Those who believe that Mumbai is modern, a British creation, have never been to Banganga.

is said that the source of the Banganga Pond, in Mumbai, is the Ganga itself. And like the Ganga, the pond is holy, and can wash away all sins. Legend has it that Lakshman, the brother of Ram, shot an arrow into the earth, and out spouted the Ganga.
For those who can’t visit the north to immerse ashes, the Banganga is a substitute.
Every Day you will find the devout taking a holy dip before going about their day’s work.

a man taking a holy dip at Banganga. given the state of that pond – and the debris and dirt that floats in it – you realise there must be God – else the man would be poisoned before he took the next gulp !

The pond is surrounded by buildings, both traditional and modern. I often wonder, what the inhabitants make of us, trudging through their home ground peering through our lenses, clicking our photographs. Maybe they peer back at us

Among the more interesting temples there – it isn’t one temple, but a pond surrounded by temples – is the one to Parashuram, the 6th Avtaar of Vishnu. Parashuram is not the most worshipped incarnation of Vishnu, so finding a temple dedicated to him is a rarity.

IF you are in Mumbai, or just visiting, it is a lovely place to visit. you can sit on the steps leading into the pond. But, unless you have a cast iron stomach or the deepest faith, avoid drinking the water from the pond. Mumbai tries to keep cleaning up the pond, but devotees believe that unless they litter it with flowers and fruits – their faith will be diminished. So, the Ganga here, like the Ganga up North, is full of debris, plastic, organic waste. Yet, that doesn’t stop people from coming here, taking a dip, a couple of gulps of the Ganga – in the hope that she will wash away all that is ugly.

 

And, yes, it is home to some very loud cackling geese (at least, I think they are geese) 😀