The South Bombay temple trail
If you’ve grown up in Mumbai or have visited your extended family in the city in your childhood years, I am sure you observed that the elders in the family took great efforts to make the family reunions special. While the prospect of meeting cousins had us dreaming of amusement parks, to our surprise, the elders usually were a step ahead of us. While they did indulge us generously, they took us children with them to the famous religious places in the city to mark the reunions at least once a year. Sounds familiar?
Over time, I realized I feel a sense of happiness and peace there. As a result, even as a grownup I find myself at these places often, with friends or family or on my own. I thought to myself, why not share it with everyone? So, here’s the south Bombay temple trail, in the order of location from south to north -
- Mumba Devi temple
- Babulnath temple
- Banganga tank
- Mahalakshmi temple
- Siddhivinayak temple
- ISKCON temple (Bonus)
Mumba Devi temple
The bustling bylanes of Bhuleshwar house the Mumba Devi temple, which is believed to have given Bombay its new name. Popularly known as the ‘goddess of Mumbai city’, the deity is revered by the local/ancient communities of the city. The temple premises witness many religious activities taking place throughout the day. The temple, however, is peaceful and overlooks the sea.
As a child, a visit to the Mumba Devi temple was an exciting prospect to me as it meant passing through the buzzing Zaveri Bazaar and having khichiya papad at khau galli!
Babulnath temple
Situated on a small hill, Babulnath temple is an ancient Shiva temple. The timeless temple’s premises feel like having stepped back in time. The annual Bombay temple tours had us witnessing all temples renovating and modernizing with time, except for this one.
My earliest memory of visiting Babulnath temple is when I was 3, and back then the place had a lift taking us to the temple from ground floor. As an adult, I fell in love with its peaceful vibe. Most recently, some scenes of ‘Ok Jaanu’ were shot at the temple.
Bonus: Visit the temple on Mahashivratri festival to witness it in all its glory! Every corner of the temple is beautifully decorated with flowers and lights.
Banganga tank
A corner in the urban Mumbai is believed to date back to Ramayana — sounds unbelievable, right?
It is believed that Lord Ram struck his bow into the ground and a freshwater tributary of Ganga appeared on the surface. That’s how the place derived its name.
The striking fact is that the tank still receives freshwater while it is very close salty sea water. The area around the tank got developed into a pilgrimage spot which thrives till this day, owing to the efforts of Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community.
On weekends, artists can be spotted around the tank, trying to capture the vibe of the place onto their sketchbooks.
Bonus: Visit the tank during Kartik Poornima. The Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community organizes Dev-Diwali celebration which resembles the Kashi Ganga Ghat aarti.
Mahalakshmi temple
With sea waves at its foot, the temple is dedicated to three goddesses of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. The famous temple is believed to be regularly visited by prominent businessmen and politicians.
As children, we looked forward to the Mahalakshmi temple visit as we spent the entire evening at the sea, having our Frooti and chips. We were awestruck with the fact that the temple was practically touched by the sea waves.
Bonus: The temple is known to host Navratri celebrations which attracts many devotees. It is famous for its decoration during the festival.
Siddhivinayak temple
Probably the most famous temple in Mumbai, Siddhivinayak temple needs no introduction. Known to fulfil wishes, the Ganpati temple is visited by college students, families, working professionals and celebrities alike. It is said that attending the early morning aarti at the temple is one of the most blissful experiences.
Something that’s unique to the temple is devotees whispering their most heartfelt desires to two silver sculptures of mice believed to be Mooshak (Lord Ganesha’s vehicle). During my childhood, I looked forward to that experience the most.
ISKCON temple, Juhu
Although not a part of southern Mumbai, ISKCON temple is one of the most famous temples in Mumbai. The temple owes its following to the Hare Krishna movement which draws devotees from all over the world. Made of white marble, the temple is considered as the most beautiful Krishna temples in the country.
My personal favorite experience is spending quality time in its spacious auditorium with bhajans in the background and the having the prasad after aarti — it’s the best prasad I’ve ever had.
If you happen to visit these temples, one or all of them, do share your experience with me. Additionally, if you’d like to add something to this list, please share it with me, I’d love to know!
Thank you for your time if you’ve read so far.
You can connect with me via email at nidhi.thehappychapter@gmail.com or on Instagram at @nidhigupta_
(All pictures are taken by me unless mentioned)
