A curious sight greets you here in Bhuleshwar. Gol Deval, the Round Temple, stands defiantly in the middle of the road. It’s a temple to Lord Shiva, a bright splash of yellow against the backdrop of bustling city life. Gol Deval isn’t just a place of worship. It’s a symbol of resilience, a testament to a community’s unwavering faith. The British, you see, once wanted this temple gone. In the early 1900s, they planned to build Sandhurst Road, now SVP Marg, right through this sacred spot. The Bombay Improvement Trust, armed with the power to seize and demolish, offered the temple trustees a sum of money to relocate. They believed the temple was in the way of progress. But the Lingayat community who worshipped at Gol Deval refused. This wasn’t just any temple. It housed a swayambhu ling, a self-manifested representation of Shiva. According to their beliefs, such a sacred object could not be moved. The British, confident in their authority, pressed on. They even consulted experts who argued that the ling could be reconsecrated elsewhere. Tensions rose, and the community rallied to protect Gol Deval. Legend has it that when the British tried to enter the temple, a cobra emerged from beneath the ling, its hood raised in a menacing display. Whether divine intervention or a fortunate coincidence, the British retreated. Eventually, they conceded, altering their road plans to accommodate the temple. Gol Deval remained, a circular sanctuary amidst the newly constructed road. It stands today, a vibrant reminder of a community’s successful struggle to preserve their sacred space. Look closely at its circular form, its bright yellow walls. Listen to the sounds of the city swirling around it. Gol Deval is more than a temple; it is a story of faith and resistance, whispered in the heart of Mumbai.
Arya Samaj Mandir
Did Swami Dayananda Saraswati foresee the bustling metropolis that would surround the Arya Samaj Mandir? Here in the Fort area