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Mahalakshmi Temple, Mumbai

Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, Maharashtra

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Mahalakshmi Temple, Mumbai
Photo: Ryan Ready (Flickr), CC BY 2.0

About

The Mahalakshmi temple on Bhulabhai Desai Road, near the sea in south Mumbai, is one of the city's best-loved temples. In the sanctum the three Devis of the Devi Mahatmya sit side by side: Mahalakshmi in the centre holding lotus flowers, with Mahakali and Mahasaraswati on either side. All three are adorned with nose rings, gold bangles and pearl necklaces. Traders, office-goers and families stop here every day to pray, and stalls outside sell flower garlands and puja items. Navratri and Diwali bring the biggest crowds.

The story

In the late 18th century the British in Bombay began building a causeway, later called the Hornby Vellard, to close the 'Great Breach', the creek through which the sea flowed between the islands and Worli. The work was given to an engineer, Ramji Shivji Prabhu, but the waves kept knocking the sea wall down. The story goes that one night Devi Mahalakshmi appeared in his dream and said that she and her two sisters lay at the bottom of the sea; if they were brought out, the work would be finished. With the governor's permission, fishermen searched with nets and drew up three murtis: Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati. The murtis were placed on a small hill by the shore, and after that the causeway was completed without trouble. Ramji Shivji built a temple for the Devis. Tradition says the murtis had been placed in the sea long before, to keep them safe in troubled times. The present temple building is dated to 1831 and is credited to a merchant, Dhakji Dadaji.

Visiting

October to February is the most pleasant season. Expect long queues during Navratri and around Diwali; weekday mornings are calmer. Mahalaxmi and Mumbai Central railway stations are close by. On the same trip you can visit the Banganga tank and Walkeshwar temple at Malabar Hill, and the Mumba Devi temple at Bhuleshwar.

Festivals

  • Sharad Navratri (Ashwin Shukla Pratipada to Navami)
  • Diwali and Lakshmi Puja (Kartik Amavasya)
  • Akshaya Tritiya (Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya)

Famous temples

Sources