சித்திவிநாயகர் கோயில், சித்ததேக்Siddhivinayak Temple, Siddhatek

Sthala Mahātmyam

The Siddhivinayak Temple of Siddhatek, standing on the northern bank of the Bhima river, is the second in the religious sequence of the Ashtavinayaka and the only one located in Ahmednagar (Ahilyanagar) district. It is the sole Ashtavinayaka shrine where Ganesha's trunk turns to the right, the form named Siddhi-Vinayaka, giver of accomplishment (siddhi), believed very powerful but hard to please. Sthala mahatmya: when the demons Madhu and Kaitabha, born of the dirt in Vishnu's ear, disturbed Brahma's work of creation, Vishnu battled them for ages in vain until Shiva revealed that he had not first invoked Ganesha; Vishnu then propitiated Ganapati upon this hillock, attained siddhi, and destroyed the demons, giving the place its name. The self-formed north-facing murti, about three feet tall, is enshrined in a brass sanctum. Devotees perform a circumambulation of the whole hill. The present structure is associated with Ahilyabai Holkar and the Peshwa era. Festivals: Ganesh Chaturthi, Maghi Ganesh Jayanti and Somavati Amavasya are chief observances.