Entrance to the garbagriha at Vyankatesh Balaji Temple. The doorway has niches on either side. On the left is Lord Hanuman, wearing a crown, armed with a bow and arrow, and praying with folded hands. On the right is Lord Ganesha, also wearing a crown. Both idols, and that of Lord Balaji in the garbagriha, are made of marble quarried from Rajasthan.
The sabha mandap at Vyankatesh Balaji temple has sophisticated woodwork and pradakshina corridor around the garbagriha. The use of timber columns and arched panels reflects architecture from the Peshwa period. The present temple was constructed in 1781 by a devotee named Diveshankar, on the site of an older Koli temple.
The Vyankatesh Balaji Temple has an amalgamation of various styles that were popular in the Deccan during the eighteenth century. For example, the domed roof, use of multi-foil arches, double-layered foliated band running around the exterior of the dome, are typical of Islamic architecture. On the other hand, the use of the Mangalore-tiled hip roof, wooden sabha mandap, musicians on the domed roof, and deepastambha are elements taken from Hindu temples of the Konkan and Maharashtra regions.
The Vyankatesh Balaji Temple has a marble Garuda in a kneeling posture, offering fruit with both hands. However, this image is slightly different from the usual Garuda iconography which is more ferocious. Unlike here, Garuda is usually depicted with a pair of wings and a beaked bird-like nose. Here the Garuda is adorned by Nagas. They coil around the arms, on the waist, and around the ankles. Instead of fighting Garuda, their mortal enemy, the Nagas appear to be paying homage to Lord Balaji in unison.
In Hinduism, the River Ganges is worshipped as a fertility goddess, the giver of life and the protector of humanity. This wall mural of the goddess Ganga, the personification of the river Ganges, was painted by artist Shilo Shiv Suleman on a wall face at Walkeshwar. It is believed the water of Banganga Tank is as pure as the water of the River Ganges, the holiest of all rivers, hence it is used for purification purposes during Hindu rituals and ashes are immersed in it.
A common feature at all the temples and even private homes in Maharashtra is the presence of a Ganesha figure at the top of the entrance or doorway. Lord Ganesha is venerated as the remover of obstacles, and his presence is considered auspicious and a harbinger of good luck.