A portrait of Sadhguru Narayan Maharaj (1885–1945), a spiritual teacher and guru, hangs next to the doorway (on the right) to the inner sanctum (garbagriha) at the Maruti Temple. Above the doorway is a painting of Lord Ganesh. On the left is a painting of Shri Ram, Shri Lakshman, and Devi Sita, with Lord Hanuman paying obeisance at their feet.
Santoshi Mata Temple is dedicated to Santoshi Maa. She is a relatively new addition to the Koli pantheon of mother goddesses. The box-office success of the 1975 devotional movie Jai Santoshi Maa, which was based on the goddess and her devoted devotee Satyavati, is largely responsible for Santoshi Maa's recent rise to fame.
The blockbuster hit movie Jai Santoshi Maa legitimized Santoshi Maa as a mother goddess in the Koli pantheon with iconography borrowed from other mother goddesses. For example, her characteristic posture while sitting on a lotus mirrors that of the goddess Shri Lakshmi. The weapons she holds—the sword and the trident—are traditional attributes of the goddess Devi Durga.
Our Lady of Velenkanni Cross in Worli village was installed in 1875. Next to it is a shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cross is associated with the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, also known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Velankanni, a major Christian pilgrimage centre located in the town of Velankanni, Tamil Nadu.
A modern structure, the Sai Baba Temple, built by followers of Shirdi Sai Baba, a fakir (ascetic) who is worshipped by both Hindu and Muslim devotees, is situated close to the Worli Fort. The area around the temple now serves as a space for hosting cultural events at Worli Koliwada.
Kolis venerate self-manifested (svayambhu) lingams in the form of naturally occurring rocks or geological features. They are anthropomorphized—that is, given eyes—to resemble the faces of gods and goddesses, each with a unique mythology.
Pictured here is the flagstaff (dhwajastambh) at the Vetal Dev Temple. The saffron flag, which is visible from a long distance, symbolizes the presence of the divine.
Stone images of Sakba Devi (left), Golfa Devi (centre), and Harba Devi (right) are embellished with necklaces, ear ornaments, nose rings (naths), and crowns made from gold and precious stones.