Lord Ganesha is worshipped at the Siddhivinayak Temple, which is one of the most famous Hindu places of worship in Maharashtra & Mumbai. Built-in 1801, the building complex we see today is the result of renovations that were finished in 1993. Most people come to this temple to see the huge amount of gold on the idol’s throne, but there are other things about this building that also draw people in.
The most interesting thing about this god is that its trunk leans to the right. The idol has four hands (Chaturbhuj) with a lotus in the top right, a tiny axe in the top left, holy beads in the bottom right, and a bowl full of Modaks in the bottom right (a delicacy which is a perennial favourite with Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati).
On both sides, the god is represented by Riddhi and Siddhi, who are goddesses of holiness, fulfilment, prosperity, and wealth. On the forehead of the god is a picture of an eye, like Lord Shiva’s third eye.
On some days, as many as two lakh people wait in line to see the stone sculpture of Ganapati. Don’t be surprised if you see famous people giving their gifts at the temple.
What is the meaning of Siddhivinayak?
The god of Siddhivinayak is honoured at the Siddhi Vinayak Temple. This is one of the many names for Gajanana or Ganapati, a god who is well known. The name “Siddhivinayak” means “lord over obstacles” in Sanskrit.
Ganesha’s idol is easy to spot because it has the head of an elephant on a human body. People know that he has four hands. He has a small axe in his right hand and a lotus in his left. He blesses with his left hand and holds Indian sweets called modaks in his right hand. Ganapati is also easy to spot because of his big belly, which shows that he eats a lot.
The elephant head on Siddhivinayak has an interesting story behind it. Sanatan mythology says that lord Ganesh was once watching his mother Parvati’s house while she took a bath. Shiva, her husband, tried to force his way in at the same time. Ganesha’s father fought against him and cut off his head.
When Parvati found out about this, she got mad and told Shiva to go get the head of the first animal he saw on his way out. Shiva found an elephant, and he brought the elephant’s head back for Gajanana to use as a replacement.
Vinayaka Chaturthi is a festival that is held every year to honour Lord Gajanana. This is usually celebrated for anywhere from one day to eleven days in August or September. People who worship Gajanana bring his statues into their homes and invite friends and family to look at them.
During all the days of Ganpati Chaturthi, a sweet called “modak” is made and given to everyone. At the end of the celebrations, the idols are put into bodies of water while people pray that the deity will come back next year.
Live Darshan
The story behind Shri Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple Mumbai
At the request of a wealthy woman named Deubai Patil, this temple was built in 1801 and opened for worship on November 19 of that year. The building was much smaller than the one that stands in its place now. The idol is the same black stone statue carved into a single block. Even though it is now painted a bright shade of orange and some of its parts are covered in gold.
In 1990, the Government of Maharashtra decided to fix up the Siddhi Vinayak Temple and limit the number of tourists who could visit to make the area less crowded. The work to fix up the building was done in 1993.
The architecture of Siddhivinayak Temple
The temple premises is a six-story building topped by a dome. This large dome is covered in gold, which adds to the temple’s beauty. Most of the building is made of marble and pink granite, while the domes are made of gold or a combination of five metals.
Three doors go into the inner shrine on the lower level. People come to do pooja and darshan on this floor. Gajanana’s statue sits on a beautiful gold throne in the inner sanctum. On each side of him are statues of the Hindu goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi.
The kitchen where food is cooked to give to the idol is on the second floor. On this floor, there are also some administrative offices. The main office and the computer room are on the third floor. On the fourth floor, there is a library and study room with more than 8,000 books on a wide range of topics. Everyone is free to use this room and all the books in it.
On the fifth floor, there is another kitchen. This one is bigger and is used to cook food for festivals and special fire offerings. The 47 gold-plated crowns that make up the roof are on the sixth and highest floor of the temple.
Things to Remember When Going to Shree Siddhivinayak Temple Mumbai
- Dress in a proper way. You don’t have to cover your head, but don’t wear clothes that are too revealing.
- If you choose the special darshan package, which is only for NRIs and foreigners, don’t forget to bring something that proves you are a foreigner or live abroad.
- There are both free and paid restrooms in the building, but if there is a long line, plan your bathroom breaks.
- From the entrances to the main idol to the exit gate, there are guards at every step. They control the flow of people so that a place doesn’t get too crowded. Make sure you don’t stay too long in front of the main idol, especially on Tuesdays and holidays.
- Wheelchairs are available on request for people who have trouble walking because they are disabled or old.
Siddhivinayak Temple: Some Interesting Facts
- Even though the temple has 6 floors, the Vinayaka statue is only 2 feet wide and 2 feet 6 inches tall.
- Most idols of Vinayaka have his trunk on the left, but this one is unusual because it is on the right.
- The top of the temple is made of 1500 kg of stone.
- Building the current temple cost 3 crore rupees.
- The library inside the temple can fit up to 500 students, but most days there is only room for 150.
- If you can’t go to the temple in person, you can still do a darshan by watching the live telecast on their website.
- In the same area as this Vinayaka temple, there is also a Hanuman temple.
Activities at Siddhivinayak Temple
- Especially if you have to wait in line, look at the intricate design of the temple’s outside.
- As you wait your turn to enter the shrine, you can watch other people. Lord Vinayaka is prayed to by worshippers, tourists, students, and even famous people who want to be blessed or have their problems solved.
- Inside, there are vendors selling sweets and fruits that can be eaten as prasad.
- Look at how the golden throne of the central idol is decorated and how Lord Vinayaka and the Goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi look.
- Look at the big statue of a mouse, which is thought to be Ganesha’s mythical vehicle. A lot of people who want their wishes to come true whisper them into its ear.
- Every few hours, crowds of people gather to watch the priests perform the ritual aarti.
- Go up to the fourth floor to find a free library with books on mythology, religion, economics, engineering, and many other subjects.
How to Reach Siddhivinayak Temple
The Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Prabhadevi is in the middle of the city, which makes it easy to get to with different kinds of transportation:
Local Trains: If you are on the Central Line, you can get off at Dadar or Parel and then hail a taxi. On the Western Line, the closest train stops are either Prabhadevi or Lower Parel. When you get to Kurla on the Harbour Line, switch to the Central Line. All the train stations in the area are between 1.5 km and 3.5 km from the temple.
City Buses: Shri Siddhi Vinayak temple and Ravindra Natya temple are the closest stops for State-run BEST buses. Both bus stops are close enough to walk to the temple, and buses leave every few minutes.
Private transportation: If you want a comfortable ride, you can hire a private cab (called a “kaali-peeli” or “black-and-yellow taxi”) or a radio taxi from companies like Uber, Ola, Meru, etc. Near the temple, there aren’t many places to park, and cars are often towed, so don’t drive by yourself.
Siddhivinayak darshan timetable
| Day | Timing |
| Monday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
| Tuesday | 3:15 am – 12:30 am |
| Wednesday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
| Friday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
| Saturday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
| Sunday | 5:30 am – 9:50 pm |
Places to visit near Siddhivinayak temple
Mount Mary Church Bandra: The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, also called Mount Mary Church, is a Roman Catholic basilica in the Mumbai city neighbourhood of Bandra. Even though the church tower is 100 years old, the history of the current statue of Our Lady goes back to the 1600s, when Jesuit priests from Portugal brought the statue to its current location and built a chapel for it.
Girgaon Chowpatty – Girgaon Chowpatty Girgaon Chowpatty Beach is the most well-known beach in Mumbai and a good place for locals to visit. People like to go to the beach to get massages, do yoga, and take long walks.
Worli Fort: If you are interested in history and like to look at old buildings, take a walk through this British Fort on Worli Hill. Only a fraction of the original construction stands today, but it is still a place that will enchant you.
Prabhadevi Beach is a great place to watch the sunset because it has beautiful views of the Arabian Sea and a clear view of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. You might not find food stands as you would at most other beaches in Mumbai, but that means there won’t be as many people there.
It’s also a popular place for people to go after work to hang out with family and friends. You can unwind on the sand while consuming hot tea, bhelpuri, and panipuri and seeing the Arabian Sea sunset.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja Terminus is one of the most important train stations connecting Mumbai to other parts of India. Besides to its importance in the commercial world, It’s also a landmark structure constructed in the Victorian-Gothic style.
It used to be called Victoria Terminus. It took British engineers and Indian craftsmen ten years to build this building.
Gateway of India: This beautiful stone arch looked out over the Arabian Sea. It was built to honour King George V and Queen Mary’s first trip to India. It is one of the most visited places in Mumbai by locals who like to walk around or watch the ferries come and go from the harbour.
It’s also called the “Gateway to India,” and it’s where many high-end boat trips leave from. It is a place that every tourist who comes to Mumbai must see.
The Taj Mahal Hotel is right next to the Gateway of India building. It is the most famous and luxurious hotel in India.
Marine Drive is another well-known place in Mumbai where you can sit by the water or walk along a boardwalk. It’s a place where couples, kids, and early-morning walkers like and enjoy the fresh sea breeze.
Ravindra Natya Mandir is a well-known performing arts theatre where plays and classical music concerts are put on. When you come here, you can see a cultural show if you plan ahead and buy a ticket.
The British built the Sewri Fort watchtower in the 1600s so they could keep an eye on the Bombay harbour. Since there is no one working at this heritage site. From the higher parts of this fort, you can see the nearby mangroves.
Portuguese Church: This place of worship is one of the oldest in Mumbai. It is also known as “The Church of Our Lady of Salvation.” If you are going on a religious tour, you can stop at this place.
Contact Details
Trust Name: Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust
Address: Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple at Prabhadevi, S.K. Bole Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400028
Email ID: info@siddhivinayak.org
Official website: www.siddhivinayak.org
Is the Siddhivinayak Temple open now during Ganesh Chaturthi?
Every day of the week, the temple is open. Entry is available every day at 5:30 AM, with the exception of Tuesdays and special occasions like Vinayaki or Sankashti Chaturthi, Maghi Shree Ganesh Jayanti, and Bhadrapad Shree Ganesh Chaturthi. The temple closes every day from Wednesday through Monday at 9:50 PM after the last aarti of the day. On Tuesdays, the temple’s doors open at 3:15 AM and close at Midnight.
Does Siddhi Vinayak Mandir, Prabhadevi allow booking through the app?
For iOS and Android, there is a native mobile app called Siddhivinayak Temple App.
It enables worshippers to do pooja over a video chat, and conduct a live darshan, appointments, Bookings, and donations.
English, Marathi, and Hindi are the 3 languages that the app supports.
Can I visit Siddhi Vinayak without an appointment?
The temple is open every day of the week, and visiting hours are available from Wednesday through Monday at 05:30 am. The Siddhivinayak Temple’s visiting hours are from 3:15 am to 12 pm and 10:00 night on Tuesday. Devotees are entitled to free darshan, although you can buy a VIP ticket from the temple desk.
How can I go to Siddhi Vinayak Temple?
You can choose between cabs and B.E.S.T (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) buses if you’re in the South Mumbai district. Taking local trains (such as the Central, Western, or Harbour) and getting off at Dadar will also get you to the temple. To get to Prabhadevi from Dadar Railway Station, you can either hire a shared taxi or a standard taxi. Since the temple is only 15 minutes away by foot from the station, most people opt to do so.