Ashtavinayaka () is a Sanskrit term which means "eight Ganeshas". The Ashtavinayaka yatra trip refers to a pilgrimage to the eight Hindu temples in the state of Maharashtra, India, centered around the city of Pune, that house eight distinct idols of Ganesh, in a pre-ascertained sequence. Ganesh is the Hinduism/Hindu deity of unity, prosperity, learning, and removing obstacles. Each of these temples has its own individual legend and history, as distinct from each other as the murtis in each temple. The form of each murti of Ganesh and his trunk are distinct from one another. There are other temples of eight Ganesh in various other parts of Maharashtra; however, the ones around Pune are more well known and visited. It is believed that to complete the Ashtavinayak Yatra, one must revisit the first Ganpati after visiting all the eight Ganpatis. Temples The eight temples/idols of the Ashtavinayak in their religious sequence are: Traditionally, Moreshwar of Moregaon is the first temple visited by the pilgrims. The temples visited in descending order are Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Thevur, Lenyandri, Ozar, Ranjangaon. The pilgrimage is concluded with a second visit to Moregaon. All these murtis are called Swayambhu effigies, or the self-existent in Sanskrit. This is to indicate that they were not sculpted but they were found formed by nature. Mayureshwar This is the most important temple on this pilgrimage. The temple, built from black-stone during the Bahamani reign, has four gates (it is supposed to have been built by one of the knights named Mr. Gole, from the court of Bidar's Sultan). The temple is situated in the centre of the village. The temple is covered from all sides by four minarets and gives the impression of a mosque if seen from a distance. This was done to prevent attacks on the temple during Mughal periods. The temple has a 50-foot tall wall around it. There is a Nandi (Shiva's bull mount) sitting in front of this temple entrance, which is unique, as Nandi is normally in front of only Shiva temples. However, the story says that this statue was being carried to some Shivamandir during which the vehicle carrying it broke down and the Nandi statue could not be removed from its current place. The murti of Lord Ganesha, riding a peacock, in the form of Mayureshwara is believed to have slain the demon Sindhu at this spot. The idol, with its