On 12th Feb, 2023 we visited there from Marine Lines where I am staying on PG. One of the PG Guy working as LIC Agent and living in Mumbai since last thirty years had a plan to visit there with his retired friend and I requested them to accompany them and they agreed.
We took local bus and reached here in just five-six minutes. It is situated on a small hillock near Girgaum Chowpatty near the Malabar Hill area and has an interesting story and an extensive history behind its construction. The temple was constructed less than 200 years ago, but the roots go back to the 12th century.
On other days too, local people visit this place for its serenity and spirituality.
History of Babulnath Temple Mumbai
A legend about Babulnath Temple is popular from about 300 years ago.
Back then, the area used to be a pastoral land owned by a rich man named Pandurang. And a boy called Babul looked after his cows.
One evening, a cow didn’t give any milk. So, Babul started keeping an eye on that cow in the fields. He found that it poured all the milk at a particular place in the evening. After following her for a few days, Babul reported this strange behaviour to Pandurang.
Pandurang too followed the cow and then ordered digging at that place. A large Shivalinga surfaced as a result. And it is what we see as the Babulnath Temple Shivalinga today. Along with it, the idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman and Goddess Parvati were also found during the excavation.
The temple, today, stands at the same place.
A Gujarati merchant built the present temple in the year 1890. At that time, Babulnath Temple tower (gopuram) was the tallest structure in Mumbai. However, lightning damaged it afterwards.
