Bombay Meri Jaan - A 'historical' cycle ride (Courtesy Odati)

The name of the post is not a misnomer, its true and I mean it. I agree the city has gone to the dogs and beyond but thats now with intense urbanisation. If you read further you will realise that there is rich and interesting history behind our very own murky, slummy, concretised, flooded and crowded Bombay which it has now become. I keep asking why, why dont we Mumbaiites hold on to the few traces of heritage and greens which have become rarer than the white tiger.Why dont we all who care for this city either join an existing force which aims to save this city or create a new force to stop it from crumbling. The politicians here have used and abused this city like whore, milking money from any project that needs/does not need to be there. The hard working, salary earning huge middle class watches like a mute spectator and carries on his daily grind since he/she has got mouths to feed at home. First the delayed projects then the green cover which is vanishing into thin air and now they want to increase the dateline to 2000 for the slums for rehabilitation...all this for vote bank. No wonder then that 60% of Mumbai's population lives in the slums. It wont be far when all the intelligent, hard working, sincere and talented pool will leave this city for lack of quality of life..and not justfor another city in India but of out of India. Not that it has'nt happened already. Since the Government, whichever party it belongs to, does not believe in creating employment opportunities in multiple cities across India. So obviously everyone will jump on the bandwagon to come to Mumbai, Delhi, Blore or Hyderabad. Such a large country and only handful of cities for employment. Absolutely unfair and unjust distribution. Given the scenario there will always be pressure on water, electricity, land resource shortages in these cities because every city has its limit of taking within its folds a threshold population. And if that is violated there is disturbance and then chaos.

However I will come to the common man's problems later on.

But for now I would like to give some reason to feel proud for all those who have stayed in Mumbai for long as to consider its 'their own city'. It has such interesting facets to it which are not known to many which I would like to bring out in this post.

I would like to make this post in the form of a Did You Know Trivia about Mumbai which I feel will unveil its history in a dramatic manner.

1. What is Mumbai's original name?

Puri.

Apparently in old days, GharaPuri Caves which is known now as Elephanta Caves was very popular in those days and since Mumbai was closest land mass, it became a reference point for the same and hence named Puri.

2. Why is South Mumbai called as Fort?

You wont believe it but there was a Fort wall which actually ran from Lions Gate to Crawford Market with a gate in between called Church Gate. The Church Gate was situated where the Flora Fountain is currently. The wall was built by Portuguese to guard/protect them against any invasions from the Arabian sea. Also the Portuguese had a clear view from these fort walls on to the sea since the 3 popular maidans were on the outside of these walls. And guess which maidans were these...yes you are right. They were the Azad, Oval and Cross Maidans.

3. Where does Church Gate get its name?

There is a St. Thomas Cathedral which is still located close to Horniman Circle and since the Gate was located closer to it, it got its name from this very Church. You can still have a look at the actual gate picture which is being framed and kept inside the St. Thomas Cathedral as soon as you enter it. Do see it if you get a chance. And thus the station gets its name from this 'Churchgate'

4. Where does the BSE has its beginnings?

The Bombay Stock Exchange started its roots within Horniman Circle under a tree.

5. How did the Britishers get the islands of Bombay?

The islands were given to the English King Charles II in dowry on his marriage to Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza in 1662.

6. What does Bombay stand for?

Bom Baia means Good Bay in Portuguese, later the English anglesized it to Bombay

7. Which was the famous hotel where Jamshedji Tata was refused entry as 'Indians and Dogs were not allowed'

Its the Watson Hotel located at the corner opp. Kala Ghoda. And ironically its the oldest and most dangerous building in the city today. The entire building was in those days one of the rare buildings which was imported from UK and planted here as acast iron structure.
Its rumoured that from the terrace of this buildng one could see Matheran, which is believable considering there was no pollution and also no structures beyond it. The fact that there is a Bombay Point in Matheran also proves that if one can see Bombay from Matheran then vice versa could be a strong likelihood.
And thanks to this Watson Hotel where Jamshetji Tata was refused entry today we have the world famous Taj Mahal Hotel at Gateway of India, which was built to spite the Britishers.

8. The Gateway of India was rumoured to be built to welcome King George V & Queen Mary in 1921 for his grand arrival into the country but the Gateway could not be built in time and was completed only in 1924. Again ironically it was Gateway of India where the Britishers left the country in 1948 after India's independance.














9. Whats the story behind Rajabai Towers?

The Rajabai tower was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, an English architect. It was modelled on Big Ben, the clock tower of the UK houses of Parliament in London.
The foundation stone was laid on March 1, 1869 and construction was completed in November 1878. The total cost of construction came to Rs. 2 lakhs (Rs. 200,000), a princely sum in those days. This entire cost was defrayed by Premchand Roychand, a prosperous broker who founded the Bombay Stock Exchange on the condition that the tower be named after his mother Rajabai.
Premchand Roychand's mother was blind and as a staunch follower of Jain religion she was supposed to consume her dinner before evening. The evening bell of the tower helped her to know the time without anyone's help.
10. VT Station

Its the only UNESCO World Heritage Site which has utlity even now.
The building was inspired by a set of drawings for Berlin Parliament buildings (never built), St. Pancras Station and Victoria Terminus London.
Fredrick William Stevens, a very reputed architect designed and constructed the building based on a water colour masterpiece sketched by draughts-man Axel Herman. The construction of the building commenced in the month of May 1878, and was completed by the month of May 1888.


While still under construction, the terminus was opened to public on Jan 1, 1882.
During the Golden Jubilee of the Queen in year 1887, the terminus was named as Victoria Terminus.

In 1850, the Great Indian Peninsular Railway built its railway terminus in this area and named it Bori Bunder, because the area near the terminus was locally referred to as ‘Bori Bunder’ or a place where bories (sacks) are stocked. On November 18, 1852, a locomotive hauled some coaches on a trial run from Bori Bunder to Thana. On April 16th, 1853, an inaugural train with 14 railway carriages and 400 guests left Bombay's Bori Bunder Station at 15:45, for Thane, with a 21-gun salute.

11. Asiatic Library

The Asiatic Society of Mumbai was founded by Sir James Mackintosh, a distinguished lawyer, jurist and public figure in England who became the Recorder or the King's Judge for Bombay. Known then as the Literary Society of
Bombay, it met for the first time on Nov 26, 1804 and aimed at promoting useful knowledge, particularly such as its now immediately connected with India.The Town Hall which houses the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is heritage building, located deep in the city's historic
Fort area, shaped by colonial geography, architecture and sculpture. Built on the Bombay Green, it has an axial orientation and west facing view. As one stands on the top step of the main entrance stairway, the magnificent city vista spread out in front offers, if one looks carefully enough, a slice of history. It is rumoured one could actually see the sea from the topmost step of the Asiatic Library. The circular Elphinstone Garden ( now Horniman Cirlce) in front, St. Thomas Cathedral and Flora Fountain ( now Hutatma Chowk) beyond, Mumbai Samachar
building, the area's oldest Agiary and other beautiful residential and office buildings make a walk in the neighbourhood an experience full of interwoven textures of past and present. The dramatic flight of 30 steps up the Town Hall, the pedimented portico with its eight Doric columns, the wrought iron divided Regency banister leading up to the vestibule, the easy chairs in the Periodicals Room with the matching footstools that facilitate browsing and the majestic
Durbar Hall all combine to create and impression of the Society as organically connected through colonial history to its immediate environs, while yet remaining its crest jewel.