Mumbai
Mumbai- The city of dreams, is rightly called so. It is the best city to live in India, in terms of safety of women and in terms of career-making opportunities. Places to visit in Mumbai are so large and diverse in number that it may take 1-2 months for someone to finish covering the whole city. The people in Mumbai strictly mind their own business. They are neither friendly nor rude. They take their work seriously and respect all the people in their life. They love vada pavs, poha and panipuri and revers Shivaji Maharaj, the pathfinder of the Marathas.
-
The Heritage Ganpatis of Mumbai
“Ganpati Bappa Morya,” the whole group chants. In a September morning, I have reached Girgaon to join a group of fellow Mumbaikars. We will do Ganpati puja “pandal hopping” in Girgaon. The guided tour called “Ganpatis of Girgaon” has been arranged by Khaki Tours. In the last 7 years of living in Mumbai, I have never been to the old neighbourhoods of the city during Ganpati festival. From a different walk, I already know that public or “sarvajanik” Ganpati pujas of Bombay had started in Girgaon. So ofcourse I cannot leave an opportunity to know more about it. The history of Girgaon in Mumbai About three centuries ago, Girgaon used…
-
A guided walk in Kamathipura
Early on a cloudy Sunday morning I stand with a bunch of strangers on a busy street opposite the Royal Cinemas in Kamathipura. I have heard seedy stories of Kamathipura of the past. This neighbourhood is a famous red-light area of Mumbai but somehow its fame has waned overtime. Today I stand here waiting for Zoya Kathawala, an insider of the neighbourhood, who has promised to show Kamathipura in a different light with her walk “Kamathipura- Beyond the Brothels”. What eventually came to be known as Bombay used to be an archipelago of seven islands—Bombay, Mazgaon, Parel, Worli, Mahim, Colaba, and Little Colaba. These islands were separated from each other…
-
Heritage Walk in CSMT in Mumbai
It was 2017 when I had first set my eyes on this iconic railway station. My fascination has only increased in all these years of living in Mumbai. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSMT), also known by its older name Victoria Terminus, is one of the most important railway stations in Mumbai and in India. Built in 1887, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the headquarters of Central Railways. The impressive edifice of the CSMT is something to be enjoyed from a distance. Beyond the platforms and ticketing counters, entrance is restricted to just railway staff. This rule was enforced after the ghastly terrorist attack of 2008 where Pakistani…
-
Experiencing Art Deco near Oval Maidan, Mumbai
On a cloudy Saturday evening, 16 people gather around a house, just to crane their necks up and check out fine architectural details. Some point their fingers to the rounded edges while others stress on the “waves” patterns on the balcony grills. Here, braving the possibility of a heavy Mumbai-monsoon downpour, are 16 architecture and history enthusiasts standing on Maharshi Karve Road along Oval Maidan in Mumbai. This precinct is a part of UNESCO protected “The Victorian and Art-Deco Ensemble of Mumbai”. I am a part of this group and we are here with Khaki Tours for an Art Deco guided walk. The history of Bombay Bombay was an archipelago…
-
A Heritage Walk at Haffkine Institute, Mumbai
I walk on the erstwhile Queen’s Way (Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Road now) to reach the gates of Haffkine Institute in Mumbai’s Parel on a rainy morning. The security person signals me to enter as the MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) guide waves at me. In the peeling ceiling of the building’s lobby its age is somewhat palpable. Today the door to the museum opens exclusively for the six of us. “Welcome to the Haffkine heritage walk,” the guide greets. In 1896, bubonic plague epidemic broke out in Bombay. Ships arriving at Mazgaon brought the plague from Hong Kong. In the wake of the plague, Russian-French bacteriologist Dr. Waldemar Haffkine was summoned…
-
Sampling Japanese-Peruvian Cuisine in Juhu, Mumbai
With the pandemic, much has changed, including my hope of visiting the Latin American continent any time soon. So, when I come across Crisol, an affordable restaurant in Mumbai that is serving Peruvian cuisine, I am elated. On surfing through its menu, I discover Crisol serves Japanese-Peruvian. Later, I see a few more restaurants in Mumbai serving Japenese-Peruvian. “Why can’t they just serve Peruvian?” I think to myself. I realize there is a story here. I also notice one ingredient that is common throughout the menu, “leche de tigre.” Equipped with elementary knowledge of Spanish, I know that it means ‘tiger’s milk’. Now of course that can’t be literal! The…
-
Royal Opera House of Mumbai: A visit to remember
With greedy eyes I have often seen the Royal Opera House of Mumbai from outside and wondered how it would be like from the inside. On one summer evening, I decide to go inside. I reach the Opera House to watch the famous play ‘A Streetcar named Desire’ written by Tennessee Williams. I have booked my tickets from Book My Show and reserved a seat in the Dress Circle. The history behind the Royal Opera House The idea of constructing the Opera House was headed by Maurice Bandmann, an American who was popular in the art scene of British Calcutta and Jehangir Framji Karaka, a Parsi businessman. The Opera House,…
-
Not so notorious Bhendi Bazaar
There is an exotic notoriety about Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai, once home to the famous dons of Bombay — people like Dawood Ibrahim. In this light, the Dongri-Bhendi Bazaar area has come up in conversations many times during my previous Bombay walks. And of course, Bollywood has enforced this stereotype as well. So, when I saw the Little Iran walk organized by Khaki Tours, I couldn’t wait to sign up for it! It is March, summer is just setting in. Even in the heat and chaos, about 15 of us have gathered in a chock-a-block road headed by the leader, the Khaki expert, who has curated this walk. He sets…
-
Matharpacady village in Mumbai: A grade III heritage precinct
In the heart of Mumbai, there is silence. Old houses with large porches border the bylanes. Wooden columns grace their balconies. Some of these houses still flaunt slate roofs. Potted plants are perched in every niche and corner, adding greenery. In the sleepy neighbourhood of Matharpacady, life is not just lived but relished. Matharpacady’s space in the history of Bombay Mumbai used to be an archipelago of seven marshy islands—Colaba, Little Colaba, Bombay, Worli, Mahim, Parel and Mazgaon. The cluster of islands were ruled by various indigenous kings before being transferred to the Portuguese. The interest of the Portuguese in India was spices and religion. They wanted to spread Christianity…
-
Walk in the Dockyard area of Mazgaon, Mumbai
On the harbour railway line in Mumbai, Dockyard Road is a station that serves the neighbourhood of Mazgaon. We have crossed this station numerous times without giving it a second thought. On this day, we alight here and it is the first time we actively see and think about Mazgaon. Once we get out of the station, we realise the railway station is perched on a hill! We walk to Our Lady of the Rosary Church. We are here for the Discover Dockyard walk offered by Khaki Tours. The history of Mumbai Originally Mumbai was an archipelago of 7 marshy islands—Colaba, Little Colaba, Bombay, Worli, Mahim, Parel and Mazgaon. It…
