Guru Grutsamad who is famous for the mantra Om Gananam tva ganapatim havamaye…founded the temple and called the idol Varada Vinayak. Varada Vinayak is very powerful and is the giver of bounty and success. The idol was found in the lake adjoining the temple immersed in water and that is the reason why it has a weathered look. Mr. Dhondu Paudkar got it from the lake in the year 1690 AD. In 1725 AD Kalyan Subhedar built the Vardavinayak temple along with the village of Mahad. The idol here faces the east and the trunks are to the left. The oil lamp which is lit always is said to burning since 1892. Four elephant idols on the four sides of the temple guard the temple. The main hall is 8 feet by 8 feet. The main dome is 25 feet in height and it is golden on the top. The dome is designed beautifully with the designs of cobra on it.
This is one of the few temples where the devotee personally can pay their homage and respects to the idol. The devotees can go near the idol to perform their prayers. The temple is just three kilometres off the Pune-Mumbai highway near Khopoli which is 80 kilometres away from Pune. This is the closest to the Mumbai city. The nearest railway station is Karjat and Karjat which is on Mumbai-Pune railway line is just 24 kilometres from the temple and 6 kilometres from Khopoli. The story behind the temple goes like this- Prince Rukmangad refused sage Vachaknavi’s wife illegitimate call and was cursed to suffer from leprosy. Mukunda was satisfied by Indra who came disguised as Rukmangad and bore a child named Grutsamad. Grutsamad when he knew about the story cursed his mother Mukunda and she became a tree of Bori and she in turn cursed him to bore the demon son called Tripurasur. He was the one who defeated by Shiva after praying the Ranjangaon Ganesha. Grutsamad after being cursed went to the forest and worshipped Ganesha and built the temple.
