The Sanctum Sanctorum

Take the Namaste City Tour to pay your respects to Mumbai’s pantheon of Gods says Renuka Rane Saffron flags fluttering atop the Babulnath temple, a melancholic calm in the aisles of the Afghan Church, the serene gaze of the Tirthankara at the Jain temple, firings lost in devotion at the Iskon temple, touts on the causeway to Haji Ali dargah and the ancient temple complex of Banganga dwarfed by high-rises. Imagine visiting this overwhelming yet infinitely absorbing shrines within a single day. We did, on the one-of-its-kind ‘temple tour’ organized by Namaste City Tour. With a chauffeur-driven car (you can choose from a small car to a Merc) and an expert (and droll) guide in the elderly Lakshmi pai, we set off to visit the numerous deities of the metropolis. First on the list was the church of St John the Evengelist at Navy Nagar in Colaba. Popularly known as the Afghan Church, it was a diminutive chapel when built in the 1850s and

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath mandir, a member of Iskcon. ABOVE (LEFT): The stained glass windows of the Afghan Church feature rare pattern; (RIGHT): The Babulnath temple embodies the abode of Shiva acted as the garrison church of the British army. It was consecrated as a war memorial in commemoration of soldiers, "who fell mindful of their duty Iby sickness or by the sword in the campaigns of Sindh and Afghanistan in 1938-43". The church with its flying buttresses, rib-vaulted ceiling and thatched roof is a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture. The 198-feefl high spire was built thus that ships coming into the Bombay harbour coutd see it, and can be spotted even today. Next, we found ourselves on the steps leading to the famous Babulnath temple at Chowpatty. Constructed in 1780, the structure evokes Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva. marble Nandi (Shiva's vehicle is a bull) plays gatekeeper to the shrine and you can see the different avatars of the Destroyer. Crowds throng the temple during the festival of Mahashivaratri Just a few paces away is the buff-coloured design wonder that is the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath mandir, a member of the International Society! Krishna Consciousness. We arrived in time for the noon arti. As people gathered in prayer, the priest unveiled the deity - a stunning tableau fro the life of Lord Krishna. In close proximity to Chowpatty is the elite Walkeshwar area. It's hard to believe that the posh precincts house a 14-temple complex and reservoir dating back to the 12th century. One story goes that the Banganga resulted from the spring that burst forth when a thirsty Rama shot an arrow into the ground. Ban is Hindi for arrow and Ganga symbolises the sacred river, hence the name. Now, the waters are murky with moss and ceremo nial offerings. The site hosts the popular Banganga festival every year. We then moved on to one of Mumbai's most famous landmark - the Haji Ali dargah, a tomb and mosque complex on an islet in the Worli bay. The causeway to the dargah gets submerged during high-tide. Named after a wealthy Muslim merchant who built the edifice in 1431, it is said Haji Ali died en route to Mecca and the casket containing his body floated back to Mumbai. The dargah is visited by people of all faiths. We concluded the trip with a visit to the city's darling deity - Ganapatil Bappa - in his black stone idol avatar at the Siddhivinayak temple. With its curious mix of history and legend and not to mention the paradoxes of Mumbai, the temple tour is certainly one nano pilgrimage! ♦♦♦ Founders of the Namaste City Tours, NainiMehta and Kunal Vahalia are neighbours by default, business partners by choice and Mumbaikars at heart. Naini, a travel agent, and Kunal, a techie, launched the venture after Naini's Non-Resident Indian relatives I failed to explore Mumbai properly due to a lack of I guided tours. Spurred on by a love for the city's rich heritage, the enterprising duo has conducted 550-odd tours since they started a year ago. Before every trip, they greet foreign tourists with the customary tilak and garland of flowers. Mineral water, packed snackeroos and a Namasle souvenir is given to all. Half-day and full-day tours of Mumbai, Elephanta island Kanheri caves, Bollywood and Museums are available. Festival, Culinary, Shopp'nj Night tours and customised tours can be arranged. Prices start from Rs 1,500 and are inclusive of guide fees, transport and entrance charges. Visit www.namastecitywM com, e-mail: visitus@namastecitytour.com or call 9323652111, 9820954856, 022 23888711.