Ashtavinayak Supari / Betelnut

The betel nut/Supari is an integral part of the daily or ritualistic Pooja. It is also popularly used in the age old-custom of Indian eating. The supari is symbolic of the nut of the ego that must be offered on the altar of God. It represents the hard, coarse qualities that must be surrendered to God, leaving only the soft, pure qualities.

Eight Swayambhu idols of lord Ganesha or commonly known as "ASHTAVINAYAKAS" to all of us, is the most visited pilgrimage in western maharashtra, by people of all religions and faith. It is believed that all the eight ganeshas are Jagrut. Together they for the "ASHTAVINAYAK", ASHTA meaning eight, and VINAYAK is the name of Lord Ganesha. At all these places Lord Ganesh is known by different names, they are Moreshwar at Morgaon, Siddhivinayak at Siddhatek, Varad Vinayak at Mahad, Ballaleshwar at Pali, Chintamani at Theur, Girijatmak at Lenhyadri, Vighneshwar at Ozhar and Mahaganpati at Ranjangaon.

It is very much believed to visit these places in the above given order and then again visiting Morgaon, although due to lack of time and location constraint tourist generally visit Varad Vinayak, Ballaleshwar, Vigneshwar and Girijatmak together as these are on one side of Pune and the rest together, as they fall along the other side. The entire eight Ganeshas are spread over Pune, Ahmadnagar and Raigad district. According to Shastra, first you have to visit Moreshwar of Morgaon. Then visit Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar, Ranjangaon and then again Morgaon will end your Ashtavinayaka Yatra in true sense.

The 8 original idols of Lord Ganesha in the state of Maharashtra are called Swayambhu effigies or the self-existent in Sanskrit. This is to indicate that no human created these murtis, they were found completely formed by nature.