Varadavinayak Temple, Mahad, in Mahad (near Khopoli) in Maharashtra, is a shrine to Ganesha worshipped as Varadavinayaka (the Vinayaka who grants boons), a self-manifested (swayambhu) idol facing east with its trunk turned to the left. It is also known as Varad Vinayak, Shri Varadvinayak Ganpati Mandir.
Varadavinayak is the 4th temple in the traditional Ashtavinayak pilgrimage sequence (after Morgaon, Siddhatek and Pali, and before Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar and Ranjangaon). It is worshipped as the Ganesha form who grants boons and success to devotees. The Ganesha idol was found in a submerged state in a nearby lake in 1690 AD by one Dhondu Paudkar.
Maharashtra carries a distinct temple identity of its own: From Mumbai's beloved Siddhivinayak and Shirdi's Sai Baba to five of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the Varkari heart of Pandharpur, Maharashtra weaves together Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta devotion.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:30 AM - 9:00 PM |
Multiple sources report the temple open continuously from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM with no midday closure. Specific daily aarti times were not found in available sources; Magha Chaturthi (Maghi Ganesh Jayanti) is noted as drawing especially large crowds.
Poojas and daily rituals
Panchamrut Puja reported around 8:00 AM (per templepurohit.com); exact daily aarti schedule not independently confirmed.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Bhadrapada month (August/September) | Major annual festival for Ganesha temples across Maharashtra. |
| Magha Ganesh Jayanti (Maghi Utsav) | Magha month (January/February) | Considered especially significant at Varadavinayak; large crowds gather, and local tradition holds that coconut prasad from this festival brings blessings of progeny. |
History and architecture
Architecture
A modest, simply designed shrine with a tiled roof and a dome about 25 feet high topped with a golden pinnacle carved with a cobra motif. The compact sanctum (roughly 8 ft by 8 ft) is guarded by four stone elephant idols at its sides, with subsidiary images of Mushika (Ganesha's mouse vehicle), the Navagraha deities and a Shivalinga on the premises, which adjoin a small pond. Devotees are allowed to enter the garbhagriha itself to pay direct homage, unusual among the Ashtavinayak shrines. An oil lamp here is reported to have burned continuously since 1892.
History
The Ganesha idol was found in a submerged state in a nearby lake in 1690 AD by one Dhondu Paudkar. The current temple structure was built or restored around 1725 AD by the Peshwa-era general Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar. Local legend links the site to the penance of the sage Gritsamada, who is said to have received Ganesha's blessing here.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Nearest railway station: Khopoli, about 7 km away; Karjat station (about 17 km) offers broader rail connections. Nearest airport: Mumbai (about 75 km). By road, the temple is about 88 km from Pune, 74 km from Mumbai, 20 km from Lonavala and 17 km from Karjat, with state buses running from Khopoli, Karjat and nearby towns.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Core history, architecture and timings are corroborated across Wikipedia and independent travel sources; entry fee and dress code details reflect general pilgrimage guidance rather than an officially posted rule.