A walk to explore the neighbourhood heritage : Mahim suburb & around (Part 2)

As I continue my walk exploring the heritage and connecting the historical dots lying in the alleys, nooks and corners of Mumbai city. This post is in continuation of my earlier post on exploring the suburb of Mahim west (Mahim Heritage Part - 1).

After exploring the famous Dargah of Mahim Saint, Moving further I walked on one of the oldest street - old Cadell road. named after Municipal commissioner of Mumbai - P.R. Cadell (1910 -1916). Outside the dargah there are quite a few sweets and bakery shops selling some really delicious delicacies. The road is filled with sweet smell of bakery products which sure will lure you to one of these shops. This area is a must visit during the month of Ramzan and is Non-veg paradise when special stalls are put up to serve some mouth licking Non-Veg specialities. Among all sweet shops one that stands out is "Usman Suleman Mithaiwala", Here I am referring to the building that they are situated in "Rogay Cottage". The beautiful palatial building is coloured in yellow shade. 

Rogay cottage has links to the 18th century Konkani Muslim Philanthropist - Mohammed Ali Rogay. who contributed immensely to the city of Mumbai. He & his family once owned large tracts of land in Mumbai. Recently he was in news for there is confusion on who was the "Mohammed Ali" of  famous Mohammed Ali road named after, some feel it is named after Mohammed Ali Rogay. 

A furlong further in Mahim Koliwada lies one of the iconic sweet shop where the famous "Mahim Halwa" originated. The shop is over 236 years old - started by one Joshi who migrated from a small village near Jamnagar. He walked all the way from his native village to the island of Mahim and settled here. Today the shop is run by 8th and 9th generation of original owner who was known popularly as "Budha kaka" or old uncle. 

Today the Joshi's sweet shop is said to have spread out and have branches in different parts of Mumbai. Mahim Halwa is a must try along with other sweets that the shop has to offer.

The Jain temple adjacent to the shop was also built by the Joshi family and is said to be little older than the shop itself. The manager of Halwa shop informed me that earlier there used to be a small Jain temple before the Joshi family moved in. Over a period of time the Jain temple (derasar) was built. It is said that few decades back when the Jain temple completed 200 years the entire street was decorated like a bride.

Close by to the sweet shop, hidden in the maze of buildings lies a very beautiful haveli - a temple dedicated to God and Goddess couple Laxmi Narayan. The temple is managed by followers of Vaishnavaite sect. I was lucky to visit this temple on Annakut festival days when 56 different varieties of delicacies is offered to the deity and was spread out in front of the deity.

Apart from the beautiful idols of the deity, the temple is also very colourfully decorated. The outer facade of the temple has two dwarpals in traditional attire standing guard. Above the two dwarpals are sculptures of Nag kanya on one side and Krishna with his serpent on other. The entire outer facade is coloured in bright colours with sculptures of flying apsaras. There is bust of donor who built this temple just above the entrance. 

Its hard to imagine such a beautiful temple which is hidden in the maze of the old buildings. The main entrance to the temple complex is from Kapad bazar road. But it is easy to miss the temple compound entrance for there are lines of stalls selling products outside and it gets hidden among the piles of boxes kept there.

The walk around Mahim is incomplete without giving attendance to the temple of one of mother goddess of Mumbai - Sitladevi temple. The origin of the temple is shrouded in mystery but legend has it that when King Bimbadev in 13th century moved his capital from Kelwe near Palghar to Mahim He also bought the idol with him from Kelwe. Sitladevi is the goddess which cures poxes, sores and other diseases and is worshiped through out India subcontinent.

There is another ancient temple of Sitladevi in Kelwe and Kelwe is also referred to as Kelwe Mahim. But without any evidence, it is hard to link any connection between the two temples.

The temple today is managed by G.S.B trust of Gaud Saraswat Brahim community. Sitaldevi temple is complex of multiple shrines dedicated to different gods and goddess. Notable among them is one temple dedicated to Hanuman, This temple is like a small house painted in bright orange color. Next to it is a unique temple like a small fortress dedicated to Lord Vithal and his consort Goddess Rukhmani. The top of the temple has a unique funnel shape at the top. 

There are three deepstambh in the temple compound which seems to be pretty old structure. The temple dedicated to Shiva has round gumbaz shape dome. There are few remnants of old temple structure lying near a tree base. 

The main shrine of Goddess Sitladevi is again a temple shared by multiple gods, A Hanuman and Ganpati temple on left and two linga temple of Lord Shiva on the right.

Then there is another another small temple of Lord Ganesha, Saibaba, Shantadurga who is considered to be the patron goddess of GSB community and another small temple with rare 3 headed idol of Mahakali. 

The walk around the neighbourhood of Mahim was interesting with many surprises and stories like that of Mahim Halwa origin. Some places which I had longed to visit like the dargah of Mahim and Sitla devi temple was checked off my list. It was also heartening to have seen the priceless pillars of Mahim Police which was something that I had read in an article published in newspaper. I am sure there is yet lot more to be explored which I hope to cover bit by bit, story by story.