Shree Siddheshwar Hanuman/ Shirsala Hanuman Temple
Maruti Temple of Shirsala village, also known as Shree Siddheshwar Hanuman Temple earlier Shirsala Hanuman Temple, is a Hindu temple located in the village of Shirsala in Bodwad taluka in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district.
According to folklore decades ago, Shirsala’s residents discovered this Maruti’s stone idol in the nearby river. They took it to a neem tree and established it there, where the mandir is now present.
This temple shrine is popularly known in the surrounding villages and Bodwad taluka as Shirsalecha Maroti.
According to legend, in ancient times, a person from the village had a vision of Maruti in a dream. Following this, the villagers tried to retrieve a stone idol of Maruti from the river outside the village. Despite attaching twelve carts, the idol wouldn’t budge. However, it was effortlessly lifted by a maternal uncle and nephew, after which it was placed under the neem tree. Since then, this Maruti has stood under the open sky, braving the sun, rain, and wind, fulfilling the wishes of many devotees.
One such devotee, Dwarkadas Agarwal from Bhusawal taluka, vowed to build a temple after his wish was granted. While the temple was being constructed, as soon as the work on the Garbhagriha (spire) began, he fell ill. Before the spire could be installed, it collapsed. Ultimately, he abandoned the idea of building the spire, and his health improved afterward. Over the centuries people have tried building the Garbhagriha but either it collapses or something bad happens in the village. Hence, the temple stands without a spire to this day.
This temple is visited by devotees every Saturday, and Tuesday in large numbers, and on Hanuman Jayanti special poojas are organized here and are celebrated with great pomp and fervour.
