About Macchi Mata Temple in Gujarat – A Huge Whale Born is Worshipped Here

Macchi Mata Temple is located about at Magod Dungri village in Gujarat and is around 9 km from Valsad. A huge bone of a whale is worshipped here. The temple located on a tiny hill facing the sea is frequented by fishermen and their family. There is no murti in the temple and there is no official priest.

Macchi Mata Temple is more than 200 years old. A fisherman in the region had a dream and in it a whale told him that she will be lying dead on the village coast and she should be buried and her bone should be placed at the hill.

As in the dream, the man found a dead whale on the village coast. It was later buried and six months later a huge born was pulled out from the burial spot. It was then dragged to the hill and placed.

DNA reports 

The temple is very popular among the local fishermen community, who offer puja daily and also before going fishing. Local villagers say that Macchi Mata fulfils all their desires and even cures diseases. Instances have been recorded in the past, where people had to suffer dire consequences for ignoring Machhi Mata. 

“Once an epidemic struck Magod Dungri. All the villagers offered puja at the temple and within a week good health returned to the village. A few years ago, a group of fishermen went out to sea without offering puja and they had to face rough weather. More than 50% of fishermen went missing,” said Raman Tandel, a local resident. 

A massive mela and puja ceremony is organised each year during Navratri. Thousands of people gather at the temple and worship their deity. Till today, a newborn is first brought to the temple and then community rituals are performed.