Located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai (Maharashtra), the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesha. The temple is considered one of the most sacred shrines in India. The temple was built in 1801 by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil. Today, the temple is one of the most popular attractions in Mumbai, and tourists from all across the world visit the temple to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha. The temple receives millions of rupees as a donation every year, making it one of the wealthiest temples in Mumbai.
Siddhivinayak Temple History
Shree Siddhivinayak Temple was established in 1801 by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil as a small shrine. Very soon, the temple was renovated, and with money and time, it was given a 6-story structure, which is its present structure. Deubai was childless and always wanted to build a Lord Ganesh temple, where Lord Ganesh would bless childless couples so they could have a child. This is why Siddhivinayak is also known as Navasacha Ganapati (Ganapati who grants wishes when asked with a pure heart).
Ramakrishna Jambhekar Maharaj was a disciple of the Hindu saint Akkalkot Swami Samarth. On the orders of his guru, he buried two divine idols in front of the presiding idol of Lord Ganpati. Like his guru said, 21 years after the burial of the idols, a mandarin tree grew at that spot with a svayambhu Ganesha in its branches.
There is a small mandap (hall) in the temple, which has the shrine of Siddhivinayak (Ganesha who grants every wish). Next to the idol of Lord Ganesh, there are idols of Riddhi and Siddhi (his consorts) on either side, which symbolize wealth and prosperity. The main chamber has wooden doors which feature carved images of the Ashtavinayak (the eight manifestations of Ganesha in Maharashtra). The inner roof of the room is made of gold. There is also a Hanuman temple in the temple complex. The Ambarnath temple inspires the architecture of the temple. It is a 6-storeyed temple with a gold-plated dome in the center.
Siddhivinayak Temple Timings, Aarti Schedule & Entry Fee
Every day of the week, the Siddhivinayak Temple is open. Except for Tuesdays and holidays like Vinayaki Chaturthi, Sankashti Chaturthi, Maghi Shree Ganesh Jayanti, and Bhadrapad Shree Ganesh Chaturthi, entry opens at 5:30 AM every day. From Wednesday through Monday, the temple closes at 9:50 PM, following the final aarti of the day. The temple’s doors open at 3:15 AM on Tuesdays and close at midnight.
For frequent visitors, admission to the Siddhivinayak Temple is free. However, you can pay INR 50 to wait in a separate line for “paid darshan” if you’d like to avoid the lengthy lines typical on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and bank holidays. If you choose this, your waiting time will be reduced from many hours to 20 to 45 minutes.
Things to do at Siddhivinayak Temple
- Admire the temple’s exquisite architecture.
- Spend some time people-watching as you wait to enter the shrine. Worshipers, tourists, students, and even famous people can all be found seeking Lord Ganesha’s blessings or solutions to their issues.
- From the vendors, you can purchase some sweets or fruits that you can use afterward as prasad.
- Study the features of Lord Ganesha and the Goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi, as well as the ornate decoration on the main idol’s golden seat.
- Look at the enormous statue of a mouse, which represents Ganesha’s mythical chariot. Many worshippers breathe their hopes and desires into it, hoping they will be realized.
- Witness the excitement as people swarm to see the priests conduct the traditional aarti every few hours.
- Go to the free library on the fourth level, where you may find books on various topics, including engineering, economics, mythology, and religion.
Things to Keep in Mind While Visiting Siddhivinayak Temple
- Even though the temple is six stories high, the Ganesha deity is barely two feet wide and two feet six inches tall.
- This rare Ganesha has its trunk on the right, unlike most other idols with the trunk on the left.
- The height of the temple weighs 1500 kg.
- The construction of the current temple cost 3 crore rupees.
- Though there are only 150 seats available, the temple’s library has a maximum capacity of 500 students.
- If you cannot visit the temple in person, you can view a live broadcast online at their official website.
- Near this Ganesha temple is a Hanuman temple.
Celebrating religious festivals and Utsavs such as
- Maghi and Bhadrapada Ganesh Utsav
- Mahashivratri pooja
- Angarki Chaturthi pooja
- Ram Navami pooja
- Magh Mahotsav
- Ganeshotsav
- Gudipadwa Celebrations
- Navratrotsav
- Kumbhabhishekam
If you are planning to visit Siddhivinayak Temple, then you must check out our Mumbai Tour packages.
