Mumbai: Tomorrow, the financial capital will not just be busy with the budget. It will also be immersed in devotion to the city's principal deity – Mumbadevi, the word is also the origin of the city's name, Mumbai.
The Mumbadevi Temple Trust will commemorate the day which marks the temple's dedication to devotees – after it which was moved at the current address – with havan and palkhi yatra. “We will be celebrating the sthapana (dedication) day. As per Hindu Tithi, on Wednesday, the temple was open to the public after it was moved here. We will be having a satynarayan mahapuja at 9am followed by chandi havan. It will be performed by 11 priests at 10am and end at around 5.30-6 pm. A palkhiyatra of Mother deity will be carried out from 3pm,” said Hemant Jadhav, Manager of Shri Mumbadevi Temple Trust which manages the temple.
The temple history
The temple does not have a record of the exact day it was made and opened for the public. “It was magh tithi soon after the second ekadashi in the month of magh as per Hindu Calendar. Despite searching, there is no record of when the temple came up. All we know is that it came up during the British period and this was the third place. Earlier, the temple existed at CSMT from where it moved to Dhobitalao after which it came here. Every time it was the local Koli community that constructed the temple,” narrated Mr Jadhav.
The Palkhi yatra
Palkhi yatra, which will be carried on a silver palanquin, will have a silver idol of Mother Goddess. “During Covid, we did parikrama (circumambulation) inside the temple premises. This is the first time after Covid that celebrations are happening. So we are doing it in a big way. The yatra will start from the exit gate and come from the backside gate. Along the route many will join. There will be dhol tasha, swagat and aarti of Mother at every 10 steps,” said Mr Jadhav.
Yatra will traverse through Dhanji Street Naka, Dagina Bazaar, Tamba kata, Kalbadevi Road and Kamnath Mandir Gate before culminating at the temple's backside gate.
