According to the great epic Ramayana, Rama paused here during his journey south to rescue Sita from the clutches of the evil Ravana and fashioned a lingam out of sand to worship Shiva. Folk etymology derives the name Walkeshwar from the Sanskrit name for an idol made of sand-- Valuka Iswar. As there was no water to be found for drinking, Rama pierced his arrow into the earth down to the Patal and a spring of water shot out instantly and formed the lake. The lake is, since the, came to be known as Banaganga. The Banganga tank, unremarkable hemmed in by a towering wall of apartment blocks, is believed to have been created by an arrow fired from Rama's own fabled bow.

The original Walkeshwar temple was built by the Silaharas around 1050 A.D. and is said to have contained both the lingam ferried from Benaras by Lakshman and the sand lingam crafted by Rama. Today's temple, erected in 1715 after the original had been destroyed by the portuguese, in unremarkable and best bypassed in favour of the more impressive Banganga tank, below it. The spring that feeds the tank is believed to have been created by an arrow fired by from Rama's own fabled bow.

Location:-
Walukeshwar Mandir is situated at the end of the Malabar Hill, down to Back Bay.