If you live in Matunga or nearby areas of Mumbai, you would have surely visited the Asthika Samaj that has been set up in 1923. The 99 years old religious institution was started in Matunga in Mumbai by keeping a portrait of Lord Rama who is also called Sree Ramachandra. In 1953, the temple of Sri Ram Mandir got its full status when His Holiness Jagadguru Sree Sankaracharya Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam gave blessings to the temple. Thus, a special-developed Garbhagriha installed the idols of Lord Rama, Sitadevi, Lakshman, and Hanuman in the temple.
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A unique ritual called Maha Dravyavarthy Sahasra Brahma Kalasabhishekam is performed every year to the deity Sri Kochu Guruvayoorappan, who is a form of Lord Krishna. This year, the temple will host the rare ritual from 18th November to 25th November 2022.
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The temple has a banyan tree that is believed to fulfill the wishes of thousands of devotees who flock to religious places on a daily basis. The spiritual development of the Asthika Samaj happened when the devotees also supported the installation of other deities such as Lord Karthikeyan (1965), Navagraha Idols (1967), Lord Kochu Guruvayurappan (1974), and Swamy Ayyappan (1978).
The Asthika Samaj conducts religious festivals during the whole year. As per the information available on the temple’s website, the daily rituals and poojas as held as per the Vedic, Tantric, and Agama scriptures. Interestingly, the temple also has a marriage hall, called Sree Sita Rama Kalyana Mandapam with a seating capacity of 250 people and also has modern facilities and amenities. The hall is used by the devotees to conduct engagement ceremonies, marriages, thread ceremonies, and any other religious or social functions.
One can reach The Asthika Samaj, which is also called Kochu Guruvayoor temple or Sree Ram Mandir located at Bhandarkar Road in Matunga that is on the Central line side in Mumbai in Maharashtra. One can reach here by bus, train or taxi transport from any part of Mumbai. One can even do online pooja booking through the temple website or send donations to the given bank details. The temple does pooja for deities such as Lord Ganesha, Kochu Guruvayoorappan, Karthikeyan, Sree Sita Ramachandra Swamy, Swamy Ayyappan, Lord Shiva, Anjaneyar, Navagraham, and Nagaraja, among others.
The annual festivals conducted by the Asthika Samaj include Sree Krishna Jayanthi, Skanda Sashti, Mandala Pooja, Kochu Guruvayurappan Prathistha Day, Swamy Ayyappan Prathishta Day, Thaipoosam, Sree Rama Navami, and Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaha Maha Yagnam. The Asthika Samaj has been set up to promote brotherhood among people, deliver religious and spiritual knowledge, instill the devotion of God among the common people and also provide service to the public.
The temple operates from 5 am to 12 pm in the morning and from 4.30 pm to 9 pm in the evening. The Asthika Samaj has been registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 and under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. If you are someone who wants to get blessings from all the important Gods of Hinduism, then do not miss to check out this amazing temple that has a majestic gopuram to attract your eyeballs and make you believe in the power of God.
