Malabar Hill
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- For other uses of Malabar, see Malabar (disambiguation).
Malabar Hill , a small hillock in southern Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is an extremely upmarket residential area, most known for the Walkeshwar Temple which houses the Banganga Tank. Situated at a height of 50 metres (80 feet), it is the highest point in Mumbai.
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[edit] Origin of the Name
In the initial days of Bombay's development, the city was plagued by pirates from the Malabar Coast (Kerala) among others. In order to protect the city, a lookout was built on the hill which, at the time, provided the best view of the sea approaches to the city. Thus, the hill came to be called Malabar Hill.
[edit] History
Malabar Hill is the location of the Walkeshwar Temple, founded by the Silhara kings. The original temple was destroyed by the Portuguese, but rebuilt again in 1715 by Rama Kamath, and by 1860, 10 to 20 other temples were built in the region [1].
Mountstuart Elphinstone, built the first Bungalow in Malabar Hill, while he remained the Governor of Bombay, 1819 to 1827, and following him, the place soon became a posh locality, which it remain till date [1].
[edit] Overview
The Banganga Tank, attached to the temple, is the oldest standing structure in Mumbai. Hindu mythology has it that Lord Rama, on his way to Sri Lanka to rescue his kidnapped wife, Sita, felt thirsty and stopped at the location of the Banganga Tank and shot an arrow into the ground. A water fountain erupted and Rama quenched his thirst. It is believed that the very same hole in the ground still fills the Banganga tank till today. A Jain temple dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankara, and the Parsi Tower of Silence are two other religious structures in this district. Malabar Hill is the location of the parks: the Hanging Gardens of Mumbai, Kamala Nehru Park, and Priyadarshini Park, which is adjacent to the Arabian Sea.
The Malabar Hill district is arguably the most exclusive residential area in Mumbai, and is home to several business tycoons and film personalities. Raj Bhavan (Governor's House) and the bungalow "Varsha", the official residences of the Governor and Chief Minister are located here. Houses here are amongst the most expensive in the world. An unhindered view of Back Bay, with the Girgaum Chowpatti beach in the foreground, and the Nariman Point skyline in the background is one of the reasons for the sky-real-estate prices in this district (Rs. 60,000+, or US$ 1200+ per square foot). It is also home to famous Bollywood actors.
Also of note in the Malabar Hill district, there is a cremation ground that sits near the sea which is home to the samadhi shrines of several famous Indian saints. Notably among them is the samadhi shrine of the guru of Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who was Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, as well as the samadhi shrine of his devoted disciple Shri Ranjit Maharaj. [2]
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