In ten heritage walks of Mumbai the author takes you along many fascinating journeys through a different Mumbai altogether of forgotten sights sounds and roads. The book offers tourists as well as the city bred junta wider canvas to probe further into Mumbai’s invaluable expanse of heritage sites forgotten roads and public buildings its magnificent monument and structures. The book will throw light on many nuances of the city’s priceless and intriguing past. The ten walks included here are a testimony to the city’s rich history each with an interesting story to narrate and amusing tale woven around it that has survived for centuries together.
This is Fiona Fernandez’s second book on Mumbai. The first a quiz book titled Bombay Meri Jaan presented the reader with interesting nuggets of information and trivia on the city.
The love affair began almost a decade ago while being given charge of preparing a Mumbai centric quiz. Being part of the college quiz club and tired of using rehashed questions from yearbooks and newspapers I decided to attempt venturing into the holy sanctum for book lovers the Asiatic Society Library (Presently one of my favorite hangouts!). As much as I was delighted to stumble on this sleeping giant of a library the place overwhelmed me. I was submerged in a sea of information thanks to the countless books on Mumbai that I could lay my hands on the quiz was forgotten!
Over the years the visits increased curiosity got the better of me. Leafing through so many invaluable publications about this city I realized how truly blessed we are to be living in this marvel of a city and its unimaginable treasures magnificent buildings monuments roads and structures most of which are very same streets and lanes that were walked on the building that went unnoticed they will meant so much more. For each had a history behind it an amusing tale to share or a juicy anecdote to chuckle on. And above all each was a testimony of the city’s wonderful past that survived for centuries together.
This book is a ode to Mumbai an honest and unpretentious attempt at rediscovering the city and its heritage. Like a faceless friend to the reader be it the twenty something city bred Mumbalite in search of that extra bit of trivia or a curious tourist the book takes you on ten fascinating and intriguing walks along the contours and corners that shaped this city. Marvel at Mumbai’s glorious landmarks or its splendid mix of architecture walk down its first roads trace the roots of its vibrant cosmopolitan culture and ethnic fabric or simply soak in its grandiose history. What you will also find here are of forgotten hidden nooks and distinct sights intrinsic to the city in their own way.
Lose yourself among the narrow congested bylines of Bazaar Gate marvel at the Gothic and Indo Saracenic architecture within the fort precinct or gaze at the Victorian ensemble of buildings as the afternoon sky blazes down on you from the city’s expansive Oval Maidan. The rustic earthly ambience of Dhobi Talao and Girgaum will transport you to a different Mumbai it’s all about small time cloth merchants and sweetmeat marts of Irani cafes and second hand bookshops reminiscent of a simpler time when Mumbai was Bombay and where horse carriage at the Gateway were named after a British monarch!
These walks are largely spread across south and central Mumbai through fort Ballard Estate Colaba and the inner parts of the city due to its high concentration of heritage structures and sights that comprise some of the oldest pars of the city. Bandra finds its way in this book by virtue of its charming past and its ties with the Portuguese since the fifteenth century.
While the book should not be regarded reference for the architectural and heritage sites of the city it should be seen as an honest attempt in its own little way a remainder from a die hard Mumbalite to value the city’s treasures and how we should stop talking these for granted. After all amidst the big ‘C’ called commercialization it is us the current generation who cane strive to revive it.
so here’s an open invite that takes you for more than just a walk down memory lane…
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