Banganga, Mumbai

A sacred tank surrounded by four hundred-year-old temples and modern skyscrapers. Nowhere are Mumbai's paradoxes more evident than at Banganga. Part of an ancient temple complex, the water in this tank is believed to come from the Holy Ganges. It sprung forth when Rama, the exiled hero of the epic Ramayana stopped at the spot five thousand years ago, in search of his kidnapped wife Sita. Overcome with fatigue and thirst, he asked his brother Laxman to bring him some water. Laxman instantly shot an arrow into the ground, and water gushed forth from the Ganga, over a thousand miles away. Although the story is the stuff of legend, the tank has always been sacred. On pious occasions, thousands turn up to take a ritual dip in its mossy waters, and offer flowers at the ancient Banganga Temples.

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Located at the southern end of Malabar Hill, this large tank is very sacred as, according to legend, Rama, hero of the Ramayana, paused here while on his way to rescue his abducted wife Sita. He shot an arrow in to the ground where the tank is located today and spring water gushed out. This is the origin of the tank and devotees take regular ritual dips in it. When I was there, young boys were playing around it and jumping into it whilst women washed clothes in it.

WALKESHWAR :According to legends, Lord Rama rested here for a while on his way to rescue Sita. He constructed a Lingam of Sand at the temple which eventually came to be known as Walkeshwar (The Lord of the Sand). To the south of the Walkeshwar temple is the Banganga tank. There is a legend surrounding this place too. Lord Rama was thirsty. As there was no water readily available, he shot an arrow and brought Ganga over here. Hence Bana (arrow in Sanskrit) Ganga. The water sprouted on the spot where Rama shot an arrow into the ground.

BAN GANGA: A sacred tank surrounded by four 100-year old temples and modern skyscrapers. Nowhere are Mumbai's paradoxes more evident than in this area. Part of an ancient temple complex, the water in this tank is rumoured to have come from the Holy Ganges river.

A sacred tank surrounded by four hundred-year-old temples and modern skyscrapers. Nowhere are Mumbai's paradoxes more evident than at Banganga. Part of an ancient temple complex, the water in this tank is believed to come from the Holy Ganges. It sprung forth when Rama, the exiled hero of the epic Ramayana stopped at the spot five thousand years ago, in search of his kidnapped wife Sita. Overcome with fatigue and thirst, he asked his brother Laxman to bring him some water. Laxman instantly shot an arrow into the ground, and water gushed forth from the Ganga, over a thousand miles away. Although the story is the stuff of legend, the tank has always been sacred. On pious occasions, thousands turn up to take a ritual dip in its mossy waters, and offer flowers at the ancient Banganga Temples.