Abhyudaya Nagar: A hub of Social spaces

The built form and architecture is very crucial in human social behavior and Chalws (and old colonies) of Mumbai is a great example of it. Chawls :a popular dwelling typology always offered spaces for social congregation to its residents and so enhanced the community values which we cannot even imagine in High rise living. For me the Chawl culture is always an attractive aspect in city life and interesting topic to study. It has a great legacy and historical background which I have tried to trace through literature by various authors and interviewing few residents. The study revealed the fact that these spaces are not designed but socially constructed by people and that what makes it so intense as a 'social space'.   

The raw cotton trade and textile industry laid the economic foundation for commercial and industrial Bombay. Bombay‘s textile industry was established and it grew and flourished from the middle of the nineteenth century. The city‘s first cotton mill the Bombay Spinning Mills, was built in 1851 by Cowasji Nanabhai Davar, a parsi entrepreneur. (Neera Adarkar, Meena Menon) The textile industry occupied center stage in the growth of Mumbai and significantly influenced the economic, political and cultural character of the city. One of the unique characters of the growth of this industry is its spatial agglomeration overlapping with the neighborhood known as Girangaon (the village of the mills). (Neera Adarkar, Vidyadhar K Phatak, 2005)

India United Mills no. 2 & 3

Girangaon was a name commonly used to refer to an area now part of central Mumbai, India, which at one time had almost 130 textile mills, with the majority being cotton mills. The mills of Girangaon contributed significantly to the prosperity and growth of Mumbai during the later nineteenth century and for the transformation of Mumbai into a major industrial metropolis. Girangaon covered an area of 600 acres (2.4 km2). The mill workers lived in a community, and they fostered a unique culture which shaped Mumbai at the turn of the twentieth century.

Mumbai is a metropolis with exponential population growth, with scarce space which is leading to undue commercial exploitation of built environment. Along with this modernization observed in the building industry, there still exists a housing typology known as ―"Chawls" – a medium density mass housing. Chawls have deeply rooted their community culture in Mumbai‘s history over the past century. (Amol Rane, Saurabh Barde, 2012)

'Chawl‘ or 'Chaal‘—the literal meaning possibly being a kind of walk/passageway,— has given, the contributors argue, a unique identity to this system of housing, originating in the rapid industrialization of 19th century colonial Bombay. Chawl residents have had to share common corridors, common walls and toilets. Yet, precisely because private and public spaces are blurred, they have traditionally shared common ―food, festivals, friendships, weddings, funerals, homework, and 'corridor cricket‘. (Adarkar)

The study area chosen for the topic is Abhyudayanagar premises in Kalachowki. Kalachowki is a big residential area consisting of a colony called Abhyudaya Nagar which has 43 MHADA-built (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) housing, intended those who worked in the textile mills in the area. The Cotton Green railway station caters to the area called Kalachowki, Ferbandar and Ghodapdeo. According to the residents, congregation spaces in their premises are very important in their day to day life as they spend most of the time in these spaces. These spaces are placed in such a way that everyone goes through it while going out or coming home and not simply avoidable. Mr.Rane, one of the oldest residents states that visiting these places is his routine and it relieves stress. It allows the social interaction and assembly for many social causes which make chawls 'live‘.

Adarkar states that, this built typology, social and cultural space even encouraged political movements to emerge from chawls. It can be noted that the chawl dwellers have an uncommon attachment towards the built space they occupy. Adarkar also mentions that some areas in the chawls were breeding ground for social and cultural integration. The various common areas especially the central courtyards and the common balconies become epicenter of communal activities and recreation. It can be noted that the buildings sitting is such that the courtyard is always the hub of all social gatherings and functions. 

Amol Rane & Saurabh Barde describes the other fundamental architectural elements of a typical chawl for their physical existence and functional responses by the occupants.

Gulley/By-lane with shops.

Gully / By-lane: - A narrow street besides the chawls also forms integral part of the chawl community. These are the connectors between two chawls. It can be noted that the Gulllies have shops, laundries, flour-mill etc. which can be associated with basic amenities of users. It is also observed that the shops are run by the locals as a source of second income.

Placement & Hierarchy of
Congregation spaces in chawls. Source:Author

Chowk:- A central point or cross sections formed between gullies and the main arterial roads, serves as a most important social interaction point. The whole neighborhood can be linked to the activities associated with this node. It is observed that such the junctions accommodate the pass way for an access to the local transportation, important amenities like post offices and clinics and community centers. These junctions can be noted to be one of the most important elements associated with historic movements by socialists.

Chowk

Nukkad - It is a term used for less prominent junction which hosts connection of smaller gullies. It is found that these street corners generally having a tea-stall along with newspaper stand or sit out spaces created under a tree. This is associated to a common recreational niche between the chawls commonly reffered as Naka. Naka’s being the common meeting place, the local liquor shop (taadi-maadi vikri kendra) or gymnasium became important points.

Naka having Vachanalaya.

Mandir (Place of Worship):- This forms an important part of the native community. A religious segregation can be noted in the chawl development. A place of worship can be found at a prominent place and centrally located which allows ease of its use. Such areas are suitable background for celebrating festivals and cultural functions.

  

Mandir in the courtyard and near community areas.

The various surveys indicate that chawls dwellers have psychologically extended their concept of a housing unit. As a result the occupied areas and activities of the users are not only restricted to the unit which they own but it expands further in the semi-public and public areas around the chawls. These semi-public areas include the immediate adjacent verandahs on ground floor and balconies on upper floors. Courtyards also help in fulfilling the daily needs of users along with the public areas like nukkads, chowks and places of worship. Even due to the overcrowding, the distinction between home and street was blurred; Girangaon residents spent more of their time on the street than in the home. Due to this there was great participation in communal festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Gokulashtami.

Naka‘s are not only good space for physical communication but also for virtual communication. The small yellow kiosks at the corners of each naka have interesting stories. "We used to stay in queue for hours just to make one call. People had no phones at their homes. Thus, these small stalls were the only source fast contact.", said Mr.Pawar, an old resident of Abhyudaya nagar. "Many of our relatives used to call us on shop‘s number and the shopkeeper used to inform us each time.‘‘, he mentioned. These communication centers still exist, but not only with telephones today. These shops became mobile phone recharge point, photocopy centre or small general store these days.

  

Communication Centres

The nature of the space in the chawls was highly responsible for the interactive nature of the social fabric of the chawls. The graph derived through the survey of chawl dwellers to understand their response to the built environment around; shows that the fundamental areas commonly identified in chawl typology are vibrant throughout day as well as night in some cases. It can be noticed that the verandahs, balconies and the courtyards are most occupied and used spaces by the dwellers.

   

Photograph showing the resident
using the verandah
for  reading newspaper.
Source: (Parkar, 2014)

Verandahs and balconies are being utilized as physical extension of the individual unit. Young men and some senior citizens even used these as card playing space at afternoon and sleeping area at night. It was also observed that the dwellers utilize this very element for their visual and verbal communication to their neighbors as well as the outsiders. For Neera Adarkar the most vibrant space in the chawls being corridors , with their ―''laundry lines of …nine yard saris,…medicinal tulsi plants …in Dalda tins,…a few left-over lanterns from the previous Diwali.'' (Adarkar)

Similarly courtyards show various occupancy patterns during a course of a day, being playgrounds for children in mornings and evenings it also caters household activities as well as small scale industries run by group of housewives in the afternoon time. The courtyards of the chawls are observed to be phenomenal element where human occurrence with social interaction is prominent and give sense of social harmony in the community. It forms a very significant parts of the chawl complexes from a social as well as spatial point-of-view.

 

Seating area along the central
open space.

 

Identified percentage of occupancy
in basic chawl elements throughout
the course of a day.
(source: Amol Rane, Saurabh Barde)

The percentage of occupancy varied in gullies, nukkads, chowks and worship areas. The functions and utilities that these areas served to the users formed their connection to daily lifestyle of the occupants. The study revealed that the chawls may appear to be just an average set of buildings but are often more complex and observed to have intense social binding. The success of sustainable living of communities in chawls lies in the social interaction and sharing which has been imbibed over a period of time. The study area being the most prominent place with the legacy of the mill and chawl culture, various spaces and complex structure of working of these spaces can be clearly observed. In Abhyudayanagar, the central large open space becomes the focus point of the area. This multipurpose space is majorly use by almost every individual despite of their age. There are total 5 schools in the premises, thus this open space is used by many school children as well as many residents as playground. It also has seatings along the edges making the it most active place in the premises. The large stage at the one corner helps to convert this play ground to the larger congregation space. Various Vachanalayas (Reading areas), Jyeshta Nagrik Bhavan (old age centers), Vyayamshalas (Gyms) & small Mandirs (Temples) spreaded across the area make it more vibrant.

Jyeshta Nagrik Bhavan.

 

Abhyudayanagar Sarvajanik
Ganeshotsav Mandal.

Vyayamshala  

Central large Playground..

Neera Adarkar & Vidyadhar K Phatak further explains the importance of congregation spaces in chawls through a survey conducted by the labor office in 1925 which revealed that 90 percent of the mill workers lived within a 15-minute walk from their place of employment. This physical proximity to the workplace increased the involvement of the workers and the community atlarge in trade union activities as well as in larger political movements like the independence struggle and the Samyukta Maharashtra movement (for the linguistic state of Maharashtra). A rich network of physical and social infrastructure evolved in Girangaon, spread over the centrally located 25sq km of Lalbaug, Parel, Sewri and Byculla areas, due to an integrated community environment. Two major arterial roads of the city, three different local railway stations, four major public hospitals and many educational, community cultural and social institutions along with small and medium sized "Maidans" with "Vyayamshalas"(gyms) and community halls completed the physical infrastructure. Social institutions like "Gaonkari mandals" (village committees), chawl committees, "Khanavals"(dining spaces run by women in their one room tenements for migrant male workers), "Bhajan mandal" and "Ganesh mandals", all went a long way in making Girangaon a unique example of organically evolved mixed-use development. This social connectivity helped to form trade unions and labor organizations which acted as a body for the protection of the workers from various issues like low wages, inhuman working hours and exploitative working conditions through strikes.

Abhyudaya sports and
welfare association.

 

Shivsena Shakha.

Mr.Gurav, a worker from one of the oldest shops in the premises shared the memories about the Kalachowki naka. Shravan Yashvant chowk commonly referred as 'Kalachowki Naka‘ which is one of the busiest junctions in this area. It is just outside the India united mills no. 2 & 3 and has many shops and eating joints along it but Bharat hotel was the favorite place for many mill workers. They used to visit it regulatly for a cup of tea with lot of gossips. In 1957 Abhyudaya nagar built & allotment done till 1960 but this naka & hotel are much older.

Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik
Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti.

According to Priyanka Karandikar social support networks and mixed uses within a neighborhood are critical in lives of residents. For example, Jane Jacobs‘ book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, where she mentions that social network and diversity in neighborhood are the key features for a city to sustain itself. The combination of all common areas like courtyards, corridors, staircases and so on provide ample scope for social interaction in these cohesive chawl communities. This social network is the support system of the residents and needs to be maintained. This dense social network is one of the main reasons why the residents have not moved out of the chawls.

The dense social network is very important to the residents of a neighborhood as especially in urban areas, because the inter-dependency and close-knit relations with neighbors make the lives of the residents easier. Alexandra Curley in article Relocating The Poor: Social Capital and Neighborhood Resources says that research has shown that social networks often play an important role in the development of people in life and that neighborhood of residence can shape these networks. Although she talks with reference to the 'low-income‘ group, it can be true in general, irrespective of the income group. Author concludes more housing with qualities like those of the chawls needs to be provided for the middle classes in urban areas like Mumbai to accommodate more people and offer them a rich culture and social life that can be sustained over time. More of such communities would create more diversity as different people would have different customs, traditions and living patterns. (Karandikar, 2010)

Sharmila Ganesan, in her article "The chawl-to-flat trauma," makes a note of a family who moved from a chawl to a flat. The mother states that she misses the evening chats with other women in the corridor. The reporter however also makes a note of a similar family where the man thinks the opposite. He says that a person is automatically respected if he lives in a flat and not a chawl. 

The chawls would accommodate a large number of people from the middle class, thus reducing the demand for affordable housing in Mumbai. According to Jane Jacobs, it is the key for a city to sustain itself. From a socio-economical view, Saskia Sassen explains that it is very important to retain the middle classes in a city as more money circulates within the city than the rich who invest their money either outside the city or even outside the country.

Many of the residents agree that the scenario has changed today. Gurudatta Vakdekar, born and brought up in Abhyudayanagar explains the transformation of these spaces. According to him, it was more active & vibrant before, people had no other sources of entertainment like today. They used to sit, play cards or carom & chit-chat after dinner before sleeping. Today, people are busy with so many things. Children prefer to watch T.V. or access internet rather than going out. Courtyards & streets are full of vehicles where he used to play earlier throughout the day, he added.

Bibliography:

Adarkar, N. (n.d.). The Chawls of Mumbai: Galleries of Life.

Amol Rane, Saurabh Barde. (2012, 11). Chawls in Mumbai:An inherent idiom of sustainable community, architecture and lifestyle.

Karandikar, P. (2010). Chawls: Analysis of a middle class housing type in Mumbai, India.

Neera Adarkar, Meena Menon. (n.d.). One Hundred Yeras One Hundred Voices, The Millworkers Of Girangaon:An Oral History.

Neera Adarkar, Vidyadhar K Phatak. (2005, 12 17). Recycling mill land: Tumultous experience of Mumbai. pp. 5365-5368.

Parkar, N. D. (2014). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEIGHBOURHOOD SOCIAL CAPITAL AND BUILT FORM- EXPLORED THROUGH THE CHAWLS OF MUMBAI.

Photographs- Soumya Salini & Amol Parab

DHOBI GHAT: The Splashing Core

“{The city} encompasses many different realities which seem distinct from and even opposed to each other, yet are all intricately interwoven in a many-layered mesh of interdependent relationships. Further these realities are not fixed. They change over time. The change is, on occasion, rapid. In other periods it is practically imperceptible. In times of relatively rapid change, it becomes even more difficult to understand the city as a whole, since different sections of the population and different aspects of life in the city evolve at different paces.” (Pendse S.) The cities always contain multiple sections of the population, multiple aspects of life and it is the place where imperceptible rapid changes are happening continuously thus, city remains an enigma! The cities can be very well described as complex structure of interdependent lives and Mumbai being the one of the major cities and economical capital, this description fits perfectly to it. The images of the city are complex and mostly self-perception of city’s elite. But not the major population of the city i.e. Toilers and they remain unrepresented, unknown and mostly ignored. Mumbai is always known for its working population, be it yesterday’s Mill workers or today's Dabbawalas who maintains the rhythm of the city life. But never get considered as city developers. Along with this, there is one more section working over years, performing hereditary tasks to serve the city in certain way; are Dhobis i.e. washer men of Dhobi Ghat.

Being the major landmark of the city the Dhobi Ghat is not only the world’s largest open air laundry but also home to one of the biggest laundrymen communities in Mumbai, India. Spread across 4 acres near the Mahalaxmi racecourse, it employs over 7500 migrant workers (about 200 washer-men families) who live and work on site for about 18-20 hours, washing lacs of clothes collected from all over the city. Dhobi Ghat of Mumbai is actually a registered organization called ’’Dhobi Kalyan & Audyogik Vikas Co-operative Society’’.

Dhobi Ghat is a 140 year old establishment. It was developed by the British East India Co. in 1858, to serve as a mass laundry for the British military. Post India’s independence from the British raj, Dhobi Ghat was authorized as an urban working community and the land was handed over to the Dhobi Ghat association (a group of residents of the Dhobi society). Later around 1993 as per revised development control regulations of Mumbai the site was designated under industrial reservation as DG (Dhobi Ghat) intended to protect/ prevent any form of private commercial redevelopment.

The Dhobi (which translates as 'Washer man') is a caste group who are specialists in washing clothes - the job is hereditary. Using 731 manual washing stones, these washer men work hard and complete all the tasks like collecting, segregating, washing, drying, cleaning, pressing and delivering on daily basis. These washer men are mostly migrants from other parts of India - who live in situ with their families. Most of them are migrants from neighboring states like Andhra, Gujarat but there was a time when majority of them were migrants from Uttar Pradesh. Most of them live at Dhobi Ghat itself and for majority of them; this art of washing clothes has been passed on from generation to generation. The linen collected daily comes from various sources from the city such as Mumbai’s hotels send their bedlinen to the Ghat; hospitals send in staff uniforms and sheets from their operating theatres; posh spas send their towels; and individuals send their household's dirty clothing. Some of the big clothing manufacturers even send brand new stock here to be washed so that the dies can be set. In this profession, where in dirty linen across Mumbai is collected, marked and then brought here, where they are soaked, scrubbed, flogged, cleaned, dried and pressed and then neatly folded and delivered back to their owners.

The interesting system exists here for preventing misplacing of clothes is, the clothes that are collected, are marked by indelible ink on small scraps of cotton and ties to the clothes which carries information like the name of the client, total number of clothes and individual item number. It works efficiently in terms of avoiding any loss and returning all the clothes to the original client.

Now days, even though automatic laundry machines are fitted, watching these men lined up for washing clothes gives the visual sense of order in the chaotic scenario of the Dhobi Ghat.

Source: http://wearethecity.in

The other important thing that makes Dhobi Ghat remarkable is that it holds a Guinness Book of World Records entry under ‘most people hand-washing clothes at a single location’ (496) in 2011. In 2013, World Records India and World Amazing Records honored World Record Certificate to Dhobi Kalyan & Audhyogik Vikas Co – op. Society Ltd.

Middle Tier

Dhobi Ghat is under Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which charges the washer men Rs. 300 per month for the rent and maintenance of the trough (wash pens). As of day customers from various sectors get their clothes and other garments washed here at reasonable price. Private laundry around city charges anything between Rs.35 to Rs.50 to their customers and get the same clothes to be washed here at Dhobi Ghat at minimal charges of Rs.4 to Rs.5 per cloth and the interesting fact is that the Dhobi Kalyan & Audhyogik Vikas Cooperative Society, the apex body that represents washer men, estimates the annual turnover of the Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat at around Rs 100 crore.

The open to sky washing pens or Ghats has enclosed spaces around and drying platforms above.

One of the notable figures of the society mentions about technological development and presence washing machines in every household, large hotels & hospitals installing their own laundries, business at Dhobi Ghat is not as thriving as it used to be. Dhobi Ghat still have range of customer from various industries and sectors like Wedding decorators, Events, Garment Dealers, Clubs, Small and Big Caterers, Many Hotels and more from South Mumbai till Far North Suburban and Beyond locations connecting Thane and Palghar district.

The small enclosed allies leading to open courtyards which are used as drying yards, creating the play of open and covered spaces.

The semi covered spaces being used as a space for storage for collected linens.

The uppermost level is being used for drying of linens accessed by the ladders from the middle tier.

The historic and large settlement of Dhobis has a very unique way of functioning. It is like a maze with the narrow lanes that leads to the open washing courts and also to upper tiers. The multi-tasking, chaotic space with washing, sorting, and ironing works happening all around, works very efficiently.

The entire work cycle of this watermen colony is very well balanced by the built spaces. The lower tier contains mainly the washing area which is open to sky with the built spaces around which are mainly the residential spaces but also includes the space for various supporting tasks like segregation, storage and ironing. The middle tiers which can be accessed through ladders have drying spaces and dwelling units. While the uppermost tier which is the roof of the enclosed spaces is the complete drying space having vibrant and colorful views and eventually turns out to be the circulation of that

level.

The city as a total entity, in its entirety, is only a notion, an abstraction, not something really known or grasped. Like space, time also is constructed and organized by the urban (commercial – industrial) agglomeration in a characteristic manner. Economic activity and management of time defines rhythm of life. The three factors i.e. space, time and rhythm are crucial in many ways. These factors have a direct, dramatic, physical impact on life (Pendse S.) and the impact of these factors can be clearly seen in Dhobi Ghat. The Dhobi Ghat is now a favorite with tourists visiting Mumbai - in fact it is amongst the top 10 attractions in the city. The dramatic location and the functioning of the Dhobi Ghat, makes it the hub of toilers and these toilers, the anonymous and ignored face of city eventually completes the city.

Address: Dr. E. Moses Road, Near Mahalakshmi Station, Mumbai-400011

Visit duration: 2 to 3 hours

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Dhobi Ghat is early morning and early

afternoon. While the Dhobis are in action in the morning to take care of the washing

load, the early afternoons are an ideal time to see the clothes dry.

Timings: Open all days

Entry fee: Free (But you can request for a paid guided tour) 

An entry charge of Rs.100-200 has to be paid to the guides who give a detailed tour of the entire place along with the suitable and relevant information.

How to Reach: The closest station to reach Dhobi Ghat is Mahalakshmi station on the

Western line. Once you de-board at Mahalakshmi, walk out of the station premises and

take a left on the bridge. It connects to the flyover that will take you to Saat Rasta,

where Dhobi Ghat is located.

For those coming from Central or Harbour line, Byculla station would be the most

convenient option available from where Dhobi Ghat is just a 10 minute walk.

Bibliography:

 Bombay: The metaphor for modern India, edited by-Sujata Patel & Alice Thorner,

article 1,toil, sweat & the city by Sandeep Pendse

 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mumbai-boasts-the-worldslargest-

open-air-laundry/article637392/

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/did-you-know-dhobi-ghat-stillmakes-

rs-100cr-a-year/articleshow/57352659.cms

 http://www.worldrecordsindia.com/2013/04/worlds-largest-outdoor-laundry-dhobighat

Dr.Bhau Daji Lad City Museum: Mumbai’s Showcase

I remember my visit to ‘Rani chi Baag’ as a kid on a school trip. Exited and eager, we all rushed into the garden to meet roaring lions and chirping birds, ignoring the silent museum at the corner completely. It took many years for so many of us to realize that the equally important museum has a lot to say.

Rani Baag (previously known as Victoria Gardens and now Jijamata Udyan) is a garden with Zoo and a City museum located right in the middle of buzzing city at Byculla, Mumbai. The curious visit to the ignored silent museum revealed that the place has lot more things to see than the greenery, birds and animals; it presents you the whole city of Mumbai along with it, making the place incomplete without visiting it.

Facade of Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (source- Chinmay P.)

Being the oldest the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum opened to the public in 1857. It is the erstwhile Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay. As it was the first colonial building to be built for the specific purpose of housing a museum, the building is one of the most important historical sites of the city. Bombay, then the richest mercantile town in India, was considered the Gateway to the East or Urbs Prima in India, the first city of India, and had the honour of exhibiting to the world the country’s rich cultural traditions. A little more than a hundred years later, on November 1, 1975, the Museum was renamed the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in honour of the man whose vision and dedication enabled

its establishment. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad was the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai, a philanthropist, historian, physician, surgeon and secretary of the Museum Committee when it was first instituted.

Recently, it was restored and pulled out from the state of disrepair by INTACH. The brilliant restoration of this Mumbai City museum grabbed the attention of the people and reconnected it to the city.

The Museum building was conceived to dazzle the citizens. During the efforts to raise funds by public subscription, it was presented as a ‘Hall of Wonder’, as most of the citizens had never seen a museum. The original design was conceptualized by George Birdwood. The design included all the basic features of the building visible today- a long hall, Doric pillars, galleries on either side of the building and large windows for light and ventilation. The design was sent to London for approval, and later modified by the local British PWD engineer to rival the best in the world. However, the engineer died before the plans could be implemented and Scott McClelland & Co. architects completed the plans with further modifications though they retained most of Birdwood’s specifications.

As soon as you enter inside, the grand double height large hall with beautifully carved ceiling and large marble statues at the center takes you back in the colonial period. The impressive displays inside the museum bring the history back to you. The clay miniatures showing the diverse communities of the city in their traditional garb (both the natives and the migrants), lithographs, dioramas, rare books, photographs and decorative art objects such as miniature clay models that document the rural life of India and city life during the 19th and 20th centuries in Mumbai are simply magnificent. The first floor has the history of Mumbai with many ship models on display. Through the various maps & models it documents everything about the city of Mumbai – the islands that came together to make this iconic city.

Clay miniatures

Mumbai Devi I

model of Parsi colony scheme 

 

Surprisingly in small showcases, it documents the traditional professions and games of the city like basket weavers, potters, barbers, cowherds, bangle seller, dyers etc. Thus, truly preserving and presenting the culture for future generations. Along with that there are mythological scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are models of all important pilgrim places showcasing the holy side of the Indian culture and the city.

 

View from the First floor

The unique structure has a Palladian exterior. The interior is a rare example of High Victorian design in India. The grand wrought iron palisades, staircase railings and arched supports, as well as the Corinthian capitals and columns which are the defining features of the building were imported from England. The richly coloured details, the intricate woodcarving, the Minton tiled floors, the etched glass and gold gilding make it a unique example of 19th century architecture in the country. Near the main entrance, there is a splendid clock tower which is rich in architecture and aesthetics known as David Sassoon Clock Tower. The style of the tower is Italian; 12 feet square at the base by about 75 feet high. The base plinths are in trap stone, the body of Porebunder-stone, with ornamental tile panels occasionally introduced.

The impressive David Sassoon Clock Tower

The garden has an Ornamental Gateway and a curved design screen. It is enriched with a building in Greco-Roman style. Several trees of rare origins give the visitors shade and relief from the busy running city. As soon as you enter, on the left hand side there is one with interesting story. It is the stone statue of King Edward VII (as the then Prince of Wales) mounted on a horse that was built by Jewish businessman and philanthropist Albert Abdullah David Sassoon, it was initially located near the Jehangir art gallery in fort area of Mumbai and this was the reason the area got its name Kala Ghoda meaning Black Horse. Later this statue was removed from the precinct in 1965 and subsequently placed inside the Jijamata Udyan and for many years the place Kala Ghoda was without its identity & name. The area is still known as Kala ghoda and one of the most famous art Festival i.e. Kala Ghoda Art Festival is conducted every year at the same place. The popularity of the festival increased over the years and recently in January in 2017, the 'Kala Ghoda' under the name ‘Spirit of Kala Ghoda’ returned to the area with a new statue of a similar looking horse without a rider, being commissioned by the Kala Ghoda Association. The statue, titled 'Spirit of Kala Ghoda' was designed by architect Alfaz Miller and sculpted by Shreehari Bhosle.

Garden entry

Statue of King Edward VII

Sculpture of Rajmata Jijau & BaalShivaji

At the center of the park, there is a statue of Veer Mata Jijabai guiding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (BaalShivaji, in his childhood days) is one of my personal favorite sculptures, depicting a perfect motherhood as Rajmata. The zoo has a wide variety of animals including crocodile; hippos etc. and depict the natural wealth of India very well. But we intentionally entered inside to see the most awaited and new members of the city: penguins. at the one end of the garden there is a separate structure built recently named ‘Humboldt Penguin Section’ where they have

kept penguins in an controlled atmosphere.

This iconic museum stands in the midst of the Rajmata Jijabai Udyan, which is one of grandest and oldest zoos in India. This 52-acre, landscaped zoo and garden, is perhaps the only zoo in the world which stands right in the middle of a business metropolis like Mumbai. Over 150 years old, this museum is the oldest in Mumbai and the third oldest in India. It is the only city museum to win the UNESCO 2005 Asia Pacific Award of Excellence. By highlighting Mumbai’s cultural heritage through rare fine art, the museum does not only bring back the history of the city to you but it also celebrates the diversity of the city.

If you haven’t been here I feel you should add it to your wish list of Places to visit in Mumbai. There are many more astonishing elements in the museum for everyone. Rather mentioning here all I will let you discover it yourself. The most interesting part to me that the place is so calm but vibrant at the same time as it silently throws numerous surprises. The place is a living space with exhibitions, workshops, and even some courses. Apart from the permanent collection, the museum regularly organizes exhibitions of Indian contemporary artists. It gives you a reason to come back to it making it a thriving cultural space of Mumbai. As a true Mumbaikar, one must visit the museum, especially on weekends when there is a free tour by the curator.

DR. BHAU DAJI LAD MUSEUM

91 A, Rani Baug,

Veer Mata Jijbai Bhonsle Udyan,

Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Marg,

Byculla East,

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400027.

India.

Phone:

+91-22-23731234

+91-22-65560394

Visiting Hours:

10.00 am to 6.00 pm (Tickets sold upto 5:30 pm)

Closed on Wednesdays and certain public holidays

Tickets:

Adults Rs. 10

Children (5 to 15 years) Rs. 5

Students Rs. 2

Children (Under 5years & accompanied by parents) Free

Foreign Citizens Rs. 100

Children (5 to 15 years) Rs. 50

Children (Under 5years) Free

Bibliography:

http://www.bdlmuseum.org/about/museum-story.html http://www.vimlapatil.com/vimlablog/mumbais-iconic-bhau-daji-lad-museumrecommended-

by-new-york-times-as-one-of-mumbais-five-must-visitmonuments-

even-if-the-visit-is-only-for-36-hours/

The Bombay Builder: An Illustrated Journal of Engineering Architecture dated July 5,

1865 (pg.14).