Ozar is a holy place located around 85 kms from Pune, near the Pune – Nashik highway. It is the divine land of Lord Vingheshwara – well-known as Lord Ganesha. Devotees from all over the place visit this place every year in large numbers. The village of Ozar has 8 Ashtavinayak temples out of which Vigneshwara Temple or Vighnahar Ganpati Temple is the most famous of all. Ozar is known as the holy shrine of Lord Ganesha.
As per the legend, Bajirao's younger brother Chimaji Appa built Vigneshwara Temple's golden dome after his victory over the Portuguese. People believe that after visiting this temple, Lord Ganesha shuns away all the troubles. Ozar holds a special importance as a place of worship and serves as a prestigious place for the devotees of Lord Ganesha.
The village attracts large number of devotees. Around 3,000 people visit Ozar on a daily basis. Thus, to accommodate these many people many hotels and lodgings have cropped up, especially to accommodate people or devotees visiting during Chaturthi days, when the number of people increses to around 1 lakh. These accommodations provide luxurious facilities at cheap rates. These hotels in Ozar provide beautiful living area for the devotees visiting this holy place. The Ozar Ganpati Temple is one of the main stop during the Hindu pilgrimage.
The temples of Ganesha are not only famous for its religious significance but also for its beautiful architecture and amazing environment. The accommodations in Ozar provide its guests with great services. The hotels in Ozar are surrounded by lush and beautiful greenery, providing the guests with a place filled with peace as well as serenity. Along with amazing scenery these accommodations also provides its guests with excellent food and a place to relax from the stress of daily life.
Each Ganesha Temple has its own trust that contributes to the development of the Ozar village and its people. The best time to visit Ozar is during the 4 day festival of Tripuri pournima, when the entire village is celebrating. Among the lushness of the forests and greenery, the hotels are scattered like twinkling stars in the inky blackness of the sky, thus providing the visitors with fresh air and beautiful scenery. There are amazing waterfalls around the area for the visitors to enjoy. Kukdi River is one of Ozar's special attractions. The village of Ozar also provides picknic spots like Shivneri Fort, Lenyadri, Bhimashankar as well as Vighnahar Shugar Factory that are nearby the village.
Thus, to enjoy serenity and gain spiritual peace Ozar is an ideal destination.
Martin Wynn
