Mumbai is a land that holds culture, history and heritage as close as it holds the modern elements. As a state you will find a beautiful amalgamation of historical locations as well as modern day constructions here. And obviously that makes Mumbai one of the most exceptional and exciting places to explore for the visitors. Moreover Mumbai is home to many ancient temples that date back to a few centuries. And even today these temples are very important locations of pilgrimage. The Babulnath Temple Mumbai is one such temple in Mumbai that holds a lot of importance for its devotees. You can check out the Babulnath Temple photos to see how beautiful this temple in Mumbai is.
If you are visiting Mumbai then you certainly need to visit this temple as it holds a history attached to it. It would be an interesting location for you to explore if you are in Mumbai. Especially if you are a Shiva devotee then the Babulnath Shiva Temple would be an even more interesting location to visit for you. In this article I will mention every detail that you probably need about the Babulnath Temple Mumbai. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to this temple. Keep on reading this article and definitely include the Babulnath Temple in Mumbai in your itinerary.
Babulnath Temple Mumbai
Where is Babulnath Temple in Mumbai?
The Babulnath Temple location is 16, Babulnath Road, Charni Road near Chowpatty, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Babulnath Temple timings today: The Babulnath Temple timings are from 5 am in the morning to 9 pm at night from Tuesday to Sunday. And on Mondays the temple is open from 4 am to 11:30 pm
Special darshan timings and live aarti in the Babulnath Temple Mumbai are from 5:45 am to 7 am, 11 am to 12 pm in the morning and again from 4:45 pm to 6 pm in the evening.
The Babulnath Temple timings on Maha Shivaratri might change a little. The Mahapoojan timings on Shivaratri festival is from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Aarti timings of Babulnath Temple Mumbai:
Morning aarti 6:30 am- Abhishekh Pooja Aarti
Babulnath Temple afternoon timings 11:30 am to 12:15 pm- Madhyam Abhishkh Pooja Aarti
Evening Aarti 5:15 pm to 6 pm- Sandhya Abhishekh Pooja Aarti
Night Aarti 8 pm to 8:15 pm- Sayan Aarti
Entry fee of Babulnath Temple Mumbai: There is no entry fee. However if you are using the lift service here then you will have to pay Re. 1
How to reach Babulnath Temple
By air
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is the nearest airport to reach this temple. From the temple the airport is around 20.4 km away. You can take a car or hire a cab to reach the temple in about 51 minutes from the airport.
By train
Babulnath Temple nearest railway station is the Charni Road Station. Charni Road Station to Babulnath Temple distance is only 1.5 km and you can reach the temple in 5 minutes. Also Grant Road Station to Babulnath Temple distance is 1.6 km and it would take around 8 minutes to reach there. The major railway station near the temple is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station which is 4.7 km away. From the station you can reach the Babulnath Temple in about 14 minutes. Another nearby railway station to reach the temple is the Mumbai Central Railway Station which is 3.1 km away. You can reach the temple from the station in about 13 minutes.
By road
Through national highways Mumbai is well connected to different cities and states. So you can easily travel by road to reach this temple. You can also travel within the city as well and there are multiple buses to reach the Babulnath Temple. The nearest bus stop is the Babulnath Bus Stop and a lot of buses stop there. While travelling from other cities or towns the buses stop at the Mumbai Central Bus Depot and from there the temple is only 4 km away. The temple is located on the Charni road and you need to travel from Charni road to Babulnath Temple. Also the Mahalaxmi Temple to Babulnath Temple distance is only 3.1 km and you can easily reach the temple in about 11 minutes. You can also hire a car or take a cab to reach the temple from various parts of the city or outside.
Best time to visit Babulnath Temple Mumbai
The ideal time to visit the Babulnath Temple Mumbai is between the months of November to March. Because of the weather during these months it would be comfortable for a visit here. Also the humidity is low and you would not find it hard to climb up the steps of the temple during this time. You can also visit here during any of the festivals that attract the most number of devotees to the temple. The major festival here is the Shivaratri and devotees visit the temple in huge numbers during that time of the year. Also the month of Shravan is another time when a huge number of people visit the temple. There are pre bookings for the temple as well so you can opt for Babulnath Temple online booking during that time.
If you are visiting here during any of the festivals you would be able to enjoy the ambiance of the temple in full grandeur along with live aartis and poojas. So you can plan your visit accordingly.
Overview of Babulnath Temple Mumbai
The Babulnath Temple in Mumbai is built on a hillock located near the Malabar Hill area and is one of the major sites of pilgrimage in the city. Devotees from all over the city and outside visit this temple to seek the blessing of Lord Shiva. What makes this temple even more interesting is the story behind its construction. Even though the temple was constructed about 200 years ago there is some evidence that suggests its construction back to the 12th century. On regular days the devotees of Lord Shiva visit this temple. But on special occasions like Shivaratri even more devotees visit the temple. The temple has a very tranquil and peaceful ambiance that makes this spiritual site even more alluring.
Babulnath Temple History
There is a legend associated with the Babulnath Temple that makes a visit to the temple interesting. This legend related to the Babulnath Temple is 300 years old. Back in the days the land where the temple is present was basically a pastoral land. A rich man Pandurang owned this land and a boy Babul used to look after all his cows. One day Babul noticed that a cow did not give any milk. Therefore he started keeping an eye on that cow. Next day he noticed that the cow poured all the milk at one particular spot. Also he followed the cow for a few more days and the same thing was happening. After that Babul went to Pandurang and informed him about the matter.
Furthermore Pandurang also followed the cow and noticed the same thing. Pandurang then ordered the digging of that particular place. After the digging they witnessed a large Shivalinga surfacing from the ground beneath. And at present the Babulnath Temple is located at the same spot and the Shivalinga in the temple is the same Shivalinga. There was further excavation of the area as well. And as a result idols of Lord Ganesha, Devi Parvati and Lord Hanuman were also found.
According to the history of Babulnath Temple the construction of the original temple dates back to 12th century. Long back a Hindu king Bhimdev built a temple of Lord Shiva. But due to the Muslim invasion the temple was destroyed and they buried the idols in the earth. These idols were the same idols that Pandurang and Babul found during the excavation. And finally the temple was built in 1780.
What’s more?
While there was the preparation for the construction of the temple the members of the Parsi community resisted it. The main reason for their resistance was that this area was close to one of their Tower of Silence or Dakhma. However the matter reached the court and later the judgment was in favour of the Hindus.
In 1890 a Gujarati merchant built the present day structure of the Babulnath Temple. During that time the Babulnath Temple Tower or the Gopuram was the tallest structure in Mumbai. But later severe lightning destroyed the structure.
Architecture of Babulnath Temple
The architecture of the Babulnath Temple is beautiful with its intricately carved pillars. The temple architecture reflects the Hindu style of architecture. The walls of the temples have limestone carvings and are one of the major attractions for visitors. Also the pillars here are beautiful and have stories and figures on them from the Hindu mythologies. There is marble flooring in the temple that is from Rajasthan and it certainly elevates the beauty of this temple. Also there are about 110 Babulnath Temple steps that you need to cover to reach the main shrine that houses the Shivalinga.
Things to remember before visiting the Babulnath Temple Mumbai
- Wear modest Indian outfits, preferably Hindu attire to visit the temple
- There is a lift here in case you don’t want to climb up the 110 steps. But you should only take the lift if there is someone elderly.
- The crowd can be huge here so take care of your own belongings.
- There are shops outside the temple and you can buy a basket of offerings from there.
- Make sure you are attending the Aartis here which will be a divine experience.
Wrapping Up!
The Babulnath Shiva Temple is one of the most important Shiva shrines for the devotees of Lord Shiva. People visit here to seek blessings from Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati so that their wishes get fulfilled. Definitely try to visit this temple if you are exploring Mumbai. It would be a nice and serene experience to visit a location like this. So when are you planning a trip to this temple in Mumbai? And let me know if this article on Babulnath Temple is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.