Session 6: Bhuleshwar, God's Own Neighbourhood

Walking through the lanes that spill over each other, narrowly demarcating one area from another - one lands up in the nerve centre of south Mumbai, Bhuleshwar. The width of the road is just about enough to support a two-way pedestrian traffic. And amidst the cramped co-existence of old buildings and zillion shops, spring up much to your wonderment, temples of varied sizes and lords.



The bustling lanes of Bhuleshwar in south-central Mumbai are home to more than 100 temples (many dating back several centuries). Name a God and you'll find Him here, either sheltered in a small temple or worshipped in a lavish one. Your faith will definitely find a form here." Out of the 19-20 temples we visited in the bhulbhulaiya, some of them are: the famous 130-year-old Laxmi Narayan temple where it is believed that all wishes come true, the huge Bhuleshwar complex where you can complete your mini tirthyatra, the Vallabhacharya Haveli, the Swaminarayan temple, Sheetla Devi Temple, Ranchodrai Mandir, Madhav Baug Temple, etc.

The entire place is a riot of architecture (referring to the mix of baroque, gothic and Venetian) with its ornamental motifs, community wadis and migrant population.

Also tucked somewhere in the by-lanes of the crowded Bhuleshwar bazaar was the Bombay Panjrapole, a 176-year-old infirmary that primarily looks after 350 cows and other stray animals like donkeys, hens, birds, dogs, goats, parrots and ducks.