Hari Mandir is a temple located in the central suburbs of Mumbai and a popular destination, not only for locals but also for tourists with a religious bend of mind. The Hari Mandir is built in honor of Lord Krishna (Hari is one of the many names of Krishna) but it also houses idol of Lord Rama and other Gods.

Location

Hari Temple is situated in Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar, previously known as Koliwada or the locality of the fishermen community. The place however, has a dense population of the Sikh community and was therefore named after the great Sikh Guru.

History

Koliwada was home to a large number of refugees who escaped the wrath of the communal riots that occurred after the partition in 1947. They found shelter and food here in the barracks and were indebted to the locals for timely help and support. During evenings people used to bring out the idols they had bought with them. They all felt the need to have a proper place to pray. That’s how the idea of a temple came up. In April, 1950 a structure was created with tin roofs and mat carpets and the temple was named Hari Mandir.

After three years, in 1953, they established a firmer structure after getting land from the Government. A trust was registered and named Shree Sanathan Dharma Sabha. New idols were installed in 1980. These included idols of Lord Rama, Hanuman, Shiva, Parwati, Laxmi and Sita. These are Gods and Goddesses revered and adored by the Hindus in India.

The Temple as it Stands Today

The Hari Mandir was refurbished in 2000 and now has three narrow tapering structures rising from the walls of the three main shrines. The shrine to the left has idols of Lord Shiva and Parwati. The one in the middle has idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Hanuman and Laxman. The shrine situated on the right holds idols of Durga Mata and Santoshi Mata. There are idols of other much-revered Hindu Gods like Ganpati, Saraswati, Gayatri Mata and others. The three main structures are encircled by carvings that depict scenes from the popular Hindu mythology Ramayana.

There is a special shrine devoted to Shiva lingams, the manifestation of Lord Shiva. The spacious and air-conditioned hall on the first floor is used for religious and social programs. The temple remains secured and safe from anti-social elements as it is under CCTV surveillance 24/7.

Important Events held at Hari Mandir

Almost all festivals of the Hindus are celebrated with much pomp and gaiety here. However, festivals like Janmashtami, Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navami and Navaratri and are among the most popular and attract thousands of devotees from all over Mumbai. The seven-day long Bhagwad Katha held before Janmashtami is very popular. Community festivals and distribution of Prasad is held during all days of Navaratri. Mata ki Chowki is another religious event that’s much awaited by disciples of Goddess Durga.

For the benefit of devotees who undertake pilgrimage of Vaishnodevi in Jammu, the Trust has brought a flame from the holy place that keeps burning continuously. The flame is known as Akhand Jyoti. The Trust also organizes tours to various places of religious significance in India for devotees and members. There is health camps conducted at regular intervals as a part of their social work.  

How to Reach Hari Mandir

By Road

There are private taxis, cars and state transport buses available from Dadar, CST and other main junctions of Mumbai to go to Hari Mandir.

By Rail

The nearest station is Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar on the Central railway route.