Elephant God Magic

Visiting Siddhivinayak is like going to a fair.

The way is lined with little pavement stalls. Sadhus and fakirs stand at corners, selling amulets and charms. There are crowds of people from all parts of India, queueing up, drawn by the magic pull of the Elephant God.

Five rupees can get you this sacred thread

You can buy garlands and offerings on this street inside the temple complex.

At other stalls you can buy colourful images - but none of them are
carved in the likeness of the idol inside, with the trunk curved to the right.

Sweet shops sell modak - Ganesha's favourite food

And where's the rule that says you can't look pretty while you go
see the Lord? Flowers for the hair, very popular with visitors.

Siddhivinayak temple is more than two hundred years old, although it has been renovated and remodelled recently. It was originally built by Deubai Patil, a lady from Matunga, who belonged to the Agris, one of the oldest communities of Mumbai. In designing the idol, she was inspired by a calendar hanging on her wall - the calendar had a photo of the Ganesh idol at Banganga, which is 500 years old. Whatever the inspiration, there is no doubt that today, Siddhi Vinayak is Bombay's favourite god.

What I like about the temple is its open-door policy.

People of all faiths and religions come to Siddhivinayak. Unlike some other Hindu temples, no one is turned away. I called the temple office to check if I could bring foreigners. Yes, they said. Everyone can come right inside. And when I checked the temple website, I found that the makhar - the sanctum housing the deity - was built by a Muslim artisan family, known for the intricacy of their work. I wish we had more temples like this!

Inside view of the temple sanctum, with the makhar

Here is what he looks like: black stone idol, coated with red lead (shendur).