Walkeshwar Temple | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Hinduism |
Deity | Shiva |
Location | |
Location | Malabar Hill, Mumbai |
State | Maharashtra |
Country | India |
Geographic coordinates | 18°56′42″N72°47′38″E / 18.945°N 72.794°E |
Architecture | |
Completed | 1127 |
Walkeshwar Temple, also known as the (Baan Ganga Temple), is an Ancient Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighbourhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India. It is situated at the highest point of the city, [1] and close to the temple lies the Banganga Tank.
Legend has it that Hindu god, Rama paused at that spot on his way from Ayodhya to Lanka in pursuit of the demon king, Ravana who had kidnapped his wife, Sita. Then Lord Rama was advised to worship Shiva lingam and he is said to have constructed the original linga of sand, after getting tired of waiting for his brother, Lakshman to bring an idol. The name is etymologically derived from the Sanskrit word for an idol made of sand -- Valuka Iswar , an Avatar of Shiva.
As the story progresses, when Rama was thirsty, as there was no fresh water readily available (only sea water), he shot an arrow and brought Ganges over here. Hence Bana (arrow in Sanskrit) Ganges . 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 water Banganga Tank were built in 1127 AD by Lakshman Prabhu , a Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu minister [2] [3] [4] in the court of Silhara dynasty Kings who ruled Thane, and the islands of Mumbai during 810 to 1240 AD. The temple was destroyed by the Portuguese during their reign over Mumbai in the 16th century. It was rebuilt due to the generosity of Mumbai businessman and philanthropist, Rama Kamat, a Gaud 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 the Banganga 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 at Amavasya (new moon). In the past, it was a favorite of the Malabar pirates who used to frequent the islands during the 16th and 17th centuries.
It is currently the site of an annual Hindustani classical music festival, which in 2005 featured musicians like classical singers Rajan and Sajan Mishra, and Santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma. Branches of Shri Kavle Math and Shri Kashi Math, famous religious seats of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, are located on the northern and western banks of the tank, respectively.
Malabar Hill is amongst the most affluent residential areas in Mumbai. It is home to several business tycoons and film personalities. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had built and lived in a bungalow, called South Court, in Malabar Hill.
The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the east. The hinterland east of the coast has numerous river valleys, riverine islands and the hilly slopes known as the Western Ghats; that lead up into the tablelands of the Deccan. The region has been recognised by name, since at least the time of Strabo in the third century CE. It had a thriving mercantile port with Arab tradesmen from the 10th century. The best-known islands of Konkan are Ilhas de Goa, the site of the Goa state's capital at Panjim; also, the Seven Islands of Bombay, on which lies Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and the headquarters of Konkan Division.
Saraswat Brahmins are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir and Punjab in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara and Kerala in South India. In places such as western and southern India, the claim of Brahminhood of some communities who claim to be Saraswat Brahmins is disputed. The word Saraswat is derived from the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.
The Banganga Tank is a temple tank which is part of the Hindu Walkeshwar Temple complex in the Malabar Hill area of the city of Mumbai, India.
Shirali is a village in Bhatkal taluk of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. Shirali is home to two prominent temples: the Chitrapur Math and the Maha Ganapathi Mahammaya Temple. The Chitrapur Math is the holiest temple of the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community, and the Maha Ganapathi Mahammaya temple is the Kuladev to the Kamaths, Bhats, Puraniks, Prabhus, Joishys, Mallyas, Kudvas and Nayak families from the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community.
Deshpande is a surname native to the Indian states of Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The surname can be also found in some parts of Himachal Pradesh. Deshpande surname is found among the Deshastha Brahmins, Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) and the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus (CKP).
Shri Manguesh temple is Hindu temple, located at Mangeshi Village in Priol, Ponda taluk, Goa. It is at a distance of 1 km from Mardol close to Nagueshi, 21 km from Panaji the capital of Goa, and 26 km from Margao. Shree Mangueshi is the Kuldeva of Saraswat Brahmins and other gotras. Shrimad Swamiji of Shri Kavale Math is Spiritual chief Of Shri Manguesh Saunsthan, Mangueshi. This temple is one of the largest and most frequently visited temples in Goa.
Walkeshwar is an affluent area in South Mumbai, India, at the north-western end of the Marine Drive loop. It has a large Gujarati population. It is mostly known for Walkeshwar Temple, Banganga Tank and Jain temples.
The Shilahara was a royal dynasty that established itself in northern and southern Konkan in 8th century CE, present-day Mumbai and Southern Maharashtra (Kolhapur) during the Rashtrakuta period.
Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) or historically and commonly known as Chandraseniya Prabhu or just Prabhu is a caste mainly found in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Historically, they made equally good warriors, statesmen as well as writers. They held the posts such as Deshpande and Gadkari according to the historian, B.R. Sunthankar, produced prominent warriors in Maharashtrian history.
Desai is an Indian administrative, princely or honorary title and surname.
Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB), also known as Shenvis are a Hindu community of contested caste status and identity. They primarily speak Konkani and its various dialects as their mother tongue.
The Ramnathi Temple is located in Ramnathim, Bandivade in Goa. The primary worshippers come from the social classes Goud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) belonging to Gokarn Math, & Kashi Mutt, Daivadnya Brahmin and Vaishyas. Similar to other Goan Brahmin temples, Ramnathi too incorporates the system of Panchayatan, therefore, this temple houses 5 main deities namely; Shri Ramnath, Shanteri, Kamakshi, Laxmi Narayan, Ganapati, Betal and Kalbhairav, along with other family purushas.
Lakshman Prabhu was a minister in the court of the Silhara dynasty that ruled the islands that today constitute the Indian city of Mumbai. He was Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu. He is known for overseeing the construction of the famous Walkeshwar Temple and the adjoining Banganga Tank in 1127 AD. The temple, later destroyed by the Portuguese, was rebuilt in 1711 in the South Mumbai precincts of Mumbai city by the financial help of a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, Rama Kamat.
Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank at Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai City
Maharashtra is the third largest state of India in terms of land area and second largest in terms of population in India. It has a long history of Marathi saints of Varakari religious movement, such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath and Tukaram which forms the one of bases of the culture of Maharashtra or Marathi culture. Maharashtrian culture had large influence over neighbouring regions under the Maratha Empire.
Sri Venkataramana Temple, Karkala, also known as Padutirupathi, is a temple in Karnataka, India. It was built by Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Karkala and was installed on 25 April 1537.
Shri Gaudapadacharya Math, also known as Kavaḷē maṭha, located in Kavale, Ponda, Goa, is the oldest matha of the Smarthan Saraswat Brahman Samaj. It was founded by Gauḍapāda around 740 AD, whose student was Govinda Bhagavatpada, the guru of Adi Shankara, a highly influential figure in Hinduism. There is also a belief that Gauḍapāda himself established the Shri Gaudapadacharya matha when he lived in Gomantak (Goa). Thus, the matha came to be known as Shri Saunstan Gaudapadacharya matha. Unlike other mathas, Shri Gaudapadacharya matha is not a polemical center established to influence the faith of all Hindus, its jurisdiction is limited to only Dakshinatya Saraswat Brahmins. The Peetadhipathi "head monk" is Śrī Gauḍapadācārya. Smartist Goud Saraswat Brahman Samaj and Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin are its main disciples.
Shri Katyayani Baneshwar Temple ,(Sanskrit:श्री क़ात्यायनी बाणेश्व् र मन्दिर), or the Aversa Hindu Narayani is a Hindu temple in the coastal town of Aversa near Ankola, in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is around 100 km (62 mi) from Goa, India, 500 km (310 mi) from Bangalore and 136 km from Hubli.
Gramanya refers to a dispute or discussion related to castes in Maharashtra in the past few centuries that related to supposed violation of the Brahmanical ritual code of behavior.