Gowalia Tank, State Protected Monument in Tardeo, Mumbai, India

Gowalia Tank, now August Kranti Maidan, is a park in Grant Road West, South Mumbai, split into five smaller grounds. In one corner stands the Smarak, a white marble tower that cradles a pink lotus on top; its stepped square base carries a slender shaft with two dark plaques set side by side near the bottom, and low hedges and flowering plants ring the base.

Gandhi launched the Quit India Movement here on August 8, 1942, delivering his speech against British colonial rule. The former water reservoir was later converted into public grounds and now carries the memorial marking that day.

The name Gowalia Tank comes from the Marathi and Gujarati words gaie (cow) and wala (owner), recalling cattle owners who bathed their cows in the tank once on this land. The ground is now split into five smaller grounds: a main playground, a children's playground, a garden used by senior citizens, and a ground used by the Fellowship School. The white marble Smarak tower holding a pink lotus stands in the last park area.

The best access is through the main entrances along the surrounding streets, with the grounds mostly level and easy to navigate. Early mornings and late afternoons offer cooler conditions for exploring the different sections.

The grounds take their name from the gowala cowherd community who once watered their animals here when the site was still a functioning tank. This shift from utility structure to revolutionary venue to daily recreation spot represents three completely different chapters in Mumbai's story.