Walkeshwar Temple, Baan Ganga Temple

Maharashtra, Mumbai, Mumbai

Located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighbourhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, Walkeshwar Temple, also known as the Baan Ganga Temple, is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple and the attached fresh water Banganga Tank were built in 1127 AD by Lakshman Prabhu, a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin minister in the court of Silhara dynasty. During the reign of the Portuguese over Mumbai in the 16th century, the temple was destroyed. Later, the Mumbai businessman and philanthropist, Rama Kamath, another Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, rebuilt the temple in 1715. Later, many smaller temples have come up around the Banganga Tank and by 1860, 10 to 20 other temples and 50 dharamshalas had come up around it.

Legend

According to the legends, Lord Rama stayed at this place to worship Lord Shiva on his way to Lanka in pursuit of his wife, Sita, who was kidnapped by the demon King Ravana. Ram's brother, Lakshman went to bring an idol of Lord Shiva; however, after waiting for a long time, Lord Ram decided to make a Linga from sand. Therefore, the name Valuka Iswar was derived from the sanskrit word for an idol made of sand. According to the legends related to the origin of the Banganga, it is believed that Lord Ram shot an arrow and brought Ganges over this place as he was feeling thirsty and fresh water was not available nearby. That's how the Banganga name derived (Bana means arrow in Sanskrit).

Architecture

The temple design follows a geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala. The name is a composite Sanskrit word with three of the most important components of the plan. Mandala means circle, Purusha is universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition, while Vastu means the dwelling structure. The design lays out a Hindu temple in a symmetrical, self-repeating structure derived from central beliefs, myths, cardinality and mathematical principles.

Darsan Info

06:00 AM to 12:00 PM (All days of the week)
05:00 PM to 07:00 PM (All days of the week)

Darsan Dresscode

Wear good looking clothes, aviod fashion wear in special days

Culture

Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, is a bustling metropolis and is the fourth most populous city in the world. With the highest GDP in India, Mumbai is every Indian's urban dream. The culture of this metro city is a boisterous blend of cuisines, languages, food, fine arts, cinema and festivals. The city-dwellers, often labeled as the 'Mumbaikars', lead a very fast-paced life and spend a significant time of their lives commuting from one place to another. Apart from being one of the biggest metropolitan cities in the country, Mumbai promises a high-adrenaline, foot-tapping, diverse city life to all inhabitants. Food and the festivals are the most important facets of Mumbai's culture. Every Mumbaikar is passionate about the local street-fare and the lavish celebrations like Ganesh Chathurthi, Diwali, Christmas and Eid. Since the metropolitan is observing modern trends, the caste, creed and color of people take a backseat in this city, and the fun-loving mentality breaks all boundaries.