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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…
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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…
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A historical walk at Sassoon Dock of Mumbai
At 7.45 AM sharp we gather by the double gate clock tower, the entrance to Sassoon Dock. Once everyone arrives, our guide leads the way. Sassoon Dock stands in Colaba, South Bombay. It is a wet dock and currently it is used as a nerve-centre of the fishery business. This is where fishermen land their boat with catches and auctioneers conduct auctions for both international and domestic markets. On our walk, the story starts with how the island of Bombay was given as dowry to Charles II(1660-85) when he married Catherine of Braganza in 1662. This is how Bombay came to be controlled by the East India Company. The Sassoon…
