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- Written by Anchal B Chaudhary
Malabar Hill
Malabar hill is one of the most posh areas of Mumbai. A small hillock close to the sea, Malabar hill is located at a beautiful location offering wonderful views of Chowpatty, Marine Drive and Nariman Point.
Malabar hill is where the rich and famous people of India reside in their palatial bungalows and where the real estate is not just exorbitant but simply inaccessibly expensive for the common man.
Malabar hill is where the India’s richest and world’s ninth richest man, Mukesh Ambani lives in his 27-storeyed house named ‘Antilla’. This is also where Raj Bhavan, the Governor’s house, is located as does the bungalow ‘Varsha’, the residence of the Chief Minister of the state.
Also, a number of Bollywood celebrities live here in their huge mansions. One gets to see people clicking their pictures in front of their houses and at times waiting there to get a glimpse of their heroes.
However, along with this glamour what pulls visitors to this area, on their trip to Mumbai, is the presence of Walkeshwar temple complex housing the Banganga Tank.
Banganga and Walkeshwar Temple
As the legend goes, Banganga Tank was formed about 5000 years ago by Lord Rama himself who shot an arrow here piercing through the earth and bringing forth the holy waters of Ganges. In the centre of the tank stands a pole which is said to be the centre of the earth.
Also, its believed that here Lord Rama fashioned an image of Shiva out of sand attributing to the name of the Walkeshwar temple standing here. The original Shiva lingam was demolished by the Portuguese. What stands here today is a reconstruction of the same built in 1715 by Saraswat Brahmins during the rule of Silhara dynasty.
Not very far is the cremation ground, where ‘samadhis’ of many saints lie. And then there is the ‘dhobi ghat’ where a number of washermen still wash clothes in the old-fashioned way which is a sight in itself.
On the southern slope of the Malabar Hill are located the Hanging Gardens and Kamla Nehru Park.
