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Siddhi Vinayak Temple |
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The Shree Siddhi Vinayak Temple is actually Siddhi Vinayak Ganapati Mandir. This is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesha. It is located in Prabhadevi, Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra. The temple was buillt in November 1801. The temple has a small hall or mandap with the shrine of Siddhi Vinayak. The wooden doors to the holy place are carved with the images of the the eight manifestations of Ganesha or Ashtavinayak. The roof inside the sanctum is plated with gold, and there is a statute of Ganesha at the center of the temple. With in the boundary of the temple, there is a Hanuman temple also. The Siddhi Vinayak Temple developed from a small, tiny place of worship to a Grand Temple.
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The aura to the temple was bought not only by the politicians who often visit the temple but also by the numerous bollywood filmstars who continuously visit the temple to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha.
One of the most famous actors of Hindi Cinema, Amitabh Bachchan with his son Abhishek and wife Jaya Bachchan visited the temple by walking barefoot from his house at Juhu. They walked a distance of about 15 km and reacieved much praise. Many older people walked barefoot to this temple to seek blessings. Sanjay Dutt, another bollywood actor involved in the controversy of possession of an AK-47 rifle during the Mumbai bomb blasts of 1993 also visited the temple. He also performed puja at this temple for his release from the TADA court case which might have entailed him for terrorism.
The known history of Siddhi Vinayak Temple dates back to early nineteenth century. This temple has been thoroughly refurbished in the late 1900s in order to accomodate the needs of the soaring crowds of devotees that surround the temple during the festive occasions. Most images of Ganapati depict the elephant faced God with his trunk curled towards his left. Siddhi Vinayak in Mumbai, Karpaka Vinayakar at Pillayarpatti in Tamilnadu as well as Siddhi Vinayak at Siddhatek in Maharashtra are depicted with a trunk pointing to the right. This image of Ganesh is known as Valampuri. Ganapati here is depicted with four arms bearing modakas, a lotus, an axe, and a garland of beads, flanked by his consorts Siddhi and Riddhi.
Ganesha is one of the best-known and most-worshipped deities among the Hindu Gods. He is worshipped throughout India and his image is found throughout India. Hindu sectarians worship him regardless of other associations. He is worshipped at the beginning of every rituals and ceremonies and invoked as the Patron of Letters in the writing sessions. Hundreds and thousands of devotees throng the temple, especially during Angaraki and Sankashti Chaturti days. During this period there has been a continuous stream of visitors for as long as a 24 hour period. The Siddhi Vinayak Temple receives donations of about 100-150 million rupees every year. This makes it the richest temple trust in Mumbai.
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