Mumba Devi Mandir, Mumbai
Mumba Devi Mandir, an age-old temple, built in the 16th century, has been the reason behind the derivation of the name Mumbai. The importance of Mumba Devi Mandir can be understood where Mumbai got its name from. The largest city and financial center of India, Mumbai is said to be the city that never sleeps. From the narrow bylanes to the huge sea links, Mumbai has a lot to offer to its people and to the travelers visiting this magnificent city from all over the world.The History of Mumba Devi Mandir
This old temple in Mumbai, Maharashtra is of vital importance to the people of Mumbai. It is said that the temple was built in the year 1675 in Bori Bunder but was shifted in 1737 to its current location in Kalbadevi. Located in the Bhuleshwar area in South Mumbai, Mumba Devi Mandir is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots mostly for the people living in Maharashtra but it is also a famous tourist destination. The temple of Mumbadevi once stood on the site of the present Victoria Terminus in the central island which is now called Mumbai.The legend holds it that Mumbadevi, an eight-armed goddess was sent by Lord Brahma to triumph over an evil demon named Mumbaraka, who used to terrorize the locals and when he got defeated, he begged the goddess to take her name. He also built a temple dedicated to the goddess in the heart of the city.
It is also said that the temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati who reincarnated in her fisherwoman form for gaining perseverance and concentration to take the form of Mahakali. At her early age, Goddess Parvati was known as Matdyaa and later when she took the fisherwoman form, she came to be known as Mumba. The Marathi-speaking Agris (salt collectors) and Kolis (fishermen) made Mumba Goddess as their patron and started worshipping her.
Some Interesting Facts about Mumba Devi Mandir
The temple is an astounding sight for anyone who visits the temple for the first time. The idol of Goddess Mumbadevi is an enchanting black stone sculpture embellished with a silver crown, a golden necklace, and a nose stud. Her face is painted orange in color. The idol of Mumbadevi is placed on an altar that is always decorated with marigold flowers.A tiger, the carrier of the goddess, is placed in front of the Goddess Mumbadevi. The idol of Mumbadevi has no mouth to depict Mother Earth. The idols of Hanuman and Ganesh are also placed within the temple and a stone idol of Annapurna seated on a peacock is also inside the temple. There are other shrines inside the temple that are dedicated to Mahadev, Indriyani, Murlidhar, Jagannath, Narsoba, and Balaji.
An interesting fact about the temple of Mumbadevi is that the carrier of the Goddess is changed every day. On Monday, the carrier of the goddess is Nandi Bull, on Tuesday elephant, on Wednesday it’s a rooster, Thursday it’s an eagle, Friday it’s a swan, Saturday it’s an elephant, and Sunday it’s a lion. All these carriers are made of silver.
This temple holds quite an importance and significance for the people living in Mumbai. It is believed by the Koli fisherfolk that praying in the proper manner to the Goddess Mumbadevi surely fulfills all the wishes and prayers of the devotee and showers her blessings by looking over their health and happiness.
Hundreds of people come to visit this temple daily mostly the Dravidians of the western and the southern part of India. This 600-year-old structure is located at the center of the steel and clothing markets that are always crowded and filled with the daily humdrum but when you get inside the temple, all the noise, disturbance, and voices surface down and you feel a sense of calmness and peace while worshipping the goddess.
Mumba Devi Mandir Timings
When planning to visit Mumbai, a visit to Mumba Devi Mandir to attend the morning aarti (a religious ritual) will truly reinstate your faith in the power of God.The timings to visit the Mumba Devi Mandir is from Tuesday to Sunday from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The temple remains closed on Mondays. At night, the architecture styling and the surrounding area of the temple shine up with bright colored lighting. The temple looks mesmerizing and attracts many tourists, especially at night.
Outside the temple, you will find small flower and souvenir shops where you can buy religious artefacts and idols. A variety of fresh flowers and delicious sweet shops also surround the vicinity of the temple. The Mumbadevi Road is to the right from the northern end of Zaveri Bazaar and this Jewelers’ Market, you can find many jewelry shops that sell beautiful and elegant designed jewelry.
The Mumbadevi Road is a narrow street lined with stalls selling objects such as copper bracelets, rings, brass lingams, photographs of deities, incense, saffron, rudraksha malas, saffron and so on. The rich cultural colors of India can be witnessed with ochre clad sadhus sitting on the streets with foreheads smeared with ash paste and vermillion.
You can also visit the Crawford Market situated nearby the Mumba Devi Mandir that is famous for its fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat. Mumbai is also famous for its beaches and the Chowpatty Beach is a hot tourist destination that is located at the northern end of Marine Drive so if you want some fresh breeze and cold water, you can head to the beach after the night prayers in the Mumba Devi Mandir.
How to Reach Mumba Devi Mandir
To reach the temple, you can opt for either road or rail transportation. If you’re staying near the temple, you can hire an auto-rickshaw for Bhuleshwar where the Mumba Devi Mandir is located. If you find it comfortable, you can also board a local train from the Charni Road Station that is only 10 minutes from Bhuleshwar or from the Churchgate Station which is also located close to Bhuleshwar.There are a lot of religious sites in India, mostly temples, where you can visit for some soul-searching or probably to admire the rich heritage of the land. The Mumbadevi temple is one such temple preserved for many centuries and the visit to this temple will truly give you a sense of purification of the soul.
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