Chintaman Ganesh Temple

This Ganesha stone temple is located in the middle of the market and dates back to 11th and 12th centuries when the Paramaras ruled over Malwa. The finely-carved stone pillars in the assembly hall and the white shrine define the age-old sanctity of the temple. A boadi that is within the premises is associated with the myth of Shri Ram who on his return from Lanka after killing Ravana, passed this way and on feeling thirsty asked his brother to fetch some water. Laxman on not finding water anywhere pierced the earth with his arrow from where emerged Ganga quenching their thirst and making the site sacred.

Worshippers throng to this temple because the deity here is traditionally known as Chintaharan Ganesh meaning “the assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties”.

The temple is mentioned in ‘Prabandha Chintamani’ treatise. The mandapa and the garbhagriha have a granite shikhar over the domed roof. The temple sits in premises protected with a fortification wall with an entrance gate. The temple, which was of Parmara times originally, was reconstructed during Maratha period. It consists of pradakshina patha and mandapa constructed out of artistically carved sandstone pillars in the assembly hall date back to the Paramara period.