Banganga Tank

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The Banganga Tank during the 'Banganga Festival'.

Banganga or Banganga Tank, refers to an ancient water tank that forms part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai in India revered by Hinduism. The origin of the tank lay shrouded in Hindu myth, related to the Hindu god Rama. The site has a reputation for medicinal abilities and purification. Hindus on pilgrimage to the Walkeshwar Temple Complex ritually wash in the Banganga Tank before entering the temple compound. The site has become a cultural center as well as a spiritual pilgrimage site. The Tank, one of the oldest surviving structures of antiquity in Mambai, enjoys protection by the Indian government as a national heritage site.

Legend

Legend states that Hindu god, Ram paused at that spot on his way from Ayodhya to Lanka in pursuit of the demon king, Ravana, who had kidnapped his wife, Sita. When advised to worship Shiv lingham, the legend continues that Lord Rama constructed the original lingam of sand, after getting tired of waiting for his brother, Lakshman, to bring an idol. The name etymologically derives from the Sanskrit word for an idol made of sand - Valuka Iswar, an avatar of Shiva. As the story progresses, later when Ram thirsted with no fresh water readily available (except sea water), he shot an arrow and brought Ganga over here. Hence Bana (arrow in Sanskrit) Ganga. The water that feeds the tank stems from an underground spring at that spot, despite the proximity to the sea.[1].

Goud Saraswat Brahmin

Banganga Tank

The Banganga also houses the 'Shri Kashi Math' of the Goud Saraswat Brahmins at its banks and samadhis of their various past heads of the Math. [2] Saraswats, people of Aryan descent, settled on the banks of the Saraswati River. The river eventually dried up leading to the migration of the Saraswats from the plains of northern India. Though the exact dates of that migration remain unknown, the Rig Veda eulogizes the river Saraswati as huge.

Cremation Ground and Cemetery

The area has a Hindu cremation ground [3] which after 2003 received a makeover to house a Gas crematorium [4]. The area still has an old Hindu cemetery consisting of samadhi shrines of various Advaita gurus, such as Sri Ranjit Maharaj (1913-2000) and his guru Sri Siddarameshwar Maharaj (1888-1936) [5] [6].

Reconstruction

Lakshman Prabhu, a minister in the court of Silhara dynasty kings in Thane, built the Tank in the 1127 C.E. [7]. Rama Kamath donated money to the Walkeshwar temple to rebuild the tank in 1715 C.E. [8]. The main temple, has been reconstructed since then, upgrading the structure with reinforced concrete during recent construction.[9]

The Tank Today

Ancient statues around BaanGanga, Walkeshwar

The tank, a rectangular pool structure surrounded by steps on all four sides, has at the entrance two pillars in which oil lamps called diyas had been lit in ancient times. Springs feed the tank so its water remains sweet, despite its location only a few dozen meters away from the sea. Crews clean and spruce up the tank each year for the annual 'Banganga Festival' of Music organized by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The Banganga Festival takes place in January [10], becoming an important event in the cultural calendar of the city [11].

In addition to serving as a spiritual pilgrimage center, the Banganga Tank has become a cultural hub, providing over the years inspiration to many artists, film and canvas [12]. The site had been used for many film shoots before the government banned those activities in November 2007 to protect the heritage site. The Tank survives as one of Mumbai's oldest surviving structures.[13]

Walkeshwar Temple

Gowd saraswat Brahmin Jatiche Devalaya Shree valukeshwar

Walkeshwar Temple (also known as the Baan Ganga Temple), a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, sits in Malabar Hill neighborhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India.

History

Kashi Math, Walkeshwar

Lakshman Prabhu, a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin minister in the court of Silhara dynasty Kings who ruled Thane, and the islands of Mumbai during 810 to 1240 C.E. built the temple and the attached fresh water Banganga Tank in 1127 C.E. The Portuguese destroyed the temple during their reign over Mumbai (Portuguese Bom Bahia) in the 16th century. Mumbai businessman and philanthropist, Rama Kamath, another Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (known in British records as 'Kamati'), generously rebuilt the temple in 1715. The main temple has been substantially reconstructed and many smaller temples have been built around the temple compound.

Worship

The temple generally has crowds month during the full moon, and at Amavasya (new moon). In the past, the Malabar pirates who used to frequent the islands during the 16th and 17th centuries visited the temple as one of their favorite places. Currently the temple site host an annual Hindustani classical music festival, which in 2005 featured musicians like classical singers Rajan and Sajan Mishra, and Santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma. A branch of the Shri Kashi Math, a famous religious seat of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, situates on the western bank of the Banganga Tank.

Tanks of Bombay

The Framjee Cowasjee hall is built over the Framjee Cowasjee tank

Although long vanished, the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) once had many water tanks within its city limits. The tanks were once the only source of water to the city. The only testimony to their existence is the names of the roads in the vicinity which befuddles many citizens as to the original location to these mystifying relics of the past.

The oldest tank was the Cowasjee Patel Tank built in 1775. A total of ten tanks were built between the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The tanks were named after philanthropic citizens who donated money to fund the building of these tanks so that the citizens of the city would get a fresh source of drinking water. The tanks were:

  1. Cowasji Rustamji Patel Tank (CP Tank)
  2. Gowalia Tank
  3. Khara Tank
  4. Two Tanks
  5. Babula Tank
  6. Nawab Tank
  7. Framjee Cowasji Tank
  8. Mumbadevi Tank
  9. Banganga Tank
  10. Bandra Tank

Out of the list only the Banganga Tank and the Bandra Tank are still in existence today.

Locations

The CP Tank was built by Cowasji Rustamjee Patel in the Girgaon vicinity in 1775. The Framji Cowasji Tank bordered Esplanade was built by Framji Cowasji in 1831. All that remains of the tank is a plaque on a wall opposite Metro Cinema in South Mumbai.

The Babula Tank was built near Grant Medical College and the Mumbadevi Tank was constructed by a pious woman named Putlibai. The Banganga Tank has been present since ancient times, said to be from the time of Rama and is fed by a natural spring despite being a few decametres from the sea shore. The Bandra Tank was built by a rich Kokni Muslim of Village Navpada, and was in use for watering cattles and washing cloths.

History

The tanks were mostly constructed in the crowded areas and were prone to pollution. The scarcity of water was acute at that time and was left to the mercy of the monsoon rains. According to the Bombay City Gazetteer published in 1909, these tanks were often very low and had to be replenished by sinking new wells.

In 1846, the city faced an acute water shortage following which Framji Cowasji sank three wells in its gardens to provide water by steam machinery. Later in 1856, the city faced a severe drought, and an edict was set out relocating all cattle to Mahim, which was the periphery of the city at that time. Thousands would gather daily around the tank at Esplanade to collect water, while the government brought thousands of water drums from far off distances to empty into wells at Bori Bunder, Chinch Bunder, and Dongri.

After regular water supply was established to the city thanks to the Vihar and Tulsi lakes, the tanks were declared redundant and soon became a breeding ground for mosquitoes and consequently filled in. The famous Gowalia Tank Maidan is on top of the original tank.


Notes

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Baartmans, Frans, and Frans Baartmans. 2000. The holy waters: a primordial symbol in Hindu myths. Delhi: B.R. Pub. Corp. ISBN 9788176461511.
  • C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation. 2002. Sacred tanks of South India. Chennai: C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre. OCLC 56597817.
  • Mallya, K. G. 1997. Merchant of Bombay: novel. Mumbai [India]: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. OCLC 63208265.
  • Mehrotra, Rahul, and Sharada Dwivedi. 1996. Banganga: sacred tank. Bombay: Eminence. ISBN 9788190060202.
  • Sharma, M. L. 1986. Geomorphology of semi-arid region: a case study of Gambhir River Basin, Rajasthan, India. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers. ISBN 9788185046433.

External links

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