Information of Bohra Ganesh Ji Temple, Udaipur, Rajasthan

People in Mewar, alike other parts of Rajasthan tend to worship Lord Ganesh prior to worshipping other Gods and Goddesses. Udaipur is among one of the town that has innumerable temples of Lord Ganesh which are basically crowded by a huge number of devotees everyday. Among such temples, one of them has been the Bohra Ganeshji temple which is situated near Mohanlal Sukhadia University where the idol of Ganesh is worshipped in its standing from. The temple has been of great significance for the Udaipurites. The temple is said to be around 350 years old and was constructed outside the city boundary generally referred to as Borganesh. However, in the present times, the neighboring area is referred to as Bohra Ganesh.

Bohra Ganesh Ji Temple Religious Significance

The temple tends to attract huge number of devotees towards it especially on Wednesday as it is considered to be Ganeshji's day. During the time of Ganesh Chaturthi, it becomes quite difficult for the security guards to monitor the crowd throughout day and night. It is believed that the entire holy event such as marriage or new purchases if started with the worship of Lord Ganesh will be done happily with the blessings on this deity.

Bohra Ganesh Ji Temple Mythology & History

The derivation of the name of the temple is quite interesting. It is said that 70-80 years ago, people requiring money for the purpose of marriage or business would write on a slip of paper and leave it before the Ganeshji temple. Devotees would get the amount of money they required soon but it had to be returned back with interest. However, according to the temple priest named Pankaj Joshi 'God stopped this practice of offering money when people did not return back the money with interest. In the present times, a person with full faith upon Lord Ganesh tends to attain what they had desired for. A person lending the money is known as Bohra. Hence, Lord Ganesh temple is known as Bohra Ganesh. It is said that in the beginning, the Maharanas used to offer gold to the goldsmith and made ornaments for Ganeshji. In the past, Sindoor paste was applied upon the idol and adorned with coloured malipanna. These materials made the idol appear thick. After an effort made to remove the extra layers, through miracle all the layers felt off automatically and after that time ghee, itra and golden vark is used to decorate the idol.

Bohra Ganesh Ji Temple Architectural Significance

The temple is quite old and situated in the outskirts of the town. The way to this temple is amidst lush green vegetation and tall trees. The extended part of this temple is basically used for the purpose of numerous devotional programs such as Keertan, bhajan and prasaadi. Though the temple is beautifully carved, still it requires attention of the people in order to increase its life. At present renovation of the temple is going on and soon after the completion of the temple, it shall turn into a marvel in terms of looks. The idol has faced towards the east and is in dancing pose. The idol is considered as Chamatkari or magical. As a symbol of him, devotees tend to carry stone from the temple that basically represents the God himself. The Lord is adorned with garlands and clothes made up of Zari. The worship and care of the temple is done by a Joshi family and the priest is changed every Wednesday so that everyone gets a chance to serve the God collectively.