Saint is God and God is saint. There is no difference in them, just like sun and its rays.


In this section we would be happy to hear your experiences and encounters with the great saint of Shegaon Shri Gajnan Maharaj. Please mail us your experiences at gogate.vasant@gmail.com

In the meantime, the following is the story of the great saint Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

It is worth a read.

Gajanan Maharaj appeared in Shegaon on 23rd Feb 1878 (Magh Vadhya saka 1800) and disappeared on 8th Sept 1910 (Rushi Panchami saka. 1832)

Shri Gajanan Maharaj was a diamond of Shegaon mine. Nothing is known about his caste, creed or place of origin like Brahma, whose origin nobody knows.

Shri Gajanan Maharaj appeared in Shegaon on 7th Vadhya Magh for liberation of the sinners. It so happened that there was one pious Brahmin named Devidas Paturkar at Shegaon and to celebrate the puberty function of his son, he had arranged lunch for his friends. The left-over food from the plates was thrown outside the house and gajanan maharaj was seen eating that food. He had a worn out old shirt on his body, a dry gourd for drinking water and a pipe of clay for smoking. His body was lustrous like the rising sun and eyes concentrated at the tip of his nose indicative of his yogic strength. His action of picking up the food particles indicated that food is brahma. Thousands of people were passing by Shri Gajanan Maharaj that day, but only two wise men recognised a diamond lying in the heap of stones. They were Bankatlal Agarwal and Damodar Pant.

Shri Maharaj, then like having no likes and dislikes, mixed all the food and sweets in the plate together and ate it. It was very hot noon time and even birds did not dare to come out in such hot sun. Under such hot sun, gajanan maharaj was sitting joyfully as if he had consumed “Brahma rasa”.

Thereafter Bankatlal said, “Maharaj please allow me to bring water for you”. Gajanan Maharaj said, if you wish you can bring water for me. As Bankatlal left, gajanan maharaj got up and went to the roadside river where water was stored for the cattle. Shri Maharaj, satisfied his thirst by drinking water from the roadside tank.

This was how Shri Gajanan Maharaj was spotted in Shegaon around 2 centuries ago.

Later many incidents happenedin and around Shegaon, that strengthened people’s faith in Gajanan Maharaj.

Many miracles took place that proved that Shri Gajanan Maharaj was no common man, he was a great saint who had come to liberate all his beloved devotes of all sins and guide them to the path of wisdom and knowledge.

Shr iMaharaj always used to chant the Mantra- Gan Gan Ganat Bote

First Gan means Count, Individual soul,

Second Gan means a devotee, who is not different from Brahma

And to suggest it the word ganat is used. Bote appears to be a corrupt form of Bate Meaning, “Individual soul is brahma himself “.

This great saint took Samadhi on the noon of Thursday, BhadrapadSuddhaPanchami, sak 1832. While holding up his breath, he uttered the words “Jai Gajanan” and merged himself with the supreme brahma at shegaon. Looking at the Samadhi all shed tears with sorrow.

But just before taking Samadhi, ShriMaharaj had said, “Don’t think that I have left u, I am always here only with u”. Shri Maharaj still gives darshan to those devotees who believe in his continued existence.

Today there are many temples of Gajanan Maharaj in India as well as abroad.

The detailed life and events of Shri Gajanan Maharaj is described in Gajanan Vijay Granth. All devotes are urged to read the Gajanan Vijay granth regularly. The recitation of this book will bring wealth to the poor, health to the sick, children to the childless and will remove all his anxieties. This book by its mere presence in the house will keep away all sorts of evil.

Let the Gajanan Vijay Granth be a saviour to all the devotees in this material world.