Babulnath temple is situated at the end of
Marine Drive and south of Malabar
Hill, in the very heart of Mumbai
City . It is nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, over looking the
Arabian Sea. People visiting this temple can feel peace and tranquillity
and one can also get an illusion of being on the Mount Kailash, the
eternal abode of Lord Shiva.
It was built in 1780 and is one of the most spacious temples in the city.
In 1900, a tall spire was added to the original temple. A stone Lingam of
Shiva is worshipped at Babulnath. The main day for worship is Monday.
Every year millions of devotees visit this magnificent temple and are
undoubtedly proud of its rich and varied heritage.
According to the prevailing legend, about two centuries
ago, the hilly terrain where Lord Babulnath's ancient temple is situated
belonged to one "Pandurang". He was a rich goldsmith. His cattle
were grazing around. Being grazing land, there was nothing to be taken
care of by Babul, the caretaker of Pandurang's cattle stock.
A named cow Kapila stopped giving milk and on enquiry, Babul reported
that this cow reaches a point daily before coming home and puts out all
her milk. Babul could not explain the logic behind this, but had made
Pandurang inquisitive. The very next day, Panduranga saw the scene again
and he was overwhelmed when Kapila was repeating her usual act. He reached
that place and noticed a huge Shivalinga. It is the very place where the
temple has been built.
Rail: Tourists can easily access this temple by taking local trains from Marine Lines (Western Railway), which is the nearest railway station.
Accommodation is available at the hotels in Mumbai .