What was once a forgotten corner has slowly begun to echo with the sounds of devotion and community again. This Shri Gundi Devi Mandir was revived through the quiet but significant efforts of Raj Bhavan to restore what once mattered deeply to Mumbai’s original coastal community. The temple’s annual jatra, held shortly after Guru Purnima, was not a grand political spectacle. Instead, it felt more like a quiet homecoming. When Maharashtra Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan visited the Mandir, it was a gesture of respect, an acknowledgment of a sacred space that holds deep meaning for the Koli community and Mumbai’s forgotten indigenous heritage.

Standing among the Koli devotees, the Governor joined in the arti, offered flowers to Gundi Devi and other deities such as Durga, Mahalaxmi, Mahadev, Rama, and Hanuman, housed in the modest temple.

Historical significance

The significance of the Shri Gundi Devi Mandir is linked to the unique geography and rich history of Malabar Hill. Long before it became an enclave for the city's elite, the area was a sacred landscape called Walkeshwar, a name derived from the Marathi Waalu (sand) and Ishwar (God), meaning the "God of Sand". This recalls an ancient tale of Bhagwan Shri Rama, who, during his journey to Lanka, is believed to have paused here and crafted a Shiva linga out of beach sand to offer his prayers. This sanctified the land, and under the patronage of the Silhara dynasty (9th–12th century), the Walkeshwar Temple was built.

Adjacent to it lies the Banganga Tank, another revered site believed to have emerged when Shri Rama shot an arrow into the ground to draw the sacred waters of the Ganga. These two landmarks, Walkeshwar Temple and Banganga, established the spiritual identity of the area and made it an enduring pilgrimage route.

Much like the Walkeshwar temple and Banganga tank, the Shrigundi rock marked a sacred threshold, a place where pilgrims sought spiritual purification. Located at the edge of Malabar Point, this naturally split stone, also called the “Lucky Stone,” served as a gateway of renewal. Pilgrims would descend over rugged rocks and pass headfirst through its narrow opening, arms extended in reverence. Long before a formal temple existed, this site was venerated as deeply sacred. Today known as the abode of Gundi Devi, the rock holds enduring significance for the Koli community and others who see it as a bridge between the earthly and the divine.

Apart from this, local traditions surrounding the temple speak of visits by legendary Maratha figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Admiral Kanhoji Angre, and Raghobadada Peshwa. The fact that these Maratha leaders visited this place gives it more cultural and religious importance by connecting it with the region’s most respected Hindu rulers.

As European powers began asserting control over the western coast, Malabar Hill's spiritual sanctity gave way to its strategic value. The British, recognising the location’s height and panoramic view of the Arabian Sea, seized it as a vantage point for maritime surveillance. By the early 19th century, British governors began using Malabar Hill as a retreat, and in 1885, it officially became the seat of colonial power in Bombay after the old Government House in Parel was vacated. Over time, the hill was reshaped—its sacred groves and community spaces replaced by stately bungalows and administrative buildings.

After Independence, the estate was renamed Raj Bhavan. On August 15, 1947, the Indian tricolour replaced the Union Jack over its rooftops. Today, spread across nearly 50 acres with heritage bungalows like Jal Bhushan and Jal Vihar, a private forest, sea views, and even a colonial-era bunker, Raj Bhavan embodies a layered past. And at its spiritual heart still rests the ancient Gundi rock, now the site of the Shri Gundi Devi Mandir, a quiet but powerful reminder of the land’s sacred origins and the resilience of indigenous faith.

‘Maa Gundi’ and her connection with the Koli community

The temple within the Raj Bhavan complex is dedicated to Shri Gundi, an ancient indigenous goddess whose name is directly tied to the Shrigundi rock. Also known as Sagar Mata and Sakalai Devi, her identity is deeply rooted in the sea, symbolising both protection and nurturing for those who depend on the ocean for their survival. She has been worshipped by Mumbai's Koli community through the centuries, even before the arrival of the Portuguese.

For the Koli fishing community, the original inhabitants of the seven islands that now form Mumbai, whose very lives and livelihoods are tied to the ocean, she is more than a goddess. As Sagar Mata, she is their divine guardian, a mother figure who watches over them as they venture into the waters, offering protection and blessings from the unpredictable tides they face each day.

To the Kolis, she is not just worshipped, she is remembered. As a spiritual ancestor, a coastal guardian, and a living embodiment of the community’s identity. After Independence, a meaningful gesture was made by the newly appointed Governors of Maharashtra – Koli families were invited to return and revive their ancestral rituals at the temple. This act helped restore a sacred bond that had been disrupted by colonial expansion and acknowledged the Kolis' central role in Mumbai’s heritage.

For years, the temple remained unknown to many, including the previous Governors. However, in 2015, it was renovated under the guidance of Governor Vidyasagar Rao, bringing the shrine back to life. Today, the temple houses not only the idol of Shri Gundi Devi but also those of Durga, Mahalaxmi, Shiva, Rama, and Hanuman.

The annual jatra

In today’s Mumbai, the Sri Gundi Devi Mandir remains a place of active worship and quiet sanctity. Accessing it, however, is not as straightforward as visiting a neighbourhood shrine. Given its location within Raj Bhavan, the temple is subject to security regulations. Visitors must register through an online portal to receive entry permissions. Often, a visit to the temple is paired with a tour of Raj Bhavan’s other features, such as the Sunrise Gallery, which offers panoramic views of the iconic Queen’s Necklace.

On the other hand, one of the most striking aspects of the Sri Gundi Devi Mandir is its annual festival, or Jatra. The peaceful atmosphere of the place would come alive once a year in July, when the gates opened for thousands of devotees attending the annual jatra at the Devi Temple. On that day, the noise of religious festivities would merge with the noise of the monsoon in full force.

On this day, the Governor of Maharashtra leads the ritual proceedings. The Governor performs the puja and aarti, garlands the goddess, and offers prasad. This is not merely a personal act of devotion, but a symbolic gesture: the constitutional head of the state honours an indigenous faith that predates the very concept of Maharashtra as a political entity. Importantly, members of the Koli community and the general public are welcome to the ceremony, fostering a rare space of unity between governance and grassroots tradition.

Shri Gundi Devi Mandir is not just a relic of the past — it is a living symbol of cultural endurance. It preserves the voice and spirit of Mumbai’s original inhabitants in a landscape now dominated by concrete and glass. Its survival, state recognition, and annual celebration demonstrate that faith can endure alongside power, that heritage can be protected even in elite spaces, and that the wisdom of the past still speaks to the soul of the present.

As Mumbai moves forward, the survival of shrines like Shri Gundi Devi Mandir reminds us that true progress lies not in forgetting the past, but in carrying its wisdom forward—into policy, culture, and everyday life.