Prasanna Shree Narmadeshwar Mahadev Temple Mankhurd, Mandala (East), Mumbai

Mankhurd is the final suburb of Greater Mumbai on the Harbour line of the suburban railway. From here, the city is connected to Navi Mumbai via the bridge over the Vashi creek. Nestled in Mankhurd, which was a small, neglected village in ancient times and now embraces millions of workers and the middle class, lies the temple dedicated to Narmadeshwar Mahadev. It is said that this temple is at least 112 years old. This temple is a center of faith for countless Shiva devotees in this area. A unique feature of this temple is the installation of an ice Shiva Linga every Shravan Monday.

Mankhurd and Mandala were sparsely populated villages on the island of Trombay in the Salsette island group. Fishing and salt pans were the primary occupations of the original inhabitants. Salt was transported in large quantities from the Trombay port, and these people worked in that industry as well. The transformation of this village into a suburb was primarily driven by the Sion bridge and the expansion of the railways in Mumbai. After the Sion bridge was constructed during the tenure of British Governor Jonathan Duncan in January 1805, this area was connected to the island of Mumbai. Railway transport between Mumbai and Thane began four years before the start of the first war of independence in 1857 in Hindustan. Subsequently, the Kurla to Chembur railway line was started in 1906.

This railway was originally a garbage train. This route was built for the transport of waste. Large areas of land were created in areas like Chembur, Mankhurd, and Mandala by filling them with this waste. On 4 February 1924, this route was opened for passenger traffic, and on 1 July 1927, it reached Mandala (later Mankhurd), and the Mankhurd railway station was inaugurated. Such infrastructure accelerated the development of Ghatkopar, Kurla, Chembur, and Mankhurd.

The Narmadeshwar Mahadev temple here existed even before the Mankhurd station came into being. It is said that a merchant from the Bhatia community named Jamnadas Visanji Thakkar lived in this area. He had supreme devotion to Mahadev. He once brought a Bana Linga from the holy Narmada river. In the riverbed of the Narmada, which flows through Madhya Pradesh, elliptical stones that naturally take the shape of a Shiva Linga are found in some places. According to religious belief, these stones are the formless manifestation of Shiva Shankara. These stones are called Bana Linga and are considered extremely sacred. In the year 1914, Jamnadas Thakkar built a Shivalaya on a large plot of land in Mankhurd and consecrated this Bana Linga. After periodic renovations and refurbishments, the temple attained its current form.

The temple is situated in a spacious courtyard in the quiet area of Mankhurd, Mandala. The courtyard, adorned with lush green trees, has a large entrance gate. The entire area is paved with paver blocks. There is a small pavilion here for religious and cultural programs of the temple. Further ahead is the main courtyard of the temple. It has a large tin shed, and arrangements for benches and chairs have been made for devotees to sit. The modern-style Narmadeshwar temple is located under this shed. The temple is built on a high plinth. Its structure consists of a Sabha Mandap, Ardha Mandap, and Garbhagriha. The Sabha Mandap and Ardha Mandap here are semi-open in nature. There is a large Tulsi Vrindavan in front of the Sabha Mandap. The Sabha Mandap has a cylindrical arched entrance. From here, one climbs two steps to enter the Ardha Mandap. In this Ardha Mandap, there is a marble niche facing the entrance of the Sabha Mandap. A marble idol of Ganesha sitting on a lotus flower is seated there.

This temple has two adjacent sanctums, a main one and a sub-sanctum. The main Garbhagriha is dedicated to Narmadeshwar Mahadev. In front of its entrance, there is an idol of Nandi on a marble platform. In front of that is a Kurma (tortoise) sculpture. In the niches on the front wall of the Garbhagriha, there are vermilion-smeared stone idols of Ganpati, Bhairav, and Shitalamata. Inside the Garbhagriha, the Narmadeshwar Pindi is consecrated on the floor. The base (Shalunka) of the Pindi is small, and it contains the Bana Linga. The Linga, decorated with garlands of flowers, is coiled by a brass serpent idol, which holds a hood over it. There is a brass Abhishek vessel above it. In a niche on the back wall of the Garbhagriha, there is a marble idol of Parvati. A Damaru and a Trishul are placed on the wall here. In the sub-sanctum adjacent to this Garbhagriha, a stone idol of Hanuman is consecrated in a niche with a dome-shaped spire. This vermilion-smeared idol is coated with gold leaf in the Gujarati tradition. The idol has a golden crown on its head, and a large mace is in front of it. Women are forbidden from entering this Hanuman Garbhagriha.

Devotees start arriving for Darshan at this temple from six in the morning. Thousands of devotees come for Darshan on Shravan Mondays and Mahashivratri. During the month of Shravan, one hundred Laghurudra Abhishek rituals are performed here. Also, an ice Shiva Linga is installed here every Shravan Monday. On this day, Annapuja and Kamalpuja are performed. Similarly, devotees are given Bhaji and Churmurya Ladoo as Prasad. Devotees can also participate in the daily 7 PM Aarti at the temple online. For this, it is necessary to first scan the QR code available at the temple. Arrangements for Dashkriya rituals are also made at this temple. The temple is open for devotees daily from 6 AM to 12 PM and from 4 PM to 9 PM. On Shravan Mondays and Mahashivratri, the temple remains open for Darshan throughout the day.

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