Shape of the stone temple is in the form of letter "Shree" & faces east. During Dakshinayan at sun-rise, the sun rays falls exactly on the Vinayaka. There are two Sanctums (Gribhagriha) in the temple. Inner sanctum is quite big & is 15 feet high. Outer sanctum is 12 feet high & it has rat idol with Modak in his hands & facing Ganesh. Temple walls are made quite strong by mixing lead with cement while construction.Hall of the temple is 40 feet long & 20 feet broad & it was built by late Shri Krishnaji Ringe in 1910 A.D. Hall is very beautiful with 8 pillars resembling cyprus throne tree. Temple complex is tiled & it encircles two lakes. Water of one lake towards right is reserved for Vinayaka's Pooja.

Idol of Vinayaka sitting on stone throne, faces east. The shining diamonds are embedded in the eyes & naval. The background is of silver where one finds Riddhi & Siddhi waving chamaras. Temple complex has a big bell made in Europe.After defeating portuguese in Vasai & Sasthi, Chimaji Appa brought these bells & offered them at different Ashtavinayak places.

Legends of Ballaleshwar Temple:

In the Konkan Pallir village now known as Pali there lived a young boy Ballal who was a very sincere devotee of Lord Ganesh. Son of a rich businessman, his pre-occupation with worship at a young age displeased his father. Ballal spent a large part of his time in worship and influenced his friends to do so too. His friends’ parents felt that Ballal was misleading their children by showing them the Bhaktimarg [the path of devotion] at such young age. They asked Ballal’s father to restrain him. His father went to look for Ballal and found him in the forest engrossed in his worship of Lord Ganesh. He disrupted the puja, threw away the idol of Ganesh and beat his son. Not content with this he also tied him to a tree. He then left Ballal in the forest asserting that let Lord Ganesh himself come and rescue him. Ballal was in great pain but he kept calling upon Lord Ganesh who took the form of a Brahmin and appeared before him. He set Ballal free and then asked him to make a wish. Ballal entreated Lord Ganesh to reside in this region. The God acquiesced and, resided in a stone which is now believed to be the idol of Ballaleshwar Vinayak, that people worship at Pali. The idol that Ballal’s father had desecrated too was placed in the temple. The idol of Dhundivinayak nearby is believed to be that idol.

Puja Schedule of Ballaleshwar Temple :

The inner sanctum is open to devotees in the morning from 5 am to 11:30am.

The outer sanctum is open to devotees till 10:30pm.

Devotees can offer the following Puja –s at the temple.

• Sahastravartan Rs 151/-

• Laghurudra Avartan Rs121/-

• Puja and Ekadshani Rs 11.25/-

• Mahapuja Rs 75/-

• Abhishek Puja Rs 5.25/-

How to Reach There :

The Ballaleshwar Vinayak is situated in district Raigad, Taluka Sudhagad in the Village Pali. Pali is about 30 kms from Karjat.

1. It is 124 Kms away from Mumbai. One can reach Pali from Mumbai Via Panvel, Khopoli.

2. From Pune, Pali is 10 kms Via Lonavala & Khopoli

3. There are some direct buses from Pune & Mumbai to Pali.

4. One can go by train till Krajat and from Karjat buses are available from pali.

5. Buses are available from Khopoli & Panvel

6. From Mumbai one can go Dharatar by boat and from there buses are available till Pali.

Festival Celebrated at Temple:

Two major festivals are celebrated in this temple.

• In the month of Bhadrapad in the waxing period from the Pratipada to Panchami [first to fifth day] And in Magh of the waxing period from Pratipada to Panchami [first to fifth day]
  On these days festivities go on for five days. Kirtan, religious discourses and other cultural activities are organised.

• On Chaturthi [fourth day] of Bhadrapad a Maha Bhog is offered to the deity. According to a popular belief one can see the impression of God's fingers on the offerings. Thousands of devotees throng the temple on this day to witness this miracle.

• On Panchami [fifth day] Dahikala and Anna samtarpan are carried out.

• On the third day of Magh, a procession carries the Palkhi of the deity around the city.