Diving Board- Acting on my friend, Vikram Shete’s suggestion to publish the following e-mail that I wrote to him about going on a ‘heritage walk’ in South Mumbai. Copy-pasting it here… Sorry folks it’s a mix of Marathi/English/Hindi, many of you might not understand, but I didn’t want to edit it... I hope it appeals you to go and explore!
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Sorry.. "jara" late-ach reply kela.. pan der aaye durust aaye he mahavtvacha..
tar “Heritage walk”... I’m no expert, still-
Hmmm... Bhuleshwar la Mumbadevi mandirat gela aahes ka? tithe agodar jaa.. (google var map kar.. kuthun kasa jaycha he shabdat mandana mhanje MF hussain la madhuri haslyavar kasa vatla? asa vicharna...)
tithun Kalbadevi road var ye.. start walking towards Metro Cinema.. vaatet.. left sidela.. baghat raha ek sundar..sundaaarrr Krishnacha mandir aahe.. tithe jaun ye.. Reason- Imagine only that mandir without all those renovated buildings.. 1920 madhe mumbai kashi hoti hyacha feel yeil.. lot of buildings in the Bhuleshwar area are getting renovated.. those that are left.. have broken windows and designs around them and iron balconies.. see it before it disappears.. bharatat 'sanvardhan' karna hi sarkarchi jababdari aste.. builderchi nahi.. sarkar kuchkami... builder harami... aani bhuleshwarchya marwadyala sonya-chandi tun fursat milat nahi.. ji milte tya fursatit te tyanchya pora-soranna dhandya cha 'sanvardhan' aani baikanna 'social-status sanvardhan' kasa karaycha hyacha paath padhavtat.. aapli maati aapli manase.. chalay-chach...
Metro cinema aata multiplex jhalay... mala mahit nahi ki tu tithe multiplex nastana movie pahila aahes ka.. but it was Grand! aata tyacha "Art Deco" pana... restore kelay mhantat.. pan mi nahi pahila.. mala tari vatata ki te aata Saurav Dada chya form madhe nastana maarlelya cover drive sarkha asel.. vyakti tich.. bat tich.. fatka hi toch.. pan charm aani najakat haravleli...
Metro chya samor.. khup sarya paayryanwali ek building aahe.. (tithe khup sarya shootings hotat).. that is "shaskiya tantrashikshan sanchalanalay" (aapli mecca - DTE).. there is one more institute in the same building.. khup chhan institute aahe.. one of those state govt. initiatives that is working fine..! they guide students after 10th/ 12th towards higher education depending upon their interests and aptitude.. tithe jaun thodi mahiti ghe.. i can try to find out some contact if you are interested to know more, given your inclination towards teaching/ coaching...so let me know..
Mag tyachya bajula tujha Xaviers', right la azad maidan.. mahapalika.. "VT".. aani maaggg tyanchya samorach.. lokanni thukun thukun aani kabutaranni sandas karun karun sushobheet kelela "sub-way".. madhubalachya jaadui sundarte var kuni aashiq houn ticha putla ubha karava aani tyala ajun sushobheet (??) karnya sathi kunitari tyachya bajula rakhi sawant cha putla ubha karava asach kahitari.. (kabutar sandas karnarch.. tyanna hi farak kalto...)
Aata you have two routes.. go straight..towards Kala Ghoda via Hutatma chowk or make a left and walk towards main post office.. (a wow ghumat).. and turn right somewhere (ask "locals"... nahitar chukun Gorakhpurchya dharmashalet pohochshil..) and walk towards Cheetah gate via Asiatic library.. in front of Asiatic library- Hornimon circle.. beautiful!!! imagine that place without all the buildings around...
In the years when Asiatic library was townhall..there was hornimon circle and a big road went all the way till churchgate station... with flora fountain in between.. it formed a marvelous view.. (don't forget to bring Rajabai tower, Oval maidan, university building.. 1-2 ancient cars and ghoda gaadis.. into your imagination- divine!)
I love flora fountain.. I also love the sculpture of the Hutatma's... aitihasik jaga! Pudhe Chhagan bhujbal hya esamane dalit rally jhalyavar hach Hutatma chowk dhuvun kadhun ajun ek nava itihaas kela.. melele hutatma's' gappach hote.. tyancha vapar fakt bhashanat hoto.. melya nantar kimmat kalte asa mhantat.. aaplyaa kalali suddha.. kadachit mhanunach aata aapan tyanchi kimmat kartoy.. haatat mashal disat asli tari ti actually veejleli aahe...
I’ll go random - DN road var chalat astana.. try to locate "Lakshmi building" on one of the streets on left.. far inside.. it was a life size [may be bigger] statue of Goddess Lakshmi on it top.. it looks grand.. dont miss the fresco of Parsi gods with wings outside parsi agiary.. on the corner diagonally apposite to High court building.. ek parsi well aahe.. tithe thursday la bakche loka pan ranga laavtat.. aani parsi frinds la tya well madhe paise taakayla sangtat.. (they wish for something).. that reminds.. tula mahit aselach ki mumbai chya paanyacha source vihiri hotya.. there is one vihir right outside high court building.. neglected by many...Army-nNvy building..is impressive.. prince of wells building - grandeur.. institute of science bulding - elegant.. you pretty much know buildings in that square...
Banganga is Must-Go! Tithe je "Walukeshwar mandir" aahe.. tya varun "Walkeshwar" he naav aala aahe.. the mandirs and banganga area are oldest known areas of Mumbai (700 AD approx.) sandhyakal chya velela Baangangela jaun bas.. without any music.. any book.. just you with you..
then think about what you just saw.. haravleli Mumbai kuthetari pahili, hyacha samadhan milel aani ghari jai paryant thodishi ajun haravleli asel hyacha dukkha suddha hoil…
Pan kay karnar, Mumbai hai, chalta hai!! Itihaas sutla tari chalel, local milayla havi…
Btw, are you carrying that book with you..??
~Abhi
