Day 2

Although the majority of my trip will be spent touring the sacred Ganges River, I wanted to spend the first week touring the local temples. Today I went to Mahalaxmi Temple, one of the most sacred places of worship in Mumbai. The principal deity the temple enshrines is goddess lakshmi, hence the name Mahalakshmi. The Mahalakshmi priest who leads the devotions each day was a pleasant man. I arrived early enough to hear the temple bells, and watch as he offered fresh flowers, incense, and food to the deities. I brought my own bread and milk to share with Vishnu. At the temple I met a swami named Abdul-Azeez. (Swamis, or holy men of India, are experts who have dedicated their lives to meditation.) He just returned from Canada where he was lecturing and teaching. He agreed to show me around Mumbai, and even accompany me to the Ganges. I’m so happy and excited.  

A scanned postcard of Mahalazmi Temple