Discovering Mumbai heritage - A temple where cooled volcanic lava is worshiped

Mumbai Heritage series of posts is to highlight some unique heritage structures in & around our city of Mumbai where we may have knowledge of their presence but are not aware of their importance or unique facts or history behind them. By highlighting the facts & history we could bring more pride & awareness towards preserving these unique jewels we have in our city of Mumbai.

Ghodapdeo: A predominantly labour class neighbourhood nestled between Cotton green, Reay Road, Mustafa bazaar & Kalachowky areas. This area was known for its cloth mills but post 1990 after the era of liberalisation the mills were shut down and today the area slowly is giving away to redevelopment of chawls and  making way for high rises. This area is located just behind the famous Victoria gardens or also known as Rani baugh or Mumbai Zoo.

Nestled in this neighbourhood is one unique temple of God Ghodapdeo. The area gets its name from this temple.The locals worship it as temple of Hanuman. The temple of Ghodapdeo is a private temple run & managed by Borkar family. Today 6th generation of this family runs this unique temple.



The mythological story goes that man named Borkar had a dream where god asked him to search for him in that area. He found this place and constructed the temple which stands at the same location where it was first built. They say that sea would come right upto the point of the temple and sea water would enter the temple during high tide. Today though the much of the land is reclaimed and sea has dragged itself faraway, Even today during monsoon high tide the sea water enters through a small arch at the bottom of the structure. The reason they know its a sea water is because along with the water, small crabs also enter the temple complex.

There is a festival celebrated at this temple on every full moon of Paush month of Hindu calendar.



So what is so unique about this temple ? 

Well, 66 million years ago a volcano erupted off the coast of Africa on the island of Reunion to create a Deccan plateau. Over millions of years this plateau started moving towards Eurasia and eventually crashed into it creating our mighty Himalaya. On the edge of Deccan plateau was a small island made of solidified lava called Mazghav / Bhaikhala. Which today we know it as Mazgoan & Byculla areas.

What looks like a solidified lava eruption is worshipped as "Ghodapdev" by the local community.The lava is smeared with sendhur and is venerated as God Ghodapdev.

Interesting isn't it !!





(Content idea :Khaki Tours, Pictures taken during personal visit.)

How to reach: Ghodapdev lies behind Rani baugh or Mumbai Zoo and nearest rail station would be Reay Road. On west side come out of the station and walk North for few meters. 

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