The Garh Ganesh Temple in Jaipur is situated on a small hillock overlooking the city on the Nahargarh hills. It’s difficult to miss this oldest Ganesha temple of Jaipur from the walled city area. Locals call it Garh Ganesh Mandir. It is one of the famous Ganesh temples in Jaipur.

Read related post: Sunrise Point in Jaipur/ Garh Ganesh Temple

Temple Architecture And History 

The temple doesn’t resemble the usual temples because the features like Shikhar and ornate carvings are not present. It’s designed as a small fortification. The word Gad or Garh in Hindi means a small fort. It’s called Garh Ganesh Temple because this temple is dedicated to the Lord Ganesha. The idol of Lord Ganesha is in a child form which is a rarity.

Towering over the walled city of Jaipur like a fort!

A devotee using the alternative path on way to the Garh Ganesh temple, Jaipur

It was built when Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II performed Ashwamegh Yagya before laying the foundation of Jaipur, therefore Garh Ganesh Temple predates  Jaipur city. An interesting historical fact is that Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was the last Hindu king to perform Ashvamedha Yagya. It is evident that the history of this temple is around 300 years old.

The temple has been under a slow renovation process due to which many things have been left unfinished. The unfinished entrance gate of the temple is an eyesore!

Photography is prohibited in the temple premises. The temple management has a dedicated staff on a lookout for a visitor with a smartphone or a camera. On spotting one, the visitor or a devotee is warned in a harsh manner. “Photography prohibited” boards can be seen at many places in Garh Ganesh temple. The temple management should revise its outlook towards photography and rude behavior. The time sure has changed! There is no restriction on photography in Moti Dungari Ganesh Temple in Jaipur.

Read the related write-up Royal Gaitore! The Rajput architectural opulence!

The temple has undergone a major renovation and has thus lost its heritage charm. Architecturally, this temple may not hold much value for those seeking beautiful frescoes or carvings. But it does have a lot of historical & contextual value for the city.

It used to be an important Lord Ganesha temple in Jaipur. However, with the passage of time, the Moti Doongri Ganesh temple Jaipur has become more popular. The Garh Ganesh temple is almost a century older than Moti Doongri Ganesh Mandir. Why is it so? People don’t want to climb the arduous steps of the Garh Ganesh temple.

Here is a close up picture of lion head made in brass on the entrance gate of the Garh Ganesh temple.

In my opinion, it’s actually much more painful to visit Moti Dungari Ganheshji temple on a Wednesday – the day of Lord Ganesha, owing to a huge crowd. There is no peace, which one associates with the divine experience in a temple. Add to that parking woes, pushing around,  peddlers and beggars pestering you, it’s not really a divine experience anymore!

In light of the above, I’ll choose to visit the Garh Ganesh temple, preferably during early morning hours. With fresh air to breathe, a lovely sunrise experience and an awesome view of Jaipur, it is worth it!

Read Sunrise at Garh Ganesh Temple

Even watching a sunset from the Garh Ganesh temple is awesome.

 

Read the related Post:  History of Garh Ganesh Temple, Jaipur….Some Insight!

lovely views from the temple overlooking the old city area of Jaipur and Nahargarh Fort.

 

Garh Ganesh Temple Jaipur Timing:

The temple is open for Darshan in two-time slots every day, morning and evening which varies as per season. The timing of the temple is as below

Summer: 6.30 AM to 12.00 PM and 4.00 PM to 9 PM.

Winters:  7.30 AM to 12 PM and 4.00 PM to 8.30 PM.

Garh Ganesh Temple, Jaipur Timing as mentioned outside entrance.

How to reach Garh Ganesh Temple in Jaipur?

Garh Ganesh Temple is in the Brahampuri area. The best landmark to reach with the help of Google is Royal Gaitore. Another landmark is the Nahar Ke Ganesh Ji temple located in the vicinity. The best road to find your way to Garh Ganesh temple is mount road from Ramgarh Mod on Amer Road.

There is only one way to reach up to the temple using Garh Ganesh Temple Stairs. The staircase to reach the temple originates from the Brahampuri area near Gaitore.

Garh Ganesh Temple stairs are quite steep and uneven in height, which is forgivable considering the gradient of the climb and time when they were originally built. The temple is approximately 550 meters high from the road level. The ergonomics in the metal railing of the staircase have been ignored and it is inconvenient to use. If you find it inconvenient, you can take an alternative staircase. It originates from the left side of the main staircase and can be located after climbing a few steps.

These steps are not so steep and have been constructed recently; this is longer in comparison to the other one. It is much more popular among the devotees of the temple.

Is Garh Ganesh A Trekking Place in Jaipur?

A few newly formed trekking operators have started taking organized trekking groups in Jaipur for Sunday treks. It is being promoted on social media as ” Garh Ganesh Chabutra trek”. In my opinion, this trek can easily be done by individuals and there is no need to waste money on trekking operators. Here is a picture of the trekking place where the trek operators lead the trekking groups in Jaipur.

How to do Garh Ganesh Temple Trek in Jaipur?

Just follow the new stair route until you reach an old gate. From this point rather than taking stairs on your right towards the temple, use one of the Pugdundee to reach the backside of Garh Ganesh temple. It is not a technical route and can be done easily by fit persons. It is a good place to see the sunrise in Jaipur.

Important points to remember about the temple

• Some people write Gad Ganesh Temple, others prefer Garh Ganesh Temple.
• You also club a visit to Royal Gaitor located at the base of Garh Ganesh temple. While using the new staircase you can catch a glimpse of Gaitor Ki Chhatriyan. Here is one such view.
• There is a popular legend that Maharaja Jai Singh II used binoculars to have Darshan of Lord Ganesha from his royal abode – Jaipur City Palace. There is little logic in this claim and seems more like folklore or story.
• Many people also claim that the total number of Garh Ganesh stairs is 365 to signify one a day for the whole year. This too is folklore.

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