Ganesh Temple

In the narrow bylanes of Jhansi’s old city, inside Ganesh Bazaar, is a Ganesh Temple, where Raja Gangadharrao of Jhansi married a young girl named Manikarnika Tambe in 1842. After the wedding, according to Marathi custom, the bride was given a new name – ‘Rani Laxmibai’.
This iconic Ganesh Temple is said to have been built in the 1760s CE but it is not clear who built it. While some claim it was Vishwas Rao Lakshman (or Vilas Rao Lakshman), the Subedar of Jhansi under the Maratha Peshwas from 1766 to 1769 CE, others say it was his successor Raghunathrao Newalkar, founder of the Newalkar dynasty. Today, the temple serves as a prominent centre of Jhansi’s local community. A unique marble idol of lord Ganesh is located in the sanctum.