The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 has begun from today, August 22. The air is filled in the festive spirit, but it is not the same. The pandemic has forced people to prohibit themselves from celebrating festivals and events in a grand manner. Now, we all know, how we welcome Ganpati Bappa, every year, with the beats of dhol and dancing in tune to begin the festival with full enthusiasm. This year, it was not seen, but that has not dampened the festive spirit in us. As we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi 2020, in this article, we bring an interesting story about this 10th-Century-Old, ‘Dholkal Ganesh,’ which is placed atop a ‘dhol’ shaped hill, hence the name. The temple is situated at Bastar Forest in Chhattisgarh. Here is the picture of Dholkal Ganesh and some interesting things you may not have known about this Lord Ganesha idol, which more than, 1,000 years old. Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Celebrations in Pics and Videos: From Shri Sidhi Vinayak Temple Aarti to Ganpati Bappa Made of Dry Fruits, People Observe Vinayaka Chaturthi. 

There are a number of Ganesha temples in India, but this shrine located atop a hill in the middle of a dense forest has witnessed generations and holds many significant legends that make the Dholkal Ganesh special. According to the local’s belief, a battle occurred between Lord Ganesha and sage Parashurama on Dholkal hill. As for who won the battle, it is still a mystery. However, in memory of this battle, the Kings of Chindak Nagvanshi Dynasty is believed to have set a stone idol of Lord Ganesha at the hilltop, between the 10th and 11th century. The idol has been placed on top of the hill, which is carved in the shape of dholak—a musical instrument; hence, the hill has been named Dholkal. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Images & HD Wallpapers for Free Download. 

IFS Officer, Parveen Kaswan has shared the image of Dholkal Ganesha on Twitter, honouring the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. “Where the lord #Ganesha sits in calm atmosphere. 1100 year old Ganesha idol in Bastar #forest. The idol, made during the time of Nagvanshi dynasty, is placed atop a ‘dhol’ shaped hill that lies 14 km inside the forest. #GaneshChaturthi,” reads the tweet.

Here's the Pic of Dholkal Ganesh:

Reaching the destination is not easy, and it takes quite a few hours to reach to the spot. Since, travelling is a big no-no, this year, seek blessings of Dholkal Ganesha and pray that once things are back to normal, you can visit the temple. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 2020, everyone!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2020 01:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).