Dhundiraj Ganapati Temple located in the Wadi area of the city is the only temple in the city, where even today the 100 year old tradition of playing Shehnai and Choghada continues. Before performing the Aarti of Ganpati, Shehnai and Choghada are played for half an hour. This instrument is considered favorite of Lord Shiva.
Gopalrao Mairal, who built a total of 21 Ganapati temples along with Riddhi-Siddhi and two sons, Shubh and Labh, was the Diwan of former Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad. He built four temples in Vadodara and many temples in Umargam and Maharashtra. When the then Gaekwad government was in need of finance, Gopalrao donated nine crore rupees, due to which he was also known as Navkot Narayan. The seventh generation of Gopalrao is still looking after the temple.
Weapon in Ganapati’s right hand:
Family members say that AD On Saturday, 1904, Gopalrao consecrated the statue at 2.30 pm. Most of the idols of Ganesha are such that the Lord is seen giving blessings with his right hand, but the idols of these 21 temples are such that the Lord has a weapon in his right hand.
A glimpse of Marathi, Rajasthani and Gujarati culture is visible in the temple.
The coordination of Marathi, Gujarati and Rajasthani culture can be seen in the temple made of teak and sheesham wood. According to Prashant Gurav, a member of the fifth generation of the Gurav family, who has been playing the Shehnai Vav Choghada in the temple for the last 100 years, earlier the Choghada used to be played all the four hours (morning, afternoon, evening and midnight), but now the Shehnai is played only half an hour before the Mangala Aarti. Let’s play Chaughada.Before Ganpati Aarti, people perform Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti and Yaman ragas with the 100 year old Maharashtrian Shehnai, famous as an auspicious instrument and during Ganeshotsav, they play Shehnai and harmonium at 6 am in the morning and 7.30 pm in the evening.
