5.2.2 Story of Chintamani, Theur

Ahilya was wife of Sage Gautam. She was a very beautiful woman. She was known far and wide for her enduring charm.

When Lord Indra came know about Ahilya and her much talked about beauty, he was attracted towards her. He decided to seduce her.

One day Sage Gautam went to take bath in river Ganges. During his absence Indra disguised as Sage Gautam and had pleasure with Ahilya. 

Sage Gautam had divine powers of vision. When he returned he came to know about Ahilya's immoral act by virtue of his inner powers. 

Sage Ahilya Gautam was enraged and he cursed both Indra and Ahilya.

Due to his curse, Ahilya lost her human form and turned into a mere lifeless stone. The curse brought Indra's body under its effect too- Indra was wrecked with cracks and holes in his entire body due to which he attained a repulsive form. Thus, he came to be known as Sahastraksha (having thousand eyes).

Indra deeply repented his action and sought contrite from Sage Gautam.

Sage Gautam had mercy on Indra. He revealed that Indra would releaved of the curse if he did penance to please Lord Ganesha. 

Indra mediated for several years to invoke Lord Ganesha in Kadamb Nagar (Kadambnagar). One day pleased by his penance, Lord Ganesha appeared and relieved him from the malific effect of the curse. The cracks in his body healed, creating a peacock. The holes in Indra body were transformed to patches on the peacock's feathers. These are considered as thousand eyes of the peacock. 

Following this, Indra took bath in a pond called Chintamani Sarovar, and erected a temple named Chintamani Ganesh in Kadamb Nagar (now known as Theur). It is one of the Ashtavinayak Yatra temple. 

(Note - Years later when Lord Rama went to forest, his foot touched a stone. Due to his divine touch the stone gained a human form. She was Ahilya who got ridden of her curse by the divine touch).