Aamchi Mumbai Ep. 11

City with many faiths but one spirit!

Mumbai has got a lot of religious significance. Let's know more about the places of worship in the maximum city.

1. Temple witnessing history of Ramayana, Walkeshwar temple :

One of the oldest temple of the city with a huge religious significance, Walkeshwar Temple also known as Baan Ganga Mandir is believed to be a spot where Lord Rama visited. It's construction is felt to be around 1300 years old. Situated on the highest peak of the city this temple offers a fascinating story behind it's construction. Mythologically, Lord Rama paused at this spot on his journey towards Lanka. He was advised to have a small ritual and thereby he constructed a 'Linga' at this place. The original Linga of sand which is present even today is constructed by Lord Rama himself. The name Walkeshwar derives from two sanskrit words, 'Valuka' means sand and 'Ishwar' means God. There's one more interesting faith that goes around i.e. Lord Rama needed some water for the rituals and also was thirsty. On the coastal area, due to the beaches on all sides, the water was salty and couldn't be used, so he shot one arrow and brought the river Ganga here, which is very astounding that the water that flows besides the temple is sweet on the other hand there is a sea with salty water just a stone's throw away. This is the reason it is called as 'Baan' (arrow) Ganga temple. This place is a must visit place to explore the miracle of having two different & diverse water bodies together inspite of their distinct properties. 

2. World's largest, Global Vipassana Pagoda :

Did you all know that the largest meditation hall in the world of Buddhist order is situated in chaotic city like Mumbai? All of you might be astonished to know that, the largest meditation dome in the world which emphasises on peace is located in buzzing & busiest Mumbai. The Global Vipassana Pagoda    can accommodate around 8 thousand people at a time inside the huge stone dome which is constructed without any supporting pillars, this is another reason why this structure is so fascinating. The largest dome's  construction was completed in 2009 & it was inaugurated by the then President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil. It took somehow 9 years to complete this momentous Pagoda. This 96 metres high stupa is modelled after Myanmar's Shwedagon Pagoda. To introspect & dive into meditation, one must definitely pay a visit to this area in Mumbai, which offers many such courses for the people, who seek to obtain peace and harmony in life. 

3. Mumbai's Aai (Mother), Mumba Devi Temple :

The name of the city Mumbai is derived from Mumba Devi, which is mostly worshipped by the fishermen community. The word Mumbai comprises of ,Mumba, with suffix 'Aai', which means mother in Marathi. Located in Bhuleshwar area of South Mumbai, this temple is visited by hundreds of people daily. In 1675 this temple was demolished and then was rebuilt in 1737. The name Mumba derives from Maha Amba which translates to great Mother. Locals believe that Goddess Mumba is the Guardian of Mumbai who protects the citizens from all walks of life. 

4. Very famous Ganapati, Siddhivinayak Temple : 

Situated in the Prabhadevi area of Dadar the Siddhivinayak temple is one of the richest temples in India, which is evident because the temple's inner roof is plated with gold. It is one of the most worshipped temples in India. Visited daily by around 30 thousand people and on tuesdays the crowd runs into 2 lakhs because on devotees get to witness the Tuesday Aarti, when the queue of devotees sometimes extend as long as 2 kms. The Ganesh idol is carved of a single black stone and covered with saffron colour. Idol's trunk is on the right side instead of left, which makes it unique & prestigious holding a huge religious significance. This iconic temple of Dadar is visited regularly by many famous personalities including actors, politicians etc. It was funded by a women, Deobai Patil in 1801. Deobai Patil was childless, so it was her wish that Lord Ganesha bless the other women with children who pray here. Hence, she built this shrine. 

Another famous temple from Mumbai is the 'Mahalaxmi Temple' located on Bhulabhai Dessai Road in Mahalaxmi area. It was built in 1831 nearly 190 years ago by a Merchant. This temple witnesses massive celebrations during the Navratri festival. There are total 3 idols of goddesses in the temple and together they are called as 'Mahalaxmi'. 

One of the very famous Churches in Mumbai is the 'Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount', more commonly known as Mount Mary Church, is a Basilica of the Latin Church in India, situated in Bandra.

Also, Mumbai is a place for the floating Mosque known as 'Haji Ali Dargah', which is a very famous Mosque visited by many people through out the year. 

The city has many faiths but one spirit! 

These are the few famous religious places of Mumbai. To know more about Mumbai, stay tuned for the upcoming episodes.

#Shambhavi'sTakeOnMumbai

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