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 Established:
17th
Century AD
By:
The
legendary Shri Rama Kamath(known as Kamati as recorded in the
Govt.records and contemporary history)
Presiding
Deity: Shri
Venkatraman and the other deity: Shri Krishna Shyamalialaji.
(
Pic. The Shrine)
Consecration:
Punar
Pratishtha by H.H.Shrimat Sudhindra Tirth Swamiji of Shri Kashi
Math Samsthan on Thursday the 31st May, 2001 of the
black granite idol of about 4 ft height of Lord Venkatraman
gifted by the renowned Balaji temple of
Tirupati. (
Pic. Shri Swamiji waving arti after consecration
)
History:
This temple was constructed by the famous Rama Kamati, a great
GSB leader of Mumbai who had lived in Mumbai from around 1650 AD
to around 1728 AD. Mumbai called
Bombay (of course so, till recently) those days was a group of
seven islands from Colaba to Mahim and the city of Mumbai was
covering the
present day Fort area. The Government was run by the East India
Company who had taken Mumbai on a lease rent of 10 pounds a year
from the British Crown, who in turn got Mumbai from the
Portuguese as a dowry. At that time there were quite a few GSB
families in Mumbai. One among them was Shri Narayan Shenoy, a
good diplomat who secured the friendship of the Marathas for the
English. He had also attended Shivaji’s coronation
accompanying the envoy of the English. The other person was Shri
Rama Kamati who was a merchant, a farmer, a warrior and a great
donor. He occupied the position of the Commander of the native
forces in the English army and was
close to the seat of power. The English gave the entire
Malabar Hill to him at an annual rent of Rs.15/-.
He
reconstructed Shri Walkeshwar Temple in ruins(supposed to have been destroyed by the people of
other religious faith) constructed in 1127AD by Shri Laxman
Prabhu, a powerful Minister in the Court of Shilahar Kings,
ruling over Konkan with Thane as their capital.
The
English undertook an expedition against Kanoji Angrey, the
Maratha Admiral, and miserably failed. People who were jealous
of Rama Kamati alleged that he had passed on the military
secrets to Angrey. Without proper verification the Government
confiscated all his property and he was imprisoned for life.
Around 1728AD he died in the prison, unwept, unsung and
unnoticed. However,
in 1743, the case was reopened at the instance of Chief Justice
of Mumbai and it was proved that he was totally innocent and
with this he was
acquitted of all the charges but no wealth was restored to his
legal heirs except a payment of Rs.4,000/- and a monthly pension
of Rs.30/-. Subsequently in the absence of legal heirs, the
temple fell into the hands of others and only a few years ago it
was reclaimed by the GSBs under the leadership of Late Shri
A.M.Kamath (popularly known as Macsonmam)
The
Temple is managed by a Trust now. This is a GSB Heritage Temple
in Mumbai just about two minutes walk from Mumbai CST Station.
Address:
31, Manohardas Street (Bazaar Gate)Mumbai—400001
Note:
Shri K.G.Mallya, our Editor has written a historical novel on
Shri Rama Kamati,
under the title THE MERCHANT OF BOMBAY published by Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Chowpatty Road, Mumbai-400 007
Pages 170
Price Rs.125/-
Photos:
The Shrine.
2.
Shri Swamiji waving arti after consecration
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