Ballaleshwar, Pali
The only Ashtavinayak named after a devotee, the boy Ballal. A stone temple in Raigad district, below Sarasgad fort.
Quick facts
- Location:
- Pali, Sudhagad taluka, Raigad
- Distance:
- About 110 km from Pune
- Order in yatra:
- Third
- Darshan timings:
- Check before visiting
The temple
The Ballaleshwar temple at Pali was rebuilt in stone in the Peshwa period. It is built so that on the days around the winter and summer solstice, the rising sun falls on the idol. A large bell in the temple is said to have come from a Portuguese church after the Maratha victory at Vasai.
The story
A young boy named Ballal was a great devotee of Ganesh. His father, angry at his devotion, beat him and threw away his idol. Ganesh appeared before Ballal and agreed to stay in Pali in his name. This is the only one of the eight temples named after a devotee.
How to reach
From Pune, take the expressway or old highway to Khopoli, then the road to Pali. The town sits below the Sarasgad fort.
More in Ashtavinayak
- Mayureshwar, Morgaon The first and most important of the eight temples, where the yatra begins and ends. Ganesh here rides a peacock.
- Siddhivinayak, Siddhatek A temple on a small hill by the Bhima river. The only Ashtavinayak idol whose trunk turns to the right.
- Varadvinayak, Mahad A simple temple near Khopoli, where devotees may offer worship to the idol themselves. An oil lamp here is said to have burned for many years.
- Chintamani, Theur The Ashtavinayak closest to Pune, much loved by the Peshwas. Madhavrao Peshwa spent his last days here.
- Girijatmaj, Lenyadri The only Ashtavinayak in a cave, high on a hillside of Buddhist caves near Junnar. Reached by a long flight of steps.
- Vighneshwar, Ozar A large temple on the Kukadi river near Junnar, with a gold-topped spire. Ganesh here removes all obstacles.
Questions and answers
Why is the Pali Ganesh called Ballaleshwar?
It is named after the boy Ballal, a devotee for whom Ganesh agreed to stay at Pali.
Sources: Written by PuneDiary. Facts checked 10 October 2026.