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TheBanganga Tank is atemple tank which is part of the HinduWalkeshwar Temple complex in theMalabar Hill area of the city ofMumbai, India.
The tank was built in AD 1127 byLakshman Prabhu, a minister in the court ofSilhara kings ofThane.[1][2]
It was rebuilt in 1715, funded by a donation fromRama Kamath.[3] The main temple has since been reconstructed and is now a reinforced concrete structure of recent construction.
According to local legend, the temple sprang forth whenRama, the exiled hero of the epicRamayana, stopped at the spot in search of his kidnapped wife,Sita.
As the legend goes, overcome with fatigue and thirst, Rama asked his brotherLakshmana to bring him some water. Lakshmana instantly shot an arrow into the ground, and water gushed forth from the ground, creating a tributary of theGanges, which flows over a thousand miles away – hence its name,Banganga, ie theGanga created by abaan (arrow).[4]
The Banganga also houses the Shri Kashi Math and Shri Kaivalya/Kavale Math of theGoud Saraswat Brahmins on its banks, includingsamadhis of themaths’ past heads.[5]
The area also has a Hindu cremation ground[6] which after 2003 received a makeover to house a gas crematorium.[7]
The area still has an old Hindu cemetery consisting ofsamadhi shrines of variousadvaitin gurus, such asSiddharameshwar Maharaj (1888–1936) and his disciple, Ranjit Maharaj (1913–2000),Nisaragdatta Maharaj(1897-1981), Bhainath Maharaj ([8][9]
The tank today is a rectangular pool structure surrounded by steps on all four sides. At the entrance are two pillars in whichdiyas (oil lamps) were lit in ancient times.
The tank, as well as the main Walkeshwar Temple and theParshuram Temple, belong to the Goud Saraswat Temple Trust, which once owned most of the property in the complex. Many Goud Saraswat Brahmin families (Rege, Anaokar, Mulgaonkar, Kenkre, Sakhardande, Sukthankar, Keni, Marudkar, Naik, Wartikar, Warerkar, Bidikar, Bhende, Prabhawalkar, Pagnis) still reside in the Temple Trust buildings in the complex.
The tank is spring-fed; thus its water remains sweet, despite being located only a few dozen meters away from the sea.
Apart from being a cultural hub, the place over the years has provided inspiration to many artists, be it on film or on canvas.[citation needed]
In November, duringDev Diwali, a huge crowd of people light lamps at the Banganga tank, featuring bhajans and spiritual chants, dances and placing lamps (diyas) around the tank.[10]
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18°56′48.78″N72°47′36.93″E / 18.9468833°N 72.7935917°E /18.9468833; 72.7935917
