Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple, Mumbai

At a glance

• Deity: Shree Siddhivinayak, a form of Lord Ganesh with his trunk turned to the right, with Riddhi and Siddhi.
• Location: S. K. Bole Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Managed by: Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust.
• Busiest day: Tuesday, Ganesh's day; Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi (a chaturthi falling on Tuesday) draws the biggest crowds.
• Official website: siddhivinayak.org, for live darshan, online pooja booking and notices.

A childless woman's vow

The temple was built in 1801 by a contractor, Laxman Vithu Patil, with funds given by Deubai Patil, a wealthy woman of the Agri community who had no children. Her wish was that Ganesh should grant children to other childless women, which is why Siddhivinayak is especially prayed to by couples hoping for a child. The original small brick shrine has grown into the present multi-storey temple with a gold-plated dome.

The deity

The image is carved from a single black stone and is about two and a half feet tall. Ganesh has four arms holding a lotus, an axe, a rosary and a bowl of modaks, with a snake around his waist like a sacred thread, and a third eye on his forehead. Riddhi and Siddhi stand on either side. His trunk turns to the right; a right-trunked (dakshinabhimukhi) Ganesh is considered powerful and quick to grant wishes, but also exacting in worship, which is why such images are usually in temples rather than homes.

Darshan

• The temple opens before dawn and closes at around 10 pm. On Tuesdays it opens earlier (around 3 am) because of the crowds. Timings change on Angarki and festival days; check the official website.
• General darshan is free; the trust also runs a separate queue for faster "mukh darshan" from a distance and paid options. Online pooja (abhishek, ashirvachan pooja) is booked on the official website.
• Kakad aarti in the early morning and the evening aarti are the main aartis.

The trust's rules

According to the temple trust's notice to devotees: switch off mobile phones before entering, wear clothing in keeping with the culture of the place (no revealing or indecent dress), and leave footwear at the stands outside the entrance. Security checks are strict, and large bags may not be allowed.

How to reach

• By train: Dadar station (Western and Central lines) is about 2 km away; Prabhadevi station on the Western line is closer.
• By metro: the Siddhivinayak station on Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) is near the temple.
• By air: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, about 12 km away.

Festivals

Ganesh Chaturthi brings huge crowds over the ten days; Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi sees queues stretching for kilometres through the night; Maghi Ganesh Jayanti is the deity's birthday.

Practical tips

• Avoid Tuesdays and Angarki if you want a quiet darshan; weekday afternoons are calmest.
• Offer durva grass, red hibiscus or modaks, all dear to Ganesh.
• Before you go, chant Vakratunda Mahakaya or read the Ganesh Chalisa.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Siddhivinayak temple most crowded?

On Tuesdays, Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi and during Ganesh Chaturthi.

Who built the Siddhivinayak temple?

Laxman Vithu Patil built it in 1801, funded by Deubai Patil, who prayed that Ganesh would bless childless women.

Why is the trunk turned to the right?

Siddhivinayak is a right-trunked Ganesh, regarded as especially powerful and quick to fulfil wishes.

Is there a dress code?

Yes. The trust asks devotees to wear decent, culturally appropriate clothing and to switch off mobile phones.

Can pooja be booked online?

Yes, on the official siddhivinayak.org website.