Places of worship are not just places where you can offer your prayer to the deities. Other than that they are the sites you can visit to know more about the history of a place and also the relevance of a temple construction. Mumbai does have many temples that are visited by the devotees. One of the important and oldest temples in the city is the Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai. This is one the temples that worships the Devi Shakti or Mother Goddess.
One of the popular sites of worship for devotees, the temple of Mahalakhshmi holds a lot of importance in the lives of the people here. This temple and the deities are well worshipped and followed by a huge crowd. So if you are in Mumbai you should surely visit this temple once. The artistic yet subtle charm of this temple is surely going to give you a lot of peace of mind. So if you are in Mumbai or if you are going to visit Mumbai anytime soon, then you can surely visit this powerful Temple. Keep on reading this article to know everything that you need to know about this temple before you plan a visit here.
Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
Where is Mahalakshmi Temple in Mumbai?
Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Breach Candy, Mahalaxmi West Cumballa Hill, Maharashtra
Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai timings: 6 am to 10 pm
Pooja Timings: The Aarti timings are from 7 am to 7:20 am in the morning and from 7:30 pm to 7:50 pm in the evening. Dhoop Aarti timing is 6:30 pm in the evening and Shej Aarti timing is 10 pm at night before the gate closes for the day.
Entry fee for Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
Entry is free here. Live Darshan is free for all the devotees. However there are special puja rituals that anyone can offer. You can offer the Mahapuja of Rs. 251. Abhishek and Archana rituals cost Rs. 10 and Rs. 20. Special Havans are also arranged inside the temple against a donation of Rs. 2500.
Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai Online booking is not available. You will have to go to the puja counter to offer your donation for puja and darshan.
How to reach Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
By train
Mumbai is very well connected by trains. So it would be easy to reach the temple via local trains. If you are travelling within the city then Mahalakshmi Station is the nearest to the temple. However if you are travelling from nearby cities then the nearest railway stations are Mumbai Central which is 4 km away and Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus which is 7 km away.
By flight
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is located 18 km away from the temple. From there you can get buses, autos or cabs to reach the temple.
By road
You can drive through any of the nearby cities or even within the city. Or else you can take the state run buses plying through the city. The nearest bus stop is the Mumbai Central Bus Depot which is just 4 km away from the temple.
Best time to visit Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
According to the weather, the months of October to March are the ideal time to visit here. The temperature is most comfortable during this time. However if you want to visit the temple during festival time then you must visit here during the Navratri festivals. The temple looks grand and the celebrations are in full swing here. According to the time of the day, it is always advisable to visit the temple early in the morning because that is when the temple is less crowded.
At that time you would be able to offer your prayer to the deities without any hurry or rush. During a usual visit to the temple it would take around half an hour for you to complete the Darshan. However during festive time or peak hours there might be a long queue. So at those times it might take around an hour or so to complete your Darshan here.
About the Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai also known as the Shree Mahalakshmi Temple is a dedicated temple for Goddess Mahalakshmi – the Goddess of Wealth. One of the oldest temples in the city, this temple is located on the seaside along the Arabian Sea Shore. Along with the idol of Goddess Mahalakshmi, you can also find idols of Goddess Mahakali and Goddess Mahasaraswati here. The Goddesses are beautifully adorned with pearl necklaces, gold bangles and nose rings.
Additionally, other than being a site of worship, the trustees of this temple take special part in different social activities like assisting poor students by providing them student scholarships, giving medical aid to poor patients, and also donate to different social and educational institutions across the city. They are heavily involved in various charitable works and a major portion of the donations that are made to the temple are spent in these kinds of social activities to uplift the needy.
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History of Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
It is believed that this temple was built during 1761-1771 CE. It is said that the idols of Goddess Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati were immersed into the sea water by the people to save them from the Muslim invaders. And since then the idols were under water. However later during the rule of the British, Lord Hornby put forward a proposal. He wanted to connect Worli and the Malabar Hill. Great and efficient team of engineers was given this task but even after several attempts they were failing at it.
The lead engineer at that time was Shri Ramji Shivji Prabhu. However one day Goddess Mahalakhshmi herself came into the dream of Shri Ramji Shivji Prabhu and asked him to take the idols out of the water so that the construction work can be completed without any hassle. The team of engineers did as was instructed and then the project could be completed. Shri Ramji Shivji Prabhu also promised to build a temple on top of the hill. Later after the completion of this project, he acquired a piece of land from the British Government and built this temple of Goddess Mahalakshmi. At that point of time it cost him around 80 thousand rupees to build this temple.
Architecture of Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
Built in traditional Indian style of architecture the simplicity of this temple speaks for itself. The top of the temple or the Kalash is about 15 metres high. There is a 10.6 metres Flag Pole or Dhwaja Stambha in the temple. At the entrance you will see a beautifully carved gate that leads to the temple complex. Furthermore there is a structure illuminated with clay lamps known as the Deepmala that looks splendid. The main area around the sanctum is spread across 100 square metres. In the Sabhamandap of the temple there is a silver covered lion that faces the deities. Also the Sabhamandap is adorned and supported by 27 silver spires.
At the entrance of the Garbhagriha or Gabhara or the inner sanctum sanctorum there are wooden idols of Jay- Vijay. On each side of the inner sanctum there are idols of Shri Ganapati and Vithal- Rukmini. Inside the Gabhara you can see the idol of Goddess Mahalakshmi, Goddess Mahakali and Goddess Mahasaraswati.
Special activities in the Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
On a regular visit to the temple you can offer flowers and coconuts or sweets to the idols. The temple complex itself has many shops from where you can buy all these. Navratri is the most important festival celebrated in this temple. This festival is celebrated twice a year. Once around March-April and once during the months of September-October it is celebrated in full swing.
The whole complex is then decorated with flowers and lights and everything looks beautiful. Also the highest number of devotees visits the temple during this time itself. A lot of special arrangements are made during this time for the comfort of the devotees so that they can offer their prayer well. Another important festival celebrated here is the Annakut Festival that takes place after Diwali around December or January. Gudi Padwa and Diwali are other festivals celebrated here.
Things to keep in mind before visiting the Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai
- Mahalakshmi temple Mumbai Online booking is not available as of now. But this facility might be available soon. The official website of this temple shows this facility as coming soon. So you can keep an eye on that.
- During the rush hours, peak seasons and festive time there might be a long queue where you will have to wait before paying your visit to the Goddess.
- Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple complex. So keep that in mind.
- Refrain from having alcohol or smoking inside the temple premise.
- Follow the guidelines and rules of the temple and maintain the decorum of the temple while you are visiting here.
- Wear modest clothes as this is a religious place. Even though there is no strict dress code as such but refrain from wearing very short clothes or revealing outfits.
- There are no facilities or elevators or ramps here. The temple can only be accessed through the stairs. So for people in wheelchairs it would be a problem.
- Do take care of your own belongings inside the temple.
- Stand in the right queue as there are separate queues for men and women here.
- You will have to leave your shoes outside the temple complex before entering the temple.
- For donations and special pujas you will have to visit the temple counter. Online facilities are not available.
- Drinking water and separate washrooms for both women and men are available.
Wrapping up!
This temple holds a very special position in the hearts of the devotees. That is the reason why this temple is mostly crowded throughout the year. The devotees visiting here pray to the Goddesses with their heart and offer their prayer here with the faith that the Goddess would bless them. Visiting a temple or offering prayer completely depends on your faith and belief. If you are a worshipper of Shakti or Mother Goddess then this temple in Mumbai is a must visit for you. Definitely pay a visit to this temple and you will find a lot of peace here. Do let me know when you are planning to visit the Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai.
