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Maharashtra Siddhivinayak Mahaganapati Temple
Vinayaka is the famed elephant headed god worshipped by the Hindus. Considered the auspicious and the remover of obstacles and it is a tradition to worship him when starting anything new. This cuts across all the denominations and sects in the Hindu world. That is what the name Vinayaka means. This God is also the in charge of the divine followers of his father Lord Shiva called the Ganas. That is why he is called the Mahaganpati, or the “Great Leader of the Ganas”. There are several Mudras or poses in which this God is depicted each representing one characteristic of the God. Siddhivinayak is the Mudra wherein he grants success. Siddhi actually means achievement. The Siddhivinayak Mahaganpati Temple is dedicated to this God and is situated in Titwala a small town in the Kalyan sub division of Thane district, near Mumbai, Maharashtra. There is a lot of reverence attached to this temple and it is place of worship that is visited by a very large number of people throughout the year. The peak season is the Vinayaka Chaturthi, a nine-day festival dedicated to this God.
History
Titwala, according to the legend, was the site of the hermitage of sage Kanva, who had a foster daughter called Shakuntala. The king of that region at that time, Dushyanta, was passing through the forest where this hermitage was located. Both Shakuntala and Dushyanta fell in love and married according to Gandharva rites. Dushyanta then, had to leave to his capital city as there was some unrest there and gave his royal ring as a sign of his love. Dushyanta on reaching his capital city forgot about Shakuntala and his love, busy in his duties as the king. There were a lot of trails and travails before Shakuntala and Dushyanta finally got together. It was during this that she had this Temple built and prayed to be re-united with her husband.
Discovery Of The Temple
It was during the reign of the Peshwa Madhavrao I, to overcome a drought de-silting of a pond was undertaken. The idea was to collect water in the pond to supply drinking water to nearby places. During the de-silting the temple was found buried. This was taken as a good sign and renovation works started to restore both the pond and the temple.
How To Reach
From Mumbai
Trains and taxis are the most popular options. There are local tour operators too for exclusive coverage of this temple and more for you.
By Air
The nearest airport is Mumbai; the commercial capital of India Mumbai is well connected with the rest of India by air. It is also well connected to all the cities internationally. Getting a ticket to Mumbai or from Mumbai is not very difficult except on holidays and the beginning of the week.
By Rail
Mumbai is connected to every corner of the country by rail. However, tickets may pose a problem, looking at the volume of traffic to the city. Advance booking of the tickets is very much advised.
By Road
There are direct buses to Mumbai from all parts of the state of Maharashtra and all of its neighboring states. The buses start from basic seating to luxury full reclining air-conditioned sleeper accommodation.
Important Shrines
There are several other important shrines all over Mumbai and its suburbs. All of these are near the railway network that is the lifeline of Mumbai. The problem is the rush. Local tour operators offer a much more relaxed tour of these places. Some of the other famous temples are Mahalakshmi Temple, Bana Ganga Siva Temple, Babulnath Siva Temple, Mumbai Devi, Phanswadi Tirupathi Balaji Temple, Markandeyshwar Siva Temple, Pancha Mukha Hanuman Temple, Dader Hanuman Temple, Swami Samarth Temple, and Sheetala Devi Temple.
Significance Of The Temple
The temple is everything about legitimate hope. The whole purpose of a visit is to seek blessings to be successful in something one does. Going by the number of visitors, there seems to be no shortage of blessings or their effectiveness. Psychologically it may be explained in many terms. However, the feeling of belonging and being protected cannot be. Sometimes science is just not enough to stand up to scrutiny.
Weather And Time To Visit
Mumbai is a port city. It is very near the equator. Both of these factors combine to give a very hot and humid place. Avoid going there in summer. The monsoons that wreak havoc unfailingly every rainy season rule out a visit there in that time. The best time to visit will be July to February.
Since Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, accommodation depends on how deep the pockets are. Everything from a 7 Star accommodation to a basic dormitory is available. Research beforehand and choose your accommodation as near as possible to the temple. This saves a lot of money and hassles.
Tips For Devotees
Since this is a visit to devotion please keep it to that. There will be distractions and dangers here as there are in any place of tourist interest. Be careful. Leaving everything to God is relevant to fate, not to yourself or your belongings.
Rules And Rituals Of The Temple
Worship starts form 5 am and ends for the day at 8 pm. Special rituals are conducted at a nominal fee. Littering is not allowed, neither a debate about the worldly affairs. Orderliness is encouraged. Be in peace and let others be in peace too.
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