Banganga Water Tank ☆ Mumbai

Banganga Water Tank is an ancient water tank that is part of Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill in Mumbai. It is a pilgrimage site for the Hindus and is protected by the Indian government as a national heritage site. There is a myth of a Hindu god Rama associated with Banganga Water Tank, a holy site with sacred water. The myth tells that when Rama was thirsty and there was no fresh water near him, he shot an arrow in the center of the water tank and the water sprung from the spot. It is said that he brought the water of Ganges which flows over a thousand miles away. The name of the tank came from the story of Ganga (River Ganges) created by the arrow (Baan). Thus, it is Banganga.

The Reason Why I Visited Banganga Water Tank

Visiting Banganga Water Tank came onto my bucket list for Mumbai only a couple of months before my departure from Mumbai. I have heard from my Dutch friend that she highly recommended her friends going to Banganga Water Tank. However, touristy sites in Mumbai were not under my radar. Months passed by, I noticed it was the site used in Coldplay’s music video “Hymn for The Weekend”. Then when Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, came to visit Mumbai, they paid a visit to Banganga Water Tank as well. My curiosity grew.

It felt as though my visit to Banganga was symbolic to the closure of my time in Mumbai. I stopped by the water tank by myself on my way back from running errands in Colaba. I had a short window of free time and since I thought this might be my last opportunity to visit Banganga Water Tank before I leave the country. I had my camera in my hands and walked in the path that lead to the water tank.

I walked down the stairs and there it was the Banganga Water Tank. The water reserve looked much bigger than I have imagined and serene just like my friends have described it.

The surrounding area looked clean. I wondered if it was thanks to the British royal couple’s visit to Mumbai in April 2016. Since I visited in the early afternoon, there was not much action going on at the site. Nevertheless, I was able to see some adults and children enjoy splashing water in the water tank. It felt as if I was watching a scene in a film. The air felt extremely peaceful and quiet, which is hard to find in Mumbai. The water tank is very much removed from the chaos of streets in Mumbai filled with the echo of honking and engine noise.

I walked around a bit in the surrounding of the water tank. Since I had to head home to see my children by a certain hour, I could not walk around as much as I wanted. Still a short stroll was lovely despite the scorching heat in the Indian summer in Mumbai. The area was very charming and photographing the area was enjoyable as always.

Mumbai has taught me many things just like other cities I have lived in the past.

As I prepare to move my family from Mumbai, I find it difficult to put my thoughts and emotions into words even though I have so much to say. I will try to digest my experiences first. I also need to indulge in every moment I have left in the city which grew to be a special place for my family as we have grown together as a family.

If you are expats or tourists in Mumbai and have a chance to visit Banganga Water Tank, please do.

Source
Wikipedia