Shri. Ganesh Mandir at Moti Dungri, Japur

Among the oldest temples of Jaipur, Shri. Ganesh Mandir at Moti Doongri is one them.  People start their work by taking the name of Lord Ganesh. The temple of Lord Ganesh is at Jawahar lal Nehri Marg, besides Birla Mandir, Jaipur.

Every work starts  In the middle of Jaipur rises a small  hill Moti Dungri meaning pearl hill, because it looks like a drop of pearl. An exotic palace is parched hiwhc is replica of Scottish castle once occupied by Maharaja Madho Singh's son. From there on remained as a private property of the ruling family. In recent past it served as a home for Rajmata Gaytri Devi and her estranged son Jagat Singh. The mere view of this castle is exotic enough.

“I surrender to you, Lord Ganesha. You are the speaker. You are the listener. You are the giver. You are the sustainer. I am your disciple. Protect me from the front and back. Protect me from the north and the south, from above and below. Protect me from all directions. You are full of perfect knowledge of truth and awareness. You are full of bliss and pure consciousness. You are truth, consciousness and bliss. You are the absolute awareness. You are full of supreme wisdom and knowledge…”

This much celebrated Ganesha prayer finds its apotheosis and sanctity in every Hindu psyche for obvious reasons. Lord Ganesha is considered as the Lord of Wisdom who is responsible for success, knowledge, literature, education and fine arts.  Lord Ganesha is always worshipped first in the Hindu religion and brings you good luck and prosperity. The annals of history are filled with reasons as to how Ganesha acquired the elephant head. As the god of transitions he is positioned at the doorway of many temples so as to keep the dishonourable and unworthy away.

One of the many temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha is the Moti Doongri Temple in Jaipur. Situated at the Moti Doongri hill, this temple gives a bird eye’s view of the city of Jaipur. The temple itself is one of the main religious buildings in the heart of Jaipur and also acts as a day starter for many in Jaipur. Made of white marble and boasting Western. Muslim and Hindu architecture, the temple by night is a dazzling sight that makes it a popular tourist destination. The play of lights on the marble structure makes it perfect for photographs by evening.

Legend has it that the king of Mewar was carrying a huge idol of Lord Ganesha in a bullock cart. A temple was supposed to be built at the site wherever the bullock cart stops for the first time. Incidentally, the cart stopped close to Moti Doongri and the temple was built there. A business man known as Seth Jai Ram Paliwal took the supervision of the temple construction under the guidance of the chief priest Shiv Narain ji.

Beside this temple lies the marvelous palace of the heir of Maharaja Madho Singh. It being a private property is not open to visitors. Built in 1761 AD, the temple has the likes of a Scottish castle and was home to numerous parties held by people of the elite class.

The temple itself is a good blend of modern Indian architecture. It features the 3 domes representing the three main religions of India thereby giving it a secular touch. Considering Lord Ganesha is the god of prosperity people from different religions visit the temple to seek blessings before they start any new. Newly married couples, pristine vehicles are a common sight at the temple.

Lord Ganesha is also considered the lord of Mercury and hence every Wednesday is celebrated in his name.  In his honor a fair is held every Wednesday at the temple. Devotees come in huge numbers to adore Ganesha for all his deeds.    Four main festivals are celebrated in his memory, namely the Ganesh Chaturthi (incarnation of Lord Ganesh), Krishna Janamasthami (incarnation of Lord Krishna), Annkuta (next day of Diwali) and Paush Bada (any suitable day of Paush month.)