Divine Vikram Vinayaka Temple Salav, Murud, Raigad

Situated on the banks of the Kundalika River, near the town of Revdanda in Alibaug Taluka, and close to the village of Salav, lies a medium-sized hill nestled in a nature-rich landscape. Atop this hill stands the architecturally magnificent ‘Vikram Vinayak’ Temple, also known as the ‘Birla Temple’. Since 1939, the Birla Group has constructed 20 beautiful temples across the country, and this temple is one of them. In 1985, after the Birla Group established a steel refining plant in this area, they built this temple on the hill located between the plant and the residential colony. 

Salav village is located approximately 2 kilometers after crossing the bridge over the Revdanda Creek on the road from Alibaug to Murud. It is here that the Kundalika River meets the sea. The bridge spans this creek-like river. From here, the temple’s tall, white marble spire and the pinnacle atop it catch the eye. Due to the surrounding pleasant nature, peaceful atmosphere, unique architecture, cleanliness, and the spacious garden in the premises, the Vikram Vinayak Temple has quickly become a place of faith for thousands of devotees and tourists. This temple has been built on the lines of the famous Birla Temples in Delhi and Hyderabad. The marble required for its construction was brought from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Along with marble, sandstone has also been used in the construction of this temple.

At the foothills, there are several shops selling worship materials. Near the entrance of the temple boundary wall, there are two lion sculptures. There is a stairway to reach this temple situated on the medium-sized hill. A winding road also leads from this entrance to the temple; however, devotees are prohibited from taking vehicles on that road. As photography is prohibited in the temple premises, mobile phones or cameras cannot be taken beyond this entrance. While walking through the spacious garden via the stairway towards the temple, it feels as if the earth is covered with a green carpet of grass. There are hundreds of ornamental and flowering plants in this garden. Additionally, colorful fountains can be seen here. While climbing the stairs, the grandeur of the temple, built in pristine white marble, comes into view.

The temple is known as Vikram Vinayak Temple, named after the then-head of the Birla Group, Aditya Vikram Birla. Aditya Vikram Birla passed away on 1 October 1995 at the age of 51. Subsequently, a life-size statue of him was erected in the garden in front of the main temple. A few steps from here is the main temple. After climbing eight steps from the ground, one enters the assembly hall (sabhamandap) of this temple. The assembly hall here is of an open type, and its roof is made of translucent polycarbonate sheets, allowing for free air circulation and plenty of light in the hall. In the main sanctum sanctorum located at the front of the assembly hall, there is a magnificent marble idol of Vinayak. On both sides of this idol are the idols of Riddhi and Siddhi. Additionally, there are smaller temples here housing idols of Shiva-Parvati, Durga Mata, Shriram, Krishna, and Suryadev. All these idols have been crafted by artisans from Jaipur. There are three spires in total: two over the assembly hall and the main one over the sanctum sanctorum. The tall spire over the sanctum sanctorum, reaching towards the sky, is made of white marble. Because of this, the spire is visible from anywhere within a radius of about four to five kilometers.

From the temple premises, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kundalika River, the boats sailing in it, the large bridge over this river, the village of Chaul-Revdanda hidden in the dense thickets of coconut and areca nut groves ahead, Agrav port, and the Dattatreya Temple of Chaul. The area looks even more enchanting at night. In the evening, the temple is decorated with attractive electric lighting. Therefore, devotees and tourists flock here in the evening to enjoy the colorful fountains, the melodious tinkling of the small bells in the temple caused by the sea breeze, and the electric spotlights focused on the pristine white spire. 

Devotees and tourists visit here throughout the year. Aarti and puja are performed in the temple at 9 in the morning and 7.15 in the evening. Devotees can have darshan of Vinayak in the temple daily from 6 to 11.30 in the morning and from 4.30 to 9 in the evening. Thousands of devotees come for darshan every day. In addition, there is a large crowd of devotees and tourists on Angarki, Sankashti Chaturthi, Ganesh Jayanti, and other holidays including Sundays.

Sacred History & Spiritual Significance

This sacred temple stands as a testament to deep spiritual devotion, ancient architectural grandeur, and rich local cultural traditions.

Temple Sanctum & Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum houses the divine idol consecrated according to ancient Vedic traditions, surrounded by serene courtyards and traditional temple architecture.

Sacred Darshan Gallery