Moti Dungri is a
Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord
Ganesha in
Jaipur,
Rajasthan. It was built in 1761 under supervision of Seth Jai Ram Paliwal.[1] The temple is a popular tourist attraction in the city and is located next to the
Birla Temple.
History
The Moti Dungri temple is situated at bottom of the Moti Dungri hill and the fort of Moti Dungri in
Jaipur,
Rajasthan.[2][3] The icon of the god
Ganesha established in the temple is said to be more than five-hundred years old,[4] and was brought here in 1761 by Seth Jai Ram Paliwal who was accompanying
Maharaja Madho Singh I, from
Udaipur.[5][6] He was brought to Udaipur from
Gujarat. The temple was built under Paliwal's supervision.[7][8]
The trunk of the
sindoor-coloured Ganesha icon is rightwards.[9][10] Devotees offer
laddo sweets, at least, 1.25
lakh devotees pay respect to Ganesha every year.[11][12][13] A fair is organized every Wednesday in the temple complex.[14][15]
There is a
lingam (icon of the god
Shiva) in the Moti Dungri Fort complex, which open to visitors once a year on
Mahashivratri, the festival of Shiva.[16][17][18] The
Birla Mandir shrine dedicated to the deities
Lakshmi Narayan is situated south of Ganesha temple.[14]
Festival
The Moti Dungri Ganeshji Temple is a popular destination for celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. In 2023, the temple hosted a large display of laddus, which are a traditional offering to Ganesha. The display featured two laddus weighing 251 kilograms and two laddus weighing 200 kilograms. The laddus were made from a variety of ingredients, including flour, sugar, and nuts. They were offered to Ganesha by devotees from all over the city. [19]
Architecture
The layout and structure of Moti Dungri is built in the
Nagara style and is based on the model of
Scottish castle.[20][21] There are three entrance gates and few steps at the front.[14] It was built using
limestone and
marble and construction work was completed in 4 months.[22]