Travel-India

Places of Worship in Mumbai

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is one of the most visited and venerated Hindu shrines in Mumbai. The temple is dedicated to Hindu elephant-headed god Lord Ganesha and also houses a small Hanuman temple.

In Hinduism, it is believed that seeking Lord Ganesha’s blessings before starting any new venture leads to its successful completion and prosperity.

Hordes of devotees visit Siddhivinayak temple for the Lord’s blessings and the Lord is said to shower grace on his devotees by fulfilling their wishes. Many celebrities are seen offering their prayers to the deity every now and then.

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai. Accessed by a narrow lane dotted with a number of shops selling offerings for the temple, Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is visited by thousands of devotees everyday.

The temple is even more crowded on Tuesdays when special prayers are conducted.

The idol of Lord Ganesha installed in the sanctum sanctorum is carved out of a single black stone. Ganesha’s trunk is seen curved to the right unlike in his usual idols or images.

The deity is depicted as four armed (Chaturburj) and is seen holding a lotus, a small axe, a bowl of modakas (sweet dumplings said to be his all-time favourite) and a rosary. The thread hanging from his shoulder to the waist looks like a serpentine and on his forehead is a third eye like the ‘trinetra’ of Lord Shiva.

Ganesha is flanked by the sister deities Riddhi and Siddhi who signify prosperity, contentment and sanctity, hence the name ‘Siddhivinayak’.

The temple’s official name is Shree Siddhinayak Ganpati Temple, though it’s often called Shree Siddhivinayak or simply Siddhivinayak.

History of Shree Siddhivinayak Temple

The temple that stands today was built at the site of a 200 year old temple. The original temple was consecrated on 19 November, 1801.

The temple was built by Mrs Deubai Patil and Mr Laxman V. Patil. Mrs Deubai was a rich lady from Matunga but she had no child. Once when she was praying it occurred to her that she should build a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

She prayed to Lord Ganesha to grant all the childless mothers who visited the temple, their wishes. Apparently, the God heard and granted! Hordes of believers visit the temple everyday seeking God’s blessings and return to thank Him for the fulfillment of their wishes.

Mumba Devi Temple

Mumba Devi temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in Mumbai. The temple is dedicated to the local Goddess Mumba Devi. Many believe that the city was named after the presiding deity of this temple.

Located in an absolutely crowded market, Zaveri bazaar, Mumba Devi Temple is accessible through jampacked streets. No traffic or vehicular movement is allowed on the Mumba Devi Road where the temple is situated because of security reasons. Several attempts have been made in the past to attack this historical temple.

The presiding deity of the temple is Mumba Devi who represents Mother Earth in her Shakti form, i.e. the Goddess of Power. While Mumba Devi sits in her resplendent glory in the sanctum sanctorum, idols of other Hindu deities are placed all around the temple.

Also, there are few interesting statues of some sadhus playing various musical instruments.

The flip side of a visit to the temple is the jampacked area around it and the numerous buildings crowding all around this otherwise beautiful temple.

Close to the temple are a few shops selling the offerings for the deity. Also, there are many astrologers and priests around who are seen reading palms, chanting mantras, conducting various prayers for the families in distress or simply watching the people going by waiting to be consulted.

Many people come here to get their children’s heads shaved (Mundan ceremony, a customary ritual in Hindus). 

The area around the temple has many small shops selling various items like prayer lamps, Lord Shiva’s tridents, prayer bells, strings of beads, Rudraksha malas etc.

A little farther and all around are the innumerable shops of the age-old and popular Zaveri bazaar (jewellery market) and Crawford market (cloth market).

Mahalakshmi Temple

Mahalakshmi temple is one of the popular Hindu shrines in Mumbai. Located in Worli, Mahalakshmi Temple is flocked by devotees all through the year. 

The temple is dedicated to Hindu goddess Lakshmi and its construction is linked to the construction of the Worli causeway by an interesting story. Read more...

Haji Ali Dargah

Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most revered and most visited places of worship in Mumbai. The Haji Ali Dargah is dedicated to an Iranian Muslim saint ‘Pir Haji Ali Bukhari’ who in his later stages preached Islam in India.

Dargah is located about 500 metres off the shores of Mumbai in the Arabian Sea and is accessed by a rocky pathway during low tide. Read More...