Introduction
Largest city of India, Mumbai is a perfect conjugation of modernity and tradition and is termed as ‘city of temples’ containing some of the prominent temples in India. Other than providing spiritual comfort to the people, these temples are architectural and historical landmarks. During this times it is good to pay a visit to these holy places and it is very convenient if one can book accommodation from hotels in Mumbai ‘comfortably’. Below are some of the most revered temples in Mumbai that are thronged by people, day in and day out.
Mumbadevi Temple
The Mumbadevi Temple is one of the oldest temples in Mumbai the Goddess Mumba is the deity of Somvanshi Kshatriyas, farmers and the Koli people of Mumbai fondly called Kolis meaning fisher folks. It is for this temple that the name Mumbai city has been derived. Black stone, with orange paint on the face, the idol of the goddess is decorated with ornaments including a nose pin, crown, necklace, and others. Larger crowds pilgrimage to pray on Tuesday which is a sacred day of the week for Hindus.
Babulnath Temple
The Babulnath Temple is positioned in the Malabar area and is committed to Lord Shiva, the Temple is strategically located just fifteen minutes away from the Marine Lines Railway Station. This famous temple is especially patronized by the business community of Marwari and Gujarati castes. Kailash Parbat, the residence of lord Shiva has been reflected in the built structure of the temple and one find mesmerizing beauty present in the temple. The temple is equally situated near the well-known beach of Girgaon Chowpatty.
Mahalakshmi Temple
The Mahalakshmi Temple, which was built in 1831 by and original inhabitant of the island of African origin, who converted the island into a trading post and fortress is dedicated to Goddesses Mahalakshmi, Durga, and Saraswati. Mumbai’s prominent landmark is the temple having the sea front view. A deep carved by stone is the link between mandap and the main idol of the god/goddess. It is applicable every time the Navratri Festival is held, the temple gets decorated to the highest level and is a centre of attraction for devotees from different parts of the country. Even shops of general provisions that can be seen around the area sell puja items, flowers, etc.
Walkeshwar Temple
The Walkeshwar Temple situated at Malabar Hill is one of the important temple of historical and archaic importance in Mumbai. Lord Rama is said to have constructed the shivling on the murram sand so as to perform the puja properly. It dates back to the Shilahara Dynasty that sought the temple’s construction 1000 years ago and it is for Lord Shiva. Earlier, the area was referred to as Valuka Ishwar or Lord of sand and the name was transformed into Walkeshwar. It is known that the temple under went major renovation twice, once in the seventeenth century and in the 1950’s. It also has a number of the Hindustani Classical music festivals.
Swaminarayan Temple
Serving the Swaminarayan Sampraday, a branch of Hinduism is that believes in Lord Krishna, the Swaminarayan Temple was constructed in the year 1863 and was rebuilt in 1903. It consists of idols of Ghanshyam Maharaj, Hari Krishna Maharaj, Gaulok Bihari, and Radha only. Therefore, a large number of visitors flock the temple during festivals particularly the Janmashtami and Ram Navami.
Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple
Earlier owned by an orphanage, the building converted into a beautiful temple for ISKCON foundation in 1988, and it was open for people in 1990. The temple is currently the home of cows, peacock and other monkeys where they are free to roam around. Something that may interest true lovers of art is the fact that it is adorned with paintings that narrate the whole history of Krishna and Radha.
Conclusion
The temples in Mumbai are another evidence of the religious as well as architectural existence of the bustling city. Visiting these abodes of the Gods and Goddesses is very much an enriching experience and Identifies with Mumbai’s ethos. To conveniently explore these temples you can make your reservation at one of the many hotels in Mumbai.
Comments