Svayambhū), left-turned trunk, seated, and facing east. He has red beads and diamonds in both his eyes. The wooden maṇḍapa has a black stone water fountain in it. The temple's exterior is plain and simple, and the Śikhara on the temple has been restored with bricks. The overall structure of the temple shows that it was built in the 18th century.

The temple also has other small shrines, such as Viṣṇu-Lakṣmī temple, Mahādeva temple, and Dakṣiṇa-mukhī Hanumāna temple.

A wooden maṇḍapa

The Portuguese bell.

The idol in the garbhagṛha of Cintāmaṇī Temple.

Śikhara on the temple.

The Viṣṇu-Lakṣmī temple.

Viṣṇu image.

An idol of Gaṇeśa, known as 'Lambodara Gaṇeśa,' is located to the west, behind the Cintāmaṇī temple. The Mudgala Purāṇa identifies Lambodara as the deity overseeing the western direction. Another Gaṇeśa idol, named Uttareśvara, is established in the northern direction. Additionally, several sculptures and hero stones can be found in front of the Mahādeva temple. The Peśavā family constructed a stone road that stretches from the Mahādvāra of the temple to the riverbank. A notable addition to the temple complex is an oil painting of Mādhavarāo Peśavā, which has been installed in one of the cloisters.

The Mahādeva temple.

Dakṣiṇa-mukhī Hanumāna temple.

A statue of Mādhavarāo Peśavā.

Pilgrimage and festivals at Theur: Bhādrapada Dvārayātrā

The Dvārayātrā pilgrimage starts from Theur and lasts four days, from Bhādrapada Śuddha Pratipadā to Bhādrapada Śuddha Caturthī. The meaning of the word 'Dvāra' is a door. Dvārayātrā is a tradition of visiting four holy places in the Theur area and offering prayers.

Over time, various family branches of Morya Gosavi and their descendants emerged. They are often called ‘Deva’ families. They visited Theur occasionally to worship Chintamani. The Piraṅguṭakara Deva family performs the four Dvāra yātrās at Theur during this time. Similarly, Hinjavāḍīkara, Urūḷīkara, and Jāmbekara Deva families come with the holy stone of Cintāmaṇī received by Kākā Mahārāja (one of the descendants of Moraya Gosavi). On the fourth day of Dvārayātrā, Cintāmaṇī's idol from Theur is carried in a palanquin to the temple of Mahatarī Devī, a village deity in the same village.

On the first day, after regular baths and worship at the Śuddha Pratipadā, the pilgrims depart with the sound of musical instruments. First, everyone reaches the Vyāghra stone, Morayā Gosāvī's penance place on the banks of Mula-Mutha. It is also known as the ‘Seat for Morayā Gosāvī.’ After worshiping that place, Āsarāī Devī at Koregaon is worshipped as the first door (Dvāra). As per tradition, worship, singing, prasāda, etc., are done there. After that, the pilgrims return to Theur.

The second day of the celebrations centres around the worship of Ozarāī Devī in a village called Mhātobā Ālandī. On the third day, the palanquin first rests at a place called 'Visāvā'. At night, Piraṅguṭakara Deva and Hinjavaḍīkara Deva perform Mahāpūjā of Cintāmaṇī and offerings are made. Pālakhī of Gaṇeśa, which takes place on every Vināyaka Caturthī, is completed at eleven-thirty at night on Bhādrapada Śuddha Caturthī. At that time, Gaṇeśa's idol is fully dressed. At two o'clock at night, Piraṅguṭakara Deva and Hinjavaḍīkara Deva perform the music of twenty-one padās in the tradition of Morayā Gosāvī. It is almost six in the morning when the last verse is presented. After that, the 'dāṇḍiyā' game is played by spilling the gulāl.

On the day of Caturthī, a palanquin is included in the procession. This fourth-day pūjā concludes near Mahatarī Devī in the Acacia Forest, which is the village deity of Theur. During this period, pilgrims complete their journey by singing and chanting various hymns in the tradition of Morayā Gosāvī. Raṅgolīs are drawn all around as Caturthī is celebrated. Firecrackers are set off. On this day, Maṭakī Usala is offered to Cintāmaṇī as per tradition. The Hinjavaḍīkara Deva family organises Mahāprasāda on the Pañcamī. All the pilgrims break the Caturthī fast by accepting this prasāda. As stated by Morayā Gosāvī in his padā, devotees who travel to these 'four dvāras' are believed to fulfil their desires and hearts.

A similar pilgrimage and celebration also take place in the month of Māgha. Following the Māgha Śuddha Pañcamī celebrations in Morgaon, the Gaṇeśa idol (Maṅgalamūrtī) procession arrives at Theur on Māgha Śuddha Aṣṭamī. It is said that Morayā Gosāvī would travel alone, carrying the Gaṇeśa idol tied to his stomach. Later, Cintāmaṇī Mahārāja initiated this yātrā with all the devotees. Previously, the idol of Gaṇeśa was transported on horseback, but it is now brought in a chariot by the Chinchvad Devasthāna Trust.

Other Annual Events 

Theur celebrates twelve festivals yearly, including Dussehra, Divālī, Pāḍavā, and Saṅkrānta. During these festivities, the Cintāmaṇī temple is adorned with Peśavā-period jewellery and clothes after the Mahāpujā. The Bhādrapada Śuddha Pūrṇimā sees the organisation of 'Gaṇeśa Yājña'; Cintāmaṇī is also worshipped on Deva Divālī. Additionally, the Chinchvad Devasthāna Trust celebrates Kārtika Vādya Aṣṭamī as Ramā-Mādhava Memorial Day, honouring the memory of Mādhavarāo Peśavā and Satī Ramābāī. Theur hosts various programs throughout the year, with Chabinā (a procession of deity) taking place every Sankaṣṭī and Vināyakī Caturthī. The Cintāmaṇī Gaṇeśa temple is decorated and dressed up for every festival.

The Mahatarī temple.

Goddess Mahatarī.

Concluding Remark: The Khaḍakeśvara Shiva Temple is an important ancient temple located on the banks of the Mula-Mutha River in the village of Theur. Near the temple, one can find old sculptures of Lord Gaṇeśa, Lord Viṣṇu, hero stones, Nandī, Śivaliṅga, among others. These sculptures, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, stand as a testament to the area's rich historical heritage. Theur, revered for the worship and glory of Lord Gaṇeśa, has become a significant site for the Gāṇapatya sect. Additionally, the temple complex houses shrines dedicated to the parents of Cintāmaṇi, Mādhava and Sumedhā Devī, as well as temples dedicated to Kālikā and Bhairavanātha.