The Gazetteers Department

Limba Ganes, with a population of 4,102 in 1961, is a village in Bid tahsil lying 28.97 km. (18 miles) due south of Bid town. It is noteworthy for the shrine dedicated to Ganes which is said to be one of the twenty-one temples mentioned in the Ganes Purana. It is situated about half a furlong to the north-west of the village, in an oblong structure constructed of dark grey chiselled masonry and lies in the middle of a rectangular enclosure, which is also constructed of the same type of masonry. A three arched double storeyed entrance with an ornamental facing leads into the premises. The middle arch fitted with wooden door-shutters, is bigger than the two side ones. On either side of the entrance two blocks of stone fitted into the masonry, bear the following inscriptions:—

(1) vjbpv kh iopvv ho jJ
YJvom Ykwlv vp hmo vbc&l
m muJnv 1114 Jc Jumhlcb

(2) iCMbo Gj kubo YOOj
pC&u Gj YJvom
mj mk 1633 mO Dn.

On entering the temple premises, there is in the front a conical dipdan. Behind it is a small four arched pavilion, each arch facing one of the four cardinal points. A detached image of a rat, which is the conventional vehicle of Ganapati is placed on a pedestal under the roof of the pavilion. The image faces the temple and is caparisoned with a flowing carpet on its back, evidently meant as a seat for Ganapati, and its mouth is harnessed with reins and ropes while its neck is adorned with a necklace of bells. The head of the rat is raised up and its back portion pressed down as if in a posture of pulling the weight of its rider forward.

The actual entrance of the temple, which is smaller, is also fitted within a similar arch that also faces north. Three inscribed stones, one on top of the door and two on either side of the entrance, bear the following inscriptions: —

(1) iCMu Gj
pC& mJvbo cboj
vpJbM mcj
YJvom Ymj

(2)  iCMvc:
mLvk iCM vbJ
kc mY cb[h mk
1630 mJ&Oj vc
mbJsj m$Jv m 1

(3) iCMbo Gj
Yubo YOOj
pC&u Gj
YJvom kmj

The chamber which is dark is placed at rear (south) end of the structure and has a conventionally carved door with the dvarpalas on either side. The ante-chamber in front of the shrine has yet another image of a rat, placed on a raised pedestal and caparisoned in the same fashion as the one placed under the canopy of the outer court of the temple. The cellar contains the image of Ganes. Repeated coats of sandal and-sendur (red lead) applied for centuries over the idol have changed the very appearance of the image. Outside the cellar and facing west is a gomukh (water spout), through which the holy water of the daily ablutions given to the Ganapati flows out which is taken as tirth by the devotees. Immediately in front and just under the western enclosure wall there is a broad masonry arch which is shown as the place of burial of the head of the demon Limbasura, who was defeated by a sadhu who had summoned Ganapati to help him. As the demon had failed in his challenge, he offered to kill himself in shame after obtaining a promise from the sadhu that his head would be buried under the arch inside the temple-premises while his body would be buried outside but adjoining the temple enclosure. Accordingly, the sadhu kept the promise and the samadhi of Limbasura could be seen there even to this day. In front of the platform is a small side-door, fitted into the outer-enclosure-wall, and to the further west of it is a stepped masonry well by the side of which the sadhu sat and conjured up the form of Ganapati. A Hemadpanti type of sikhar crowns the shrine.

According to the inscriptions, referred to and reproduced above, the temple was repaired and restored about 250 years ago by one Bhavani Das Bhusari in Saka 1630 but there are some old carvings and sculptures. One stump of a carved pillar, lying to right of the outer entrance, and some other carved fragments bases of pillars, door-sills, etc., kept on the platform of the samadhi of the demon, indicate the actual site and the highly decorative workmanship of the original temple. In the courtyard stands a dipmal or lamp-pillar about 7.68 metres (25 ft.) in height.

Varandhesvar Mahadev temple is also located in the same village. It consists of only a single cell, fitted with a carved door. A detached and disproportionate salunka is kept in the middle of the cell.

At Limba Ganes there is also a temple dedicated to Krsna belonging to the Mahanubhav sect. It is said that it was originally that of Mahalaksmi but some time it was taken possession of by the Mahanubhavas and converted into a Krsna shrine.