Shri Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon

No reliable founding date for the temple was found in the sources checked. The Poona District Gazetteer, compiled in 1885 and reprinted by the Government of Maharashtra, describes Morgaon as a large market town on the left bank of the Karha river with 'a large handsome temple of Ganpati'. It notes that the floor stones of the temple are laid out in the shape of a large tortoise.

The same gazetteer records an ornamented square rest-house with a dome near the temple, built in 1792 and described as unusually fine work. It also cites Captain Moor, who in 1792 described Morgaon as a large town with a fairly good market, a handsome temple and a rest-house then under construction. A yearly fair was then held at the temple from Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhadrapada until the tenth day of the bright half of Ashvin.

Architecture and sacred features

Maharashtra Tourism describes the temple as built of black basalt and enclosed by four tall corner towers, which it calls minarets. A Nandi (bull) figure stands at the temple, which is unusual for a Ganesha shrine. Inside, the east-facing swayambhu image of Mayureshwar is flanked by images of Riddhi and Siddhi, and the roof of the sanctum carries carvings of the ashtadikpalas, the guardians of the eight directions.

Pune district's heritage page describes the image as having a serpent above its head and records eight Ganesha images placed in the eight corners of the temple: Ekadanta, Mahodara, Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Nataraja, Dhumravarna and Vakratunda.