શ્રી મહાલક્ષ્મી મંદિર, મહાલક્ષ્મી, મુંબઈ

Today at this temple

Quick facts

Primary deity

Mahalakshmi

Tradition

shakta

Year founded

1831

Founder

Founded 1831 CE by DHAKJI DADAJI — a prominent-Hindu-contractor of the East India Company of the era — following a traditional-discovery-narrative of the TRIDEVI MURTIS (MAHALAKSHMI, MAHAKALI, MAHASARASWATI) RECOVERED FROM THE ARABIAN SEA at the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline. Per the traditional-account: Dhakji Dadaji had been entrusted by the East India Company with a major-infrastructure-project to build-a-breakwater and connect the seven-islands of Mumbai (part of the Bombay-reclamation-project of the early-19th-century). The project had experienced repeated-failures — seawater kept washing-away construction-materials. One night, the DEVI MAHALAKSHMI appeared in Dhakji Dadaji's dream and revealed that 3 ancient-Devi-murtis had been thrown-into-the-sea in the 12th-13th centuries (during earlier-iconoclastic-era) and that-until-these-murtis-were-recovered-and-a-temple-built, the reclamation-project-would-not-succeed. Dhakji Dadaji, guided-by-the-dream, had divers-search-the-specific-spot; THE THREE MURTIS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE SEA-BED. Dhakji Dadaji built the Mahalakshmi Temple on the elevated-rocky-shoreline-ground to enshrine the recovered-murtis. The breakwater-project subsequently-succeeded, connecting Mumbai's islands. The temple opened-officially in 1831 and has been one of Mumbai's most-important-shrines since

Managing trust

Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Charities, Mumbai — hereditary-Gujarati-Hindu trust-management with Maharashtra state government endowment oversight; close-historical-association with Mumbai-business-commercial-community-patronage

Daily footfall

15,000-30,000 daily

Photography

outside_only

Non-Hindu policy

all_welcome

Dress code

Traditional attire preferred. Red, gold, and yellow auspicious (Lakshmi colors). No shorts. Footwear removed at Mahadwara. No leather in sanctum. Photography outside sanctum only. DURING DIWALI-LAKSHMI-PUJA and NAVRATRI: extensive-gold-ornament-viewing is part-of-the-devotional-experience — maintain-composure even amid crowds.

Accessibility

♿ 👴 🍼

VIP darshan

✓

Typical visit

60–150 min

Sthala Purana — the story

The Mumbai Mahalakshmi Temple sthala-purana is a LIVING-MEMORY FOUNDATION-NARRATIVE from the early-19th-century integrating classical-Tridevi-theology with the specific-Mumbai-reclamation-project historical-context. CORE FOUNDING NARRATIVE (1820s-1831): DHAKJI DADAJI — a prominent-Hindu-contractor of the East India Company era, likely of Gujarati-trader-family-lineage — was entrusted with the WORLI-MAHALAKSHMI BREAKWATER-CONSTRUCTION-PROJECT as part of the broader-Mumbai-reclamation-connecting-7-islands. The project faced REPEATED ENGINEERING-FAILURES: seawater-repeatedly-washed-away-construction-materials; multiple-retry-attempts-failed; financial-and-engineering-resources were being substantially-drained. One night, the DEVI MAHALAKSHMI APPEARED TO DHAKJI DADAJI IN A DREAM: the Devi revealed that 3 ANCIENT-DEVI-MURTIS (Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati) had been thrown-into-the-Arabian-Sea during medieval-iconoclastic-era (13th-14th centuries) by Hindu-priests for protection-from-destruction; the murtis had remained-submerged-in-the-sea for 500-600 years off the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline; the Devi specified the exact-sea-bed-location. The Devi's MESSAGE was clear: (1) UNTIL THE MURTIS ARE RECOVERED AND A TEMPLE BUILT at the Mumbai-shoreline, the reclamation-breakwater-project-CANNOT-succeed; (2) Dhakji Dadaji was-explicitly-instructed to recover-the-murtis and build-the-temple as a NECESSARY-PREREQUISITE for the infrastructure-project's success. Dhakji Dadaji, despite-his-professional-contractor-background and the-dream-seeming-unusual in the-pragmatic-East-India-Company-context, CHOSE TO ACT ON THE INSTRUCTION. He organized-divers to search-the-specific-sea-bed-location; after several-attempts, THE 3 DEVI MURTIS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE SEA-BED. The recovery was a dramatic-public-event — contemporaries witnessed the-divers surfacing with the ancient-murtis; the murtis' antiquity (likely 12th-13th century based-on-iconographic-analysis) and exceptional-artistic-quality were immediately-recognized; they were identified-confidently as Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati in traditional-Tridevi-iconographic-arrangement. Dhakji Dadaji immediately-commissioned-the-construction of a TEMPLE on the elevated-rocky-ground at the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline — the specific-location was chosen for its HIGH-GROUND ABOVE THE SEA, facing-east toward the sea, enabling-daily-sunrise-darshan over-the-ocean. The TEMPLE WAS CONSECRATED 1831 CE. Post-consecration, the REMARKABLE HISTORICAL EVENT occurred: the BREAKWATER AND RECLAMATION PROJECT SUBSEQUENTLY SUCCEEDED — the 7 islands of Mumbai were progressively-connected-via-causeways, transforming-Mumbai from an archipelago into the modern-contiguous-metropolis. Whether the success was specifically-due-to the Mahalakshmi-blessing or a coincidental-engineering-improvement, the POPULAR MUMBAI-CIVIC-MYTH has-remained that the temple-and-the-city are co-extensive — the city's very-physical-formation is tied to the temple's founding-narrative. This gives Mahalakshmi Temple a UNIQUE MUMBAI-CIVIC-IDENTITY that no-other-Mumbai-shrine shares in equivalent-depth. CLASSICAL TRIDEVI THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT: the 3-goddesses of the Mahalakshmi Temple represent the complete-feminine-cosmic-principle — MAHALAKSHMI (wealth-prosperity-abundance); MAHAKALI (power-protection-victory); MAHASARASWATI (wisdom-learning-arts). This Tridevi-configuration is THEOLOGICALLY-COMPLETE — a single-darshan provides-access-to-all-feminine-cosmic-principles. Classical Hindu-cosmology views Tridevi as the female-counterpart to Trimurti (Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva); the Tridevi-enshrinement is rare-among-major Indian shrines (most-shrines emphasize a single-Devi-form). For sophisticated-Shakta-devotees, Mumbai Mahalakshmi provides a complete-Tridevi-darshan-experience.

References: Shri Sukta (Rigvedic Lakshmi-hymn) 15 verses in Rigveda · Lakshmi Ashtottara-Shatanamavali and Lakshmi Sahasranama 108-names and 1000-names stotras · Kanaka Dhara Stotram (Adi Shankaracharya composition) 21-verse Sanskrit Lakshmi-stotra · Devi Mahatmya / Durga Saptashati 700-verse Devi-narrative, 13 chapters · Saraswati Vandana and Saraswati-stotras Traditional Saraswati-devotional compositions

Darshan & aartis

Plan your visit

Gallery & media

Deity & iconography

Architecture & art

Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai (approximately 80m × 60m compound on elevated-rocky-ground at the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline) is architecturally an early-19th-century Mumbai-Hindu-revival temple with periodic-renovations-and-modernizations. PRIMARY ELEMENTS: (1) MAHADWARA — entrance-gate from the main-road; (2) OUTER-COURTYARD with GANESHA-SHRINE (traditional-first-worship before main-sanctum); (3) SABHA-MANDAPA — multi-pillared assembly-hall with carved-stone-pillars; (4) CENTRAL SANCTUM — houses the TRIDEVI-MURTIS (Mahalakshmi central, Mahakali left, Mahasaraswati right); sanctum is intentionally-dim with oil-lamp-and-natural-skylight illumination; silver-plated sanctum-doors; elaborate-daily-red-gold silk shringar; (5) VIEWING TERRACE — dramatic-ocean-view-terrace overlooking the Arabian-Sea providing-spiritual-backdrop unique-among-Mumbai-shrines; devotees can pause at the terrace-railing to contemplate-the-ocean-vista; (6) OCEAN-FACING-WORSHIP-DIRECTION — the main-sanctum and murtis face east toward the Arabian Sea, enabling-sunrise-darshan-alignment; (7) PRASAD COUNTERS — multiple-locations selling-red-hibiscus-garlands, coconut, fresh-flowers, Lakshmi-puja-thali, signature-prasad-sweets; (8) PILGRIM-AMENITY INFRASTRUCTURE including medical-post, wheelchair-pool, elderly-priority-queue; (9) 15m SHIKHARA with gold-plated kalasha; (10) subsidiary-shrines for Hanuman and Bhairav (guardian-deities). Materials: STONE-AND-MASONRY (1831 original); MARBLE-AND-GRANITE CLADDING (20th-century renovations); GOLD-PLATED KALASHA; SILVER-PLATED sanctum-doors; MAKRANA MARBLE interior-accents; traditional BRASS-AND-COPPER oil-lamps throughout; modern REINFORCED-CONCRETE peripheral-buildings. CONTEXT: the temple sits in the heart-of-central-south-Mumbai, with extensive-urban-development surrounding but the ocean-view-preserved-to-the-west. MAHALAKSHMI NEIGHBORHOOD (the district named after the temple) is one of Mumbai's premier commercial-residential-areas with skyscrapers, business-offices, and luxury-apartments. Adjacent: MAHALAKSHMI RACE COURSE (opened-1883), a famous-Mumbai-horse-racing venue that is another-key-landmark of the area. Transport: WESTERN-RAILWAY MAHALAXMI-STATION (500m walk) provides immediate-rail-access; multiple BEST-bus-routes serve-the-temple; Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line, Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) MAHALAKSHMI STATION approximately 0.5 km is under phased-opening 2024-2027. Auto-rickshaws and taxis widely-available. Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) is 20 km NE. 2019-2024 PRASAD/HRIDAY central-government-funded heritage-conservation-renovation addressed structural-wear, restored heritage-elements, expanded-queue-management-infrastructure, and improved pilgrim-facilities.

Style

Early-19th-century Mumbai-Hindu-revival architectural-style; the 1831 original-structure has been periodically-renovated-and-modernized. Compound approximately 80m × 60m on elevated-rocky-ground at the WORLI-MAHALAKSHMI SHORELINE facing the ARABIAN SEA. Layout: (1) MAHADWARA entrance-gate facing the main-road; (2) outer-courtyard with Ganesha-shrine (traditional first-worship); (3) SABHA-MANDAPA — multi-pillared assembly-hall; (4) CENTRAL SANCTUM — houses the TRIDEVI-MURTIS facing-east toward the sea; (5) VIEWING TERRACE — overlooking the Arabian Sea providing dramatic-oceanic-devotional-backdrop unique-among-Mumbai-shrines; (6) PRASAD COUNTERS; (7) PILGRIM AMENITY INFRASTRUCTURE; (8) modern additions including computerized-booking-counters, wheelchair-ramps, and dedicated-elderly-queue

Shikhara height

15 m

Built of

Stone and masonry (1831 original construction); marble-and-granite cladding (20th-century renovations); gold-plated kalasha; silver-plated sanctum-doors; Makrana-marble interior accents; traditional brass-and-copper oil-lamps; modern reinforced-concrete peripheral-buildings

Notable features

1831 DHAKJI DADAJI founding; Mumbai-reclamation-project connection · TRIDEVI (THREE-GODDESS) SANCTUM — Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati — ancient-murtis recovered-from-Arabian-Sea · ARABIAN-SEA-FACING temple with dramatic-oceanic-backdrop · MUMBAI'S PREMIER WEALTH-DEVI SHRINE · SHARADIYA NAVRATRI 8-12 lakh cumulative · DIWALI-LAKSHMI-PUJA 5-8 lakh cumulative · MAHALAKSHMI-JAYANTI 3-5 lakh · TUESDAY-FRIDAY devotional-days 2-3 lakh · Pan-Mumbai-business-community-association · KANAKA-DHARA-STOTRAM tradition · MUMBAI MAHALAKSHMI RACE COURSE adjacent (famous-Mumbai horse-racing venue) · Pair with SIDDHIVINAYAK PRABHADEVI (3 km N — Mumbai's supreme Ganapati), BABULNATH (5 km N — Shiva), MUMBADEVI (5 km SE — city-name-goddess), WALKESHWAR-BANGANGA (8 km NW — Silahara-era-Shiva), ELEPHANTA CAVES (15 km E ferry — UNESCO Shaiva), ISKCON JUHU (12 km N — Vaishnava), BAPS-AKSHARDHAM-Mumbai · 15,000-30,000 daily; MUMBAI-CIVIC-IDENTITY flagship shrine

Protection status

state_protected

History timeline

1. 12th-13th century (pre-history of the ancient murtis)

   The THREE ANCIENT DEVI MURTIS (Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati) that are today enshrined at the Mumbai Mahalakshmi Temple are traditionally-considered-ancient — pre-dating-the-1831-temple-structure by 600-800 years. Their PRE-HISTORY ORIGIN is understood to be regional-coastal-Maharashtra (possibly-Konkan or Bombay-seven-islands) or southern-Gujarat medieval-temple(s). During the Delhi Sultanate-era (13th-14th centuries) or subsequent-iconoclastic-episodes, the murtis were-allegedly-THROWN-INTO-THE-ARABIAN-SEA by Hindu-priests for protection-from-destruction. They remained-SUBMERGED-IN-THE-SEA for 500-600 years off the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline, their-location-known-only-to-oral-traditions of local-fishermen-and-priestly-families.

2. 1750-1820 (early Mumbai reclamation context)

   Mid-18th to early-19th-century: the BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY (EIC) and subsequent colonial-British-Bombay-administration undertook the massive CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS to convert the 7 ISLANDS OF MUMBAI (Colaba, Old Woman's Island, Mazagaon, Bombay Island, Parel, Worli, Mahim/Little Colaba) into a unified-mainland-connected-city. Key reclamation-projects included the 1784-1845 HORNBY VELLARD CAUSEWAY project connecting Mahim to Worli via breakwater-construction. These engineering-projects were immensely-challenging due to monsoon-seawater-erosion and repeated-construction-failures.

3. 1820s (Dhakji Dadaji and the murti-recovery)

   DHAKJI DADAJI — a prominent-Hindu-contractor of the East India Company era, likely of Gujarati-trader-family-lineage — was entrusted with a specific-infrastructure-contract for the Worli-Mahalakshmi breakwater-construction project (part of the broader reclamation-and-causeway-effort). The project experienced REPEATED CONSTRUCTION FAILURES — seawater-washed-away-materials; multiple-retry-attempts failed; financial-and-engineering-resources were being-substantially-drained. Per traditional-narrative, the DEVI MAHALAKSHMI APPEARED IN DHAKJI DADAJI'S DREAM during a specific-night and revealed: (1) 3 ancient-Devi-murtis (Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, Mahasaraswati) had been thrown-into-the-sea during medieval-iconoclastic-era for protection; (2) their specific-location in the sea-bed at the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline was pinpointed; (3) UNTIL THE MURTIS WERE RECOVERED AND A TEMPLE BUILT, the breakwater-and-reclamation-project would-NOT-succeed; (4) Dhakji Dadaji was-instructed to recover-the-murtis and build-the-temple as-a-necessary-prerequisite for the infrastructure-success. Dhakji Dadaji, despite-his-professional-contractor-background and the-dream-being-unusual, chose-to-act-on-the-instruction. He organized-divers to search the specific-sea-bed location; THE 3 DEVI MURTIS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE SEA. The recovery was a dramatic-public-event; the murtis' antiquity and artistic-quality were immediately-recognized.

4. 1831 (Temple consecration)

   1831 CE: the Shri Mahalakshmi Temple was FORMALLY OPENED AND CONSECRATED on elevated-rocky-ground at the Worli-Mahalakshmi shoreline, facing-east toward the Arabian Sea. Dhakji Dadaji had the 3 recovered-murtis installed in the TRIDEVI-ARRANGEMENT (Mahalakshmi central, Mahakali left, Mahasaraswati right) per traditional-Hindu-iconographic-protocols. Traditional-Maharashtrian-Gujarati-priest-community began regular-ritual-worship. POST-CONSECRATION, THE BREAKWATER AND RECLAMATION PROJECT SUBSEQUENTLY SUCCEEDED — the 7 islands of Mumbai were progressively-connected-via-causeways, transforming-Mumbai from an archipelago into the modern-contiguous-metropolis. The Mahalakshmi Temple became-identified-with-the-SUCCESS-OF-MUMBAI-CIVIC-INFRASTRUCTURE and thus gained-immediate-pan-Mumbai-civic-identity. Pan-Mumbai-business-community-patronage-and-devotion began developing from the temple's-inception.

5. 1831-1900 (19th-century growth)

   19th-century-growth: the temple became one of Mumbai's-primary-devotional-destinations. Mumbai-business-community-devotion (initially-primarily Gujarati-traders and Maharashtrian-Brahmins, later-expanding-to-pan-Mumbai-commercial-classes) developed rapidly. Sharadiya Navratri and Diwali-Lakshmi-Puja emerged as key-annual-festivals. The temple-architecture was periodically-renovated. Late-19th-century Mumbai's emergence as India's financial-commercial-capital (textile-mills, shipping, banking) amplified the temple's wealth-Devi-association.

6. 1900-1947 (colonial-era institutional consolidation)

   Early-20th-century: formal-Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Charities Trust constituted. The temple became-part-of-MUMBAI-CIVIC-IDENTITY — featured in guidebooks, tourist-literature, and pan-Mumbai-cultural-references. MAHALAKSHMI NEIGHBORHOOD took its name from the temple. The adjacent MAHALAKSHMI RACE COURSE (opened-1883) further-elevated-Mumbai-Mahalakshmi-area as a commercial-and-leisure-district. Industrial-era Mumbai-business-families (Tatas, Godrejs, Ambanis-family-ancestors, many others) became-devotional-donors to the Mahalakshmi Temple.

7. 1947-2000 (post-independence expansion)

   Post-independence: the Mumbai Mahalakshmi Temple continued as one of Mumbai's-primary-shrines. Daily-pilgrim-volumes grew-from 3,000-5,000 (1950s) to 10,000-20,000 (1990s). Mumbai-financial-capital-growth in the post-1991-economic-liberalization era amplified devotional-patronage dramatically. Infrastructure-modernization including expanded-queue-management, medical-posts, and specific-VIP-darshan-tiers. 1990s-2000s digital-management-systems were introduced. Bollywood-celebrity-politician-cricketer devotee-presence grew — similar-to Siddhivinayak-Prabhadevi (though-not-quite as-celebrity-intensive).

8. 2000-present (modern era)

   2000-2020s: daily-pilgrim-volumes reached-15,000-30,000. Sharadiya Navratri 8-12 lakh cumulative; Diwali-Lakshmi-Puja 5-8 lakh cumulative. Mahalakshmi Jayanti 3-5 lakh. The temple remains a CORE MUMBAI-CIVIC-IDENTITY shrine. Modern infrastructure: online-darshan-booking; mobile-app integration; QR-token-based queue-management; VIP-darshan-tiers; enhanced pilgrim-amenities. The temple's oceanic-backdrop remains-iconic — Mumbai's skyline-developments over decades have not-affected-the-sea-facing-devotional-experience. 2019-2024 PRASAD/HRIDAY project heritage-conservation-renovation. COVID-19 2020-2021 temporary-restrictions; full-resumption post-2022. The pan-Mumbai Ganesh-Chaturthi-Navratri-Diwali festival-circuit continues to draw-massive-pilgrim-volumes. Mahalakshmi Temple is one of the 5-6 MUST-VISIT SHRINES for Mumbai-residents-and-visitors alongside Siddhivinayak, Mumbadevi, Babulnath, Walkeshwar, and Elephanta Caves.

Special phenomena

Poojas & sevas offered here

No bookable poojas listed yet

Festivals & signature events

• Sharad Navratri

  Annual

  Signature

Location & nearby temples

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• શ્રી મુંબાદેવી મંદિર, ભુલેશ્વર, મુંબઈ
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Scriptural references

Shri Sukta (Rigvedic Lakshmi-hymn)

15 verses in Rigveda

The foundational-Vedic-Lakshmi-hymn; one of the oldest-Lakshmi-devotional-texts in Hindu-scripture; recited daily at Mumbai Mahalakshmi Temple as core-devotional-practice

Lakshmi Ashtottara-Shatanamavali and Lakshmi Sahasranama

108-names and 1000-names stotras

Classical Lakshmi-devotional stotras from Agama-Puranic-tradition; recited at major-festivals and Tuesday-Friday devotional-days

Kanaka Dhara Stotram (Adi Shankaracharya composition)

21-verse Sanskrit Lakshmi-stotra

The "Stream of Gold" Lakshmi-stotra by Adi Shankaracharya (c. 8th century CE); one of the SUPREME LAKSHMI-WEALTH-DEVOTIONAL-STOTRAS; particularly-recited for wealth-blessings and financial-recovery; highly-venerated at Mumbai Mahalakshmi Temple

Devi Mahatmya / Durga Saptashati

700-verse Devi-narrative, 13 chapters

Classical Shakta-Puranic text; recited for the MAHAKALI-ASPECT of the Tridevi during Sharadiya Navratri and other-Shakta-observances

Saraswati Vandana and Saraswati-stotras

Traditional Saraswati-devotional compositions

Recited for the MAHASARASWATI-ASPECT of the Tridevi; particularly-relevant for educational-success-prayers and artistic-inspiration-seva

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