Siddhivinayak Temple, Siddhi Vinayak Mandir, Siddhivinayak Ganesh ji

History-

The Siddhivinayak Temple is located in Prabhadevi in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha and was initially constructed in 1801.

The Siddhivinayak Temple represents devotion to and trust in the Lord. Laxman Vithu Patil and Deubai Patil are the constructors of the original structure of Shri Siddhivinayak Temple. Deubai did not have children and desired to construct a temple in order to receive a child from God. She decided to build a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha with the hope that He would grant the wishes of other couples who were also struggling to have children.

The original structure of the temple was a 3.6m × 3.6m square brick construction with a dome-shaped shikhara. One notable feature of the temple is the tilt of Lord Ganesha’s trunk to the right side. The idol of Lord Ganesha has four hands (Chaturbhuj), each holding a different object: a lotus in the upper right, a miniature axe in the upper left, holy beads in the lower right, and a bowl of Modaks in the lower right. On either side of the deity, the goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi, who symbolize holiness, fulfillment, prosperity, and wealth, are represented. Similar to Lord Shiva’s third eye, there is an eye etched on the forehead of the deity.

When a Hanuman idol was discovered during a road extension project in 1952, a small shrine dedicated to Hanuman was added to the temple compound.

Over the years, the temple has undergone various transformations, including a massive renovation in 1990, to preserve its sanctity and grandeur

Architecture-

The original Siddhivinayak temple had an ancient architectural style, consisting of a hall, a sanctum sanctorum, some open space, and a water tank. However, in 1990, architect Sharad Athale gave the temple a complete architectural transformation. Although the idol of the deity remained unchanged, everything else about the temple underwent a makeover. The old temple was replaced with a new six-storied structure that featured a unique design.

Above the main dome of this new building is a gold-plated Kalash that serves as its crown. Gold is used to cover the Ganesh statue in the center and the inner sanctum. In addition to that, the temple structure is adorned with 37 smaller gilded domes. The shrine was rebuilt using high-quality marble and pink granite. There are three entrances that provide access to the interior of the temple. The wooden doors of the temple feature beautifully carved images of the eight avatars of the main deity.

Additionally, the temple includes a small mandap with the idol of Siddhivinayak, and a intricately carved wooden door bearing the image of Ashtavinayak – the eight avatars of Lord Ganesha, including Vakratunda, Ekadant, Mahodara, Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Vighnaraja, and Dumravarna.

First Floor- Pujas and darshan are performed mostly on the mezzanine floor.
Second Floor- The kitchen and restroom are located on the second level, where Shree’s Maha Naivedya (offering) is prepared.
Third Floor- Temple’s central office is situated, which includes a committee member’s chamber, a C.E.O. chamber, a member’s chamber, a conference hall, and a computer room that handles up-to-date administrative and information data processing.
Fourth Floor- Features the temple’s library, which houses an extensive collection of 8,000 books on various topics, including religion, literature, medicine, engineering, economics, and more. It is regularly updated with new titles and editions.
Fifth Floor – The majority of the food preparation for festivals and fire offerings is done on the fifth floor.
Sixth Floor- The summit of the temple on the sixth floor, is a large dome that holds several crowns.

Siddhivinayak Mandir Arti Timings-

Wednesday to Monday

Kakad Aarti – 5:30 am to 6:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 6:00 am to 12:00 pm
Naivedhya – 12:05 pm to 12:30 pm
Shree Darshan – 12:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Evening Dhup Aarti – 7:00 pm to 7:10 pm
Shree Darshan – 7:10 pm to 7:20 pm
Aarti – 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 8:00 pm to 9:50 pm
Shejaarti – 9:50 pm (The last Aarti of the day before bedtime. The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti). The Temple is fully closed till the next morning after Shejaarti

Timings on Tuesdays-

Shree Darshan – 3:15 am to 4:45 am
Kakad Aarti – 5:00 am to 5:30 am
Shree Darshan – 5:30 am to 12:00 pm
Naivedhya – 12:05 pm to 12:30 pm
Shree Darshan – 12:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Evening Dhup Aarti – 7:00 pm to 7:10 pm
Shree Darshan – 7:10 pm to 8:45 pm
Pooja & Aarti – 9:00 pm to 10:10 pm
Shree Darshan – 10:10 pm to 11:30 pm
Shejaarti – 11:45 pm (The last Aarti of the day before bedtime. The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti)

Note- Both Temple Checkpost and Main door are closed For Devotee at 11:30 pm. Temple doors are closed For Ganesh Pooja, Aarti at night 8:45 pm to 10:10 pm by that time Ganesha Darshan will be possible from a far distance.

Vinayaki Chaturthi Aarti Timmings-

Kakad Aarti – 5:30 am to 6:00 am
Shree Darshan – 6:00 am to 7:30 am
Abhishekha, Naivedhya and Pooja Aarti – 7:30 am to 1:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 1:00 pm to 7:20 pm
Aarti – 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 8:00 pm to 9:50 pm
Shejaarti – 9:50 pm (The last Aarti of the day before bedtime. The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti)

Note- The Devotees are not permitted in the main Temple from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm, when the Maha Abhisheka is performed. During that time flowers and fruits are not allowed. After 1:00 pm darshan will get as per the daily schedule.

Sankashti Chaturthi Aarti Timmings

Shree Darshan – 4:30 am to 4:45 am
Kakad Aarti – 5:00 am to 5:30 am
Shree Darshan – 5:30 am to 12:00 pm
Naivedhya – 12:05 pm to 12:30 pm
Shree Darshan – 12:30 am to 90 minutes Before Moonrise at night
Evening Dhup Aarti – 7:00 pm to 7:10 pm
Pooja, Abhisheka, Naivedhya 90 minutes Before Moonrise
Aarti – Night prayer: After Moonrise (Pooja after Abhisheka)
After Aarti about 15 to 20 minutes later Shejaarti – The last Aarti of the day before bedtime
Shejaarti – The last Aarti of the day before bedtime: after Moonrise 90 minutes Shejaarti (The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti)

Note- Temple doors close during Pooja, Abhishekha, and Aarti 90 minutes Evening before Moonrise by that time Ganesha Darshan will be possible from a far distance.

Maghi Shree Ganesh Jayanti Aarti Timmings-

Shree Darshan – 4:00 am to 4:45 am
Kakad Aarti – 5:00 am to 5:30 am
Shree Darshan – 5:30 am to 10:45 am
Pooja, Abhishekha, Naivedhya and Aarti – 10:45 am to 1:30 pm
Shree Darshan – 1:30 pm to 7:20 pm
Aarti – 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 8:00 pm to till Shejaarti
Shejaarti – The last Aarti of the day before bedtime: Shejaarti after ratha shobha yatra finished (The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti)

Note-The Temple doors remain closed from Morning 10.45 a.m. to afternoon 1.30 p.m. for Pooja, Naivedhya, and Aarti by that time Ganesha Darshan will be possible from a far distance.

Bhadrapad Shree Ganesh Chaturthi Aarti Timings-

Shree Darshan – 4:00 am to 4:45 am
Kakad Aarti – 5:00 am to 5:30 am
Shree Darshan – 5:30 am to 10:45 am
Pooja, Abhishekha, Naivedhya and Aarti – 10:45 am to 1:30 pm
Shree Darshan – 1:30 pm to 7:20 pm
Aarti – 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Shree Darshan – 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Shejaarti – 10:00 pm (The last Aarti of the day before bedtime. The temple Gabhara doors remain closed after Shejaarti)

Note- Temple doors remain closed from Morning at 10:45 am to the afternoon at 1:30 pm for Pooja, Naivedhya, and Aarti by that time Ganesha Darshan will be possible from a far distance.

Best Time To Visit Siddhivinayak Temple-

The best time to visit Mumbai is during the winter from October to March. The most crowded day is reportedly Tuesday. The best time to visit the temple is in the afternoon on any day because there are fewer people there then. Visit on a day like Vinayaki Chaturthi, Sankashti Chaturthi, Maghi Shree Ganesh Jayanti, or Bhadrapad Shree Ganesh Chaturthi to observe all the ceremonies.

How to reach Siddhivinayak Mandir?

By Air: The nearest airport to Siddhivinayak temple is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai which is just 12 km away and Domestic Airport is in Vile Parle (East) just 11 km away from the temple.

By Train: If you are coming from outside from Mumbai, get down at Mumbai Central Railway Station and board a local train on the Western Line going towards Churchgate. Alight at Dadar Station, which is the nearest station to the temple.

Local Trains: If you are travelling on the Central Line, you can get off at Dadar or Parel and then hail a taxi. On the Western Line, Prabhadevi or Lower Parel are the nearest railway stations. For those arriving on the Harbour Line, change into Central Line at Kurla. All the local train stations are 1.5 km to 3.5 km away from the temple.

City Buses: There are B.E.S.T (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) buses which are easily available on the way to the temple. The closest bus stops for the State-run BEST buses are Shri Siddhivinayak Mandir and Ravindra Natya Mandir. Both the bus stops are at a walking distance from the temple and buses ply every few minutes.

Private Transport: For a comfortable ride, you can hire a private cab (kaali-peeli or black-and-yellow taxi) or a radio taxi run by Uber, Ola, Meru, etc. Parking is scarce near the temple, and cars are often towed, so avoid driving by yourself.

Places to Visit Near Siddhivinayak Temple-

Prabhadevi Beach (1.3 km)
Shivaji Park (2.3 km)
Worli Fort (2.8 km)
Mahim Beach (3.5 km)
Nehru Planetarium (4.3 km)
Mahim Fort (4.9 km)
Shree Mahalakshmi Temple (6.7 km)