Bombay Heritage Walk 1 : Dalal Street Area

BOMBAY HERITAGE WALK 1: DALAL STREET
Bright and Early on Sunday morning, some close friends met up and decided to learn more about the city that they call home. They headed to Flora Fountain to embark on a three hour heritage walk in the Dalal Street area of Fort.
Other than developing an appreciation for brisk walking, this crisp February morning, they also learnt to appreciate the many changing faces of Amchi Mumbai, the beauty in shambled buildings and the contrast between the past and the future colliding in the moment.

Excerpts from their learnings follow:
When the British first arrived in Bombay, they decided to build India's finest city. They fortified the narrow confines of Bombay and built a fort.
Bombay Fort.
This fort span from the East Coast to West Cost of downtown Bombay and to this date that part of the city is called "Fort" Outskirts of this fort - was a moat and four large green esplanade parks to house the many canons that protected its borders.
These are now called Azad Maidan, Oval Maidan, Cross Maidan and Cooperage.

Within the santuary of the fort - in 1600 was built a cathedral - St Thomas Cathedral. It is the first anglican church in Bombay. Tall White towers housing a peaceful structure surrounded by lush green trees. The gates of the fort directly in front of this Cathedral ..was called The Church Gate ..and Bombay's premier railway station - the mecca of downtown commuters - derives its name for this erstwhile gate. Churchgate.
I instantly fell in love with the beautiful and breathtaking St Thomas Cathedral. I was at peace and mesmerized by its white columns, high arched ceilings and wooden architecture.
This was built in 1600's and the the construction was abandoned for a total of 40 years - it was only completed in 1716 and houses one of the most beautiful fountains I have seen at its entrance. The cathedral was opened on Christmas Day and was the East India Company's place of worship. It is built in a Neo Classical/Neo Gothic Style.

Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Readymoney sponsored this fountain that was designed by the noted architect G. Scott.

In 1862 - Sir Bartle Frere was appointed the Governor of Mumbai. He elected to tear down the fort walls, reclaim the moats and let the city grown past its narrow confines. Where the Church Gate once stood - he built a maginificant fountain. There were plans to name this after him as "Fraire Fountain" but the magnificent greek goddess of Flowers who sits atop this beautiful fountain - won over the hearts of all leading to the name "Flora Fountain" . It was designed by Norman Shaw.
The square in which the fountain resides was renamed "Hutatma Chowk" in 1960 after the Martyrs of the Indian Independence movement.

The street around Flora Fountain has some of the oldest buildings in Bombay - The HSBC building, the Public Works Department building, the Oriental Insurance Company building.
Some interesting information we received was:
The Oriental Insurance building used to once house the Cathedral and John Connon school. The school was moved further down the area in later years. The top floor of the Oriental Insurance building has the faces of three old governors of bombay sculpted on it.
The HSBC building and the Bank of India headq's use to house "The Bombay Club"

Walk futher down this street we arrived at Horniman Circle - which is cosily nestled between the Bombay Asiatic Library and the Flora Fountain. It was once called Elphiston Circle and was a favored trading ground for cotton and opium amongst other commodities.

The entrance to this circle is a beautiful water trough with lion head tap faucets.

I had visions of british soldiers trotting up on fine horses that quenched their thirst in the ornate water trough at the gardens entrance.

One of the best views of the tour was that of the Bombay Asiatic Society Library through the iron gates of Horniman Circle Garden. This maginificent pristine white building was once the Town Hall of Bombay City. Time has not been able to diminish neither its granduer nor the massive respect it commands on the streets of Bombay.

Now the part of the city inside the Fort - was divided into a Gora or British part and a Kala or Indian part. Starting from the Flora Fountain was a busy street called "Angrez Bazaar" by the Indians and "Meadow Street" by the British which primarily hosted establishments that served to the British. All the bylanes in this street are named after trees "Ash Street" "Tamarind Street" "Oak Street"

Another important facet of the city was the many diverse people it housed even then. There was a significant Armenian population in Bombay and ther built a small church that is now hidden within the many winding alleys of Angrez Bazaar

Some beautiful buildings that we passed that were once the jewels of the Kala Bazaar - Raja Bahadur Mahal and Narang Mahal - now both in ruins.

Raja Bahadur Mahal(above)

The oldest laundry in Bombay is on this street "The Leech and Ebony Dryers and Cleaners"

• Some interesting things we learnt on the tour - Famous businessman and Banker of the early 19th Century Mr. Premchand Raichand donated money to build Bombay University on the condition that there is a tower constructed that bears his mothers name in the University Campus. This tower was built by Sir Gilbert Scott and was named "Rajabai tower" after his mother ..which over the years ..people started calling: "Rajabhai Tower" . It was sad how such a historic landmark's name would be altered by so many over the years - lost in translation..

• The Bombay Stock Exhange established in 1875 is the oldest in Asia - just a few days older than the Hongkong Stock Exchange. Dalal street was named after the many brokers who used to deal within its lanes.

• On the periphery of Dalal Street lies the State Bank of India building - which is a fine example of Ionic architecture. We learnt something very interesting about the history of banking in India : The first general Bank of India was established in late 17th century. In the 1800's three banks were established -Bank of Bombay, Bank of Bengal and Bank of Madras. There were merged to form the Imperial Bank of India which later became the State Bank of India.
• This street also housed the old Goverment House of Bombay which is a beautiful Portuguese style building.
• This street has a cluster of buildings with Ionic architecture, Classsic Indian, Portuguese and Venetian Gothic style.

The Dalal Street area truly represents the many influences that inspired colonial India and is a testament to their peaceful coexistence even in modern times.
We walked for a total of 3 hours.

I was at once proud of Bombay's beautiful history, disappointed by my lack of knowledge of it and distressed at the ruins that some of these monumental structures were in.

A hot, sultry, informative, exciting morning under a cloudless blue february sky - utterly unforgetable, incredibly romantic and fabulously satisfying.

It was also my favorite day since I moved back.

I am 30 years old,

And my city is Mumbai.

Thank God I have enough.