Watch | Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple reopens after sindoor lepan ceremony

Mumbairsquos iconic Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple has reopened to devotees following the completion of the annual sindoor lepan ceremony which began on January 7Watch First look after sindoor lepan ceremonyView this post on InstagramA post shared by Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati siddhivinayakonlineView this post on InstagramA post shared by Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati siddhivinayakonlineEarlier the temple remained closed to the public from January 7 to January 11 for the traditional sindoor lepan ritual and other religious observances During this period devotees were unable to have darshan of the main idol though they were allowed to offer prayers to a replica idol placed in the templeOriginally built on November 19 1801 by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil the Siddhivinayak Temple is among Mumbairsquos most visited and wealthiest Hindu pilgrimage sites The annual sindoor lepan ceremony attracts large crowds making the temporary closure of the sanctum necessaryFollowing the completion of the rituals the temple performed Prokshanvidhi Naivedya and Aarti on the morning of January 12 Regular darshan of the main idol from the sanctum resumed at 1 pm The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust appealed to devotees to take note of the schedule and cooperate with temple authoritiesThe reopening comes ahead of Makar Sankranti a day when the Siddhivinayak Temple traditionally witnesses a massive influx of devotees Makar Sankranti also known as Uttarayana or simply Sankranti is a Hindu festival marking the Sunrsquos transition into Capricorn and the beginning of the harvest season according to the reportsCelebrated across India and Nepal the festival is observed with colourful decorations fairs melas kite flying bonfires dances and festive meals as per reports Many devotees mark the occasion by visiting temples and taking ritual baths in sacred rivers as mentioned in ancient Hindu texts including the MahabharataDevotees observe Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi at Mumbairsquos Siddhivinayak TempleEarlier last week devotees marked Angarika Sankashti Chaturthi at Mumbairsquos Siddhivinayak Temple by observing a strict fast from morning until evening The fast was traditionally broken at night after the darshan of the moon following special prayers and pooja dedicated to Lord GaneshaAngarika Chaturthi derived from the Sanskrit word Angarak meaning red like glowing embers is regarded as especially auspicious Devotees believe that prayers offered on this day help fulfil wishes and remove obstacles The Angarika Sankashti fast is associated with relief during difficult times as Lord Ganesha is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the embodiment of wisdomBefore moonrise devotees recited the Ganapati Atharvashirsha to seek Ganesharsquos blessings The Siddhivinayak Temple also hosted kirtan and bhajan sessions enhancing the spiritual atmosphere throughout the dayAccording to Hindu tradition Angarika was the son of Earth Goddess Prithvi and a revered sage who was deeply devoted to Lord Ganesha On Magha Krishna Chaturthi which fell on a Tuesday Angarika performed intense worship seeking the deityrsquos blessingsMoved by his devotion Lord Ganesha is believed to have appeared before Angarika and offered to grant him a wish Angarika asked to be eternally associated with Ganesharsquos name Granting the boon Ganesha declared that devotees who worship him on this day would have their prayers fulfilled