Jivdani Mata Temple

Getting there

• By air

  From Virar, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is 45 km away, and Lohegaon Airport in Pune is 143 km.

• By train

  Virar is the nearest railway station. Walk to the railway bridge on the east side, then take a shared or private auto to the temple's footsteps.

• By road

  Virar is about 77 km from central Mumbai, about 1.30 hours by car.

Why devotees come here

Jivdani Mata Temple stands on a hill in Virar, a northern Mumbai suburb in Palghar district, Maharashtra. The temple is dedicated to Jivdani Mata, a Hindu Devi. Legend links the cave shrine to the Pandavas.

Jivdani Mata is a Hindu Devi, and her main temple is on the Jivdani hill in Virar. The shrine is also called the Maa Jivdani temple. The temple is described as the only one dedicated to her. Legend says the Pandavas worshipped the Devi on the banks of Viraar Tirtha, and that they installed the Yoga Linga of Ekaveera Devi in a cave on the hills nearby. Legend also says they named her Jeevadhani.

The temple is about 150 years old, and the temple of the Devi has been completely renovated. The hill lies in the eastern part of Virar, a northern Mumbai suburb. The shrine is about 1375 steps above the ground, on a hill that forms part of the Satpura Range.

Festivals

• Dussehra dayDussehra fair

  A fair is held on Dussehra day, attended by thousands of people.

• The nine days of NavratriNavratri

  Many followers visit the shrine during the nine days.

Tips for your visit

• Call the temple for darshan and aarti times before you travel.
• Sundays and festival days bring thousands of devotees, so expect a crowd.

Questions people ask