RELIGION, Mumbai

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The spirituality of the residents of Bombay is hard to miss. Not only is the city dotted with numerous structures of worship of nearly every religion, but its residents seem to erect shrines for their saints and holy people everywhere. Some of the more important and famous shrines are described in the "Things to do" tab on this page, but there are numerous others that one comes across that are only known to the locals. Moslem, Hindu, Christian, Parsi shrines - and the list goes on - can be seen all over. Naturally, though, Hindu shrines are the most widespread given that Hindus make up the majority of the population. Attached are photos of some of the shrines I've come across.

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Making up 67% of Bombay's population, Hindus constitute a majority over other religious groups by far. It is for this reason that Hindu temples and shrines are the most widespread around the city. Yet, in South Bombay and in Bandra, Hindu temples are overshadowed by the grand colonial churches, while in the Moslem neighbourhoods, mosques dominate. Frequently, though, temples, churches, mosques coexist peacefully side-by-side. This is all part of the cosmopolitan and tolerant nature of the city. Attached are photos of some Hindu temples in Bombay not featured in the main "things to do" tab on this page.

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For a community numbering only in the tens of thousands, the Parsis are perhaps the most visible minority of Bombay. Originally from Persia, Parsis are Zoroastrians who arrived in India centuries ago, mainly to escape persecution. In Bombay, they became successful businessmen and landowners who established a strong relationship with the colonising Brits, thus permitting their businesses to flourish in the 18th and 19th centuries. Subsequently, many members of the community devoted large amounts of their wealth to philanthropy and the construction of their city. As a result, many of the public and private buildings of Bombay were funded in large parts by the Parsi community and carry Parsi names. The University of Bombay, Petit Library and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel were all built or partially funded by the Parsis. The tight knit community often lives in self-sufficient 'enclaves', or rather exclusive compounds, within Bombay. The most famous of such colonies is Cusrow Baug, shown in the attached photograph.

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Although Christians only make up less than 4% of Bombay's population today, the city is abundant with beautiful churches. This is largely thanks to the British who built many (Protestant) churches in Bombay to serve their community. In addition, the Portuguese added numerous Catholic churches in the suburb of Bandra, which remained a Portuguese colony until the 18th century. These churches continue to be used today, serving the local population as well as religious expats. Attached are photos of several churches in Bombay. In addition, the "Things To Do" tab contains tips on specific prominent churches.

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With over 18% of its nearly 14 million inhabitants Moslem, Bombay in certain parts feels entirely like a Moslem city. The majority of the community is Sunni, though Shiites exist as a small minority. Much of the Moslem population, like other Mumbaikars, lives in slums, but the luckier ones seem to be concentrated in the area just to the north of Crawford Market and around Chor Bazaar. Naturally, this area has the highest concentration of Mosques in the city. Here and elsewhere in Bombay, mosques, Hindu temples, churches and other places of worship lie side by side showing exemplary tolerance with little tension among the inhabitants. Attached are photos of a few mosques around the city. The "Things to do" tab contains specific descriptions on a few other mosques.

In India, faith is known to move mountains. Rich and poor, educated and unlettered, they Indians all converge at temples and churches and mosques to offer their destinies to the Divine. Nowhere is this more evident than at Siddhi Vinayak, a temple devoted to Ganesh, the elephant-headed God of Good Fortune. On auspicious Tuesdays, the serpentine queue of worshippers is over 2kms long. People stand for several hours with offerings of flowers and coconut, waiting patiently for a two minute 'Darshan' or meeting with the Lord. The path to the divine is never easy, but it is said that those who tread it with true devotion will always have their wishes fulfilled.

Although the Mumbadevi Temple is not as striking as others are in the city, its resident deity, Mumbadevi, is the city's patron Goddess. The structure is about six centuries old, believed to be the handiwork of Mumbaraka, a sadistic giant who frequently plundered the city at the time. Terrorized by these unwelcome visits, the locals pleaded with Lord Brahma, Creator of all things to protect them. Brahma then 'pulled out of his own body', an eight armed goddess who vanquished the brute. Predictably brought to his knees, Mumbaraka implored Her Holiness to take his name and built a temple in her honour. She still stands there, an orange faced goddess on an altar strewn with marigolds: devotees believe that those who seek her divine favour are never disappointed.

The Mahalaxmi Temple sits atop a long flight of steps on the edge of the Arabian Sea. It is devoted to Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and Lady Lucre to millions of adoring Indians. The shrine itself is quite characterless, but has a curious history. It is said that in the 1890s, when the adjoining causeway was being constructed by a British engineer, the project was always jinxed: every time the foundation was laid, the sea would rush in and destroy it. Then one night, a labourer dreamt of Goddess Laxmi who ordered him to dig out an idol from a spot under the causeway and build a shrine on it. This was done with due alacrity, and the causeway was ultimately completed.