In the Prabhadevi area of Mumbai stands the Shree Siddhivinayak temple, among the most visited and beloved Ganesha shrines in India, its idol drawing a ceaseless stream of devotees — from ordinary families to the famous — who come to seek the blessings of the Lord who removes obstacles. The presiding image, carved from a single block of black stone with its trunk turned to the right, is revered as an especially powerful form of Siddhi-Vinayak, the granter of accomplishment.
Founded in 1801 and grown over two centuries into a grand gold-domed temple, Siddhivinayak is thronged above all on Tuesdays, the day sacred to Ganesha, and during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival that Mumbai celebrates with unmatched fervour.
For countless devotees, no new venture, wedding, or heartfelt wish is begun without first laying it before the Lord of Prabhadevi — a guardian deity of the great city.
