Would you believe if I tell you that there is a temple in a remote, tranquil place in Rajasthan which receives around 20 kg of letters every day and all of them are conscientiously read by the priests in front of Lord Ganesh?
Yes, that’s true!
A temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha which is located inside an old Fort amidst the dense forest away from the populace is receiving such a huge number of letters every day.
You must be wondering what these letters are for and who sent them.
For your information, all these letters contain formal prayers and requests, wedding invitation cards, invitations to various auspicious functions, wish petitions, thanksgiving letters and various others addressing to Lord Ganesha, the premier deity of the Temple.
The priests of the temple used to read all these letters in front of the Lord Ganesha as devotees believe that if their prayers, requests and invitations will be read in front of the Lord Ganesh idol here then it will be heard and resolved quickly by him, the Obstacle remover god.
Due to this eternal devotion and faith towards the Lord Trinetra Ganesha, the devotees from all over the world convey their problems and requests directly to the Lord through the letters.
The Trinetra Ganesha of Ranthambore is believed to be the Pratham Ganesha who is worshipped first before performing any auspicious ritual in the Hindu religion. Lord Ganesha is a symbol of auspiciousness and also known as the Lord of Intellect and the destroyer of obstacles. It is believed that worshiping him brings good luck and fortune.
The Trinetra Ganesha Temple in Ranthambore is considered as one of the oldest temples in India and the only temple in the whole world where Lord Ganesha is with his whole family.
The temple is situated in the mighty Ranthambore Fort which is located within the Ranthambore National park, a highly celebrated wildlife sanctuary in the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan. The Ranthambore Fort is the tenth-century fortress lies on the Aravali Hills and a World Heritage site.
Historical Legend of the Temple
Known as one of the oldest Ganesha Temple in the world, this pilgrimage center has been said to be built in 1300 by the great king of Chauhan dynasty, Hammir Dev Chauhan.
It is said that the king Hammir Dev prayed to Lord Ganesha when his kingdom was in trouble during an ongoing battle with the Sultan of Delhi, Ala-ud-Din Khilji in 1299 AD. The king dreamt the very night that Lord Ganesha appeared in front of him and promising that his trouble will end the next morning. Miraculously, the war ended the next morning and also an idol of Lord Ganesh with three eyes was found.
Later in 1300 AD, the King Hammir Dev installed the Lord Ganesha idol along with his wives Sri Riddhi Siddhi and his two sons Shub and Labh.
Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
Ganesh Chaturthi festival is the main festival of this temple and celebrated with much vigor and dedication. Many thousands of devotees visit from different parts of the country to worship Lord Ganesh during the festive period. The Wednesday is the special day in this temple as this particular day of the week is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. However, if you don’t like the crowd, then you should avoid visiting this temple during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival as the place is much crowded with the devotees who come here for the Darshan and Puja.
Address of the Trinetra Ganesha Temple, Ranthambore-
If you have any auspicious occasion at your home, then like many other devotees you can also send the first invitation to Lord Ganesha through the postal service.
You can mail your letters or marriage invitations to Lord Ganesha at the address mentioned below:
Sanjay Dadhich,
Dadhich Sadan,
Opp. Hotel hill View Ranthambore Road,
Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan) 322021.
Landline No : +91 7462 220 655, +91 7462 228 01.
Mobile No : +91 9414 045 263, +91 9784 407 076.
NOTE: Please send your marriage invitations 15 days prior to the occasion so that it can be offered to Lord Ganesha in time.