Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan joined thousands of devotees who walked more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) barefoot to a Mumbai temple to pray before Lord Ganesh, a temple official said on Wednesday.

Newspapers carried pictures showing Bachchan and his son Abhishek walking from his house in suburban Juhu to the Siddhivinayak temple in central Mumbai on early Tuesday.

They were joined at the temple by Bachchan's wife Jaya after which the family lined up with hundreds of thousands of devotees to seek the blessings of Ganesh, the Hindu god of good fortune and knowledge.

Subhash Mayekar, chairman of the temple trust, said Bachchan and his family regularly visited the temple to offer prayers.

"Thousands of people walk barefoot to the temple every Tuesday,'' said Mayekar. "They (Bachchan) inform us in advance so we can make arrangements inside the temple because there is always a crowd.''

While the Indian media speculated that Bachchan prayed for good health for his aged mother Teji, Mayekar said the Bachchan family frequented the temple.

"They come here often but what they pray for is confidential and personal,'' he said.

Some 30,000 devotees visit the temple daily, but the number swells to about 200,000 every Tuesday - considered an auspicious day to pray to Ganesh. Devotees traditionally walk barefoot to the Mumbai shrine - as a form of penance before prayers.

"Many famous actors and other personalities come to have their prayers answered,'' said Mayekar. "Some come along with the crowd, others we need to make special arrangements for.''