| Walkeshwar Temple | |
|---|---|
 The Temple and Tank of Walkeshwar at Bombay byEdwin Lord Weeks | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Location | |
| Location | Malabar Hill,Mumbai |
| State | Maharashtra |
| Country | India |
  Walkeshwar temple in Mumbai Show map of Mumbai Walkeshwar Temple (Maharashtra) Show map of Maharashtra Walkeshwar Temple (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates | 18°56′42″N72°47′38″E / 18.945°N 72.794°E /18.945; 72.794 |
| Architecture | |
| Funded by | Lakshman Prabhu |
| Completed | 1127 |
Walkeshwar Temple, also known as the (Baan Ganga Temple), is anAncient Hindu temple, dedicated to LordShiva located inWalkeshwar, nearMalabar Hill neighbourhood, inSouth Mumbai precinct of the city ofMumbai,India. It is situated at the highest point of the city,[1] and close to the temple lies theBanganga Tank.
Legend has it that theHindu god,Rama paused at that spot on his way fromAyodhya toLanka in pursuit of the demon king,Ravana who had kidnapped his wife,Sita. ThenLord Rama was advised to worshipShiva lingam and he is said to have constructed the originallinga of sand, after getting tired of waiting for his brother,Lakshman to bring an idol. The name is etymologically derived from theSanskrit word for an idol made of sand --Valuka Iswar, anAvatar ofShiva.
As the story progresses, when Rama was thirsty, as there was no fresh water readily available (only sea water), he shot an arrow and broughtGanges over here. HenceBana (arrow in Sanskrit) andGanges in combination calledBanganga. The water that feeds the tank stems from an underground spring at that spot, despite its proximity to the sea.
The temple and the attached fresh waterBanganga Tank were built in 1127 AD byLakshman Prabhu, aChandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu minister[2][3][4] in the court ofSilhara dynasty Kings who ruledThane, and the islands of Mumbai during 810 to 1240 AD. The temple was destroyed by thePortuguese during their reign over Mumbai in the 16th century. It was rebuilt due to the generosity of Mumbai businessman and philanthropist,Rama Kamat, aGaud Saraswat Brahmin (known in British records as 'Kamati') in 1715. The main temple has been substantially reconstructed and many smaller temples have come up around theBanganga Tank. By 1860, the temple started attracting greater crowds and 10 to 20 other temples had come up around it and 50 dharamshalas.[5]
The temple is generally busy every month only during the full moon, and atAmavasya (new moon). In the past, it was a favorite of theMalabar pirates who used to frequent the islands during the 16th and 17th centuries.
It is currently the site of an annualHindustani classical music festival, which in 2005 featured musicians like classical singersRajan and Sajan Mishra, andSantoor maestroShivkumar Sharma. Branches of Shri Kavle Math and ShriKashi Math, famous religious seats ofGaud Saraswat Brahmins, are located on the northern and western banks of the tank, respectively.
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