Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir, Mumbai

The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Prabhadevi in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was built by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on November 19, 1801. It is one of the richest temples in Mumbai. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh who is known as Siddhivinayak here and is popular among the devotees as "Navasacha Ganapati" or "Navasala Pavanara Ganapati" in Marathi, and when translated to English it means 'Ganapati bestows whenever humbly genuinely prayed a wish'. 

The temple was built by Deaubai, who herself was childless, so that the Lord should grant children to other barren women. Then in the temple premises Ramakrishna Jambhekar Maharaj, a disciple of the Hindu saint Akkalkot Swami Samarth, buried two divine idols in the front of the presiding deity of the temple on the orders on his guru. As prophesied by Swami Samarth, after 21 years after the burial of the icons, a Mandar tree grew at that spot with a Svayambhu Ganesh in its branches. Then around 1952, a shrine for Lord Hanuman was also added to the temple complex and an idol of Lord Hanuman was installed which was found near Elphinstone Road during a road extension project.

Originally the temple structure was a small brick construction with a dome-shaped brick sikhara. But now the temple has a small mandapam (hall) with the shrine of Lord Siddhivinayak. The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the eight manifestations of Lord Ganesh. The inner roof of the sanctum where the idol of Lord Ganesh is placed is plated with gold. The Hanuman temple is located in the periphery of the central sanctum.

The Siddhivinayak Mandir evolved from a small, tiny place of worship to the grand temple that stands today. The fame of the temple spread significantly by the 1950s and a large number of devotees began visiting. But after 1975, the number of devotees increased dramatically and the temple continues to be very popular among the devotees to date. The Siddhivinayak temple receives donations of around ₹100 million – ₹150 million every year, which makes it Mumbai city's richest temple trust. A lot of politicians and Bollywood actors are known to visit the Siddhivinayak temple frequently.

For more information on various Ganesh Temples, visit Ishtadevata.