Mahalaxmi Temple, Mumbai
The Mahalaxmi Temple in Mumbai is located on the famous Bhulabhai Desai road in the posh suburb of Mahalaxmi in South Mumbai. Situated on a hillock alongside the Arabian Sea, the Mahalaxmi Mandir is dedicated to the principal deity of the Devi Mahatmyam - Devi Mahalaxmi, the Goddess of Wealth. The temple houses the idols of the Hindu Tridevis - Shri Mahalaxmi, Shri Mahasaraswati and Shri Mahakali.
Managed by the ‘Shri Mahalaxmi Temple Trust’, the iconic mandir receives thousands of devotees every day to obtain the blessings of the goddesses. The number of devotees goes up to millions during the Navratri festivals, Diwali and the Margashirsha month of the Hindu calendar.
As per the Sankhya Philosophy of Hinduism, the universe was created by the conjunction of Purusha (male - Parabrahma) and Prakriti (female - Nature). Prakriti is considered Trigunatmika - master of the three gunas, which are perfectly epitomised in the three deities of the Mahalaxmi Mandir in Mumbai - Shri Mahasaraswati (Sattvic Guna), Shri Mahalaxmi (Rajasic Guna) and Shri Mahakali (Tamasic Guna).
During Navratri (nine days of Devi worship), the Devi is worshipped as Shree Mahakali (Tamas) for the first three days, as Shree Mahalaxmi (Rajas) for the next three days and as Shree Mahasaraswati (Sattva) for the final three days. The coming together of all three gunas represents a balance of nature and the devotees’ consciousness.
