Urban Haat At Belapur

Last week, there was an interesting event on photography at Urban Haat at Belapur. Postponing a visit to an event that you are passionate about is not a good idea. I went for this event on the last day only to see the people pack up. I was able to see just few photographs on display which were so beautiful that I realized what I had missed.

Well, visit to the Urban Haat is an event by itself. This is the venue where different exhibitions are conducted throughout the year. Surrounded by hustle and bustle of the city, this venue remains unaffected by pollution and noise and offers peace and solitude. Built on a higher altitude, the place is dotted with wooded area of bamboo trees, medicinal and herbal plants, and large rocks that have Warli paintings.

A smooth concrete path cuts through the slopes leading to different cluster of shops, There is a colorful water fountain in the heart of the park that adds to the beauty of this place.

There are many shops selling handicraft items and sometimes you are likely to find rare artifacts.

There is an Amphitheater standing proudly on a separate concrete platform.

As we walked up and down the concrete, sometimes on the slopes and sometimes on stairs, we chanced upon a puppet show. The man behind the stage was only too happy to bring his puppets to life on strings.

Although we did miss the photography event, the evening was well spent, munching on 'Sev Puri' at the food courts and walking lazily in the park.

Mumbai Women's Film Festival in Town

You agree that women are super talented? Yes? They are SUPER TALENTED.

Well, Women in Mumbai will be in a limelight next week at the Mumbai’s Women International Film Festival to be held from 8^th to 14^th October, at these venues in Mumbai

1. Broadway cinemas - Harmony Mall, Oshiwara, Mumbai

2. Broadway cinemas - The Dream Mall, Bhandup.3. Broadway cinemas - Annex Mall, Borivali, Mumbai

4. Fun cinemas - Fun Republic, Andheri, Mumbai.

5. Ravindra Natya Mandir - Prabhadevi,Mumbai.(Opening Ceremony)

6. Sophia Bhaba Auditorium-Sophia College,Mumbai.(Closing Ceremony)

There will be short films, ‘her’ films, documentary films, feature films, with seven categories to choose from, including the viewing and participation experience, this festival looks interesting.

If you have profound love for films, behind or in front of camera, this is the festival for you.

For details and updates do visit their facebook page.

Bandra – The Queen Of Suburbs

There are many beautiful places to visit in Mumbai, and to enjoy the full flavor of its beauty, one needs good health explore the city. It’s a pleasure to walk through narrow heritage lanes or walk by promenade overlooking the sea that surrounds Mumbai on three sides. My health permits me to explore only one area per trip.

Recently, I had guests from Bangalore. I decided to show them around Bandra, the most interesting suburb of Mumbai. Bandra has more than 600 restaurants, biggest Linking road and Hill road shopping areas, 9 cinema halls, various beautifully manicured parks, seafront promenades and then there is Bandra fort.

Bandra fort, at ‘Land’s end’ in Bandra, are the ruins of an old Portuguese fort-Castella de Aguada. It was built in 1640 as a watchtower. The fort guarded the northern sea route into Mumabi harbor.

After the decline of Portuguese in the early 18^th century, The British partially demolished the fort as a precautionary measure against Marathas, who were the largest threat to British possessions. They wanted to prevent it from being used as military base to attack British.

During my school days, many of my friends would go to this isolated spot for some private moments of romance with their boyfriends.

The cooing couples are still there, but now in a different set up. There is no privacy now.

 It has become the most visited site with many tourists exploring this area. In 2003, a conservation program was started by Bandra Band Stand Resident’s Trust to save the fort.

Included in the fort makeover are the preservation of the natural rock formations, providing pathways, and the creation of an amphitheater. The architect for the makeover was P.K. Das.

The nearby Taj Land's End Hotel is responsible for maintenance of the fort. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) owns the fort.

It is a rock garden with plants potted at different levels that makes this place so  interesting. Unfortunately there are no handrails to climb the steep steps, I had to seek my friend’s help to climb up and down the stone steps.

But the view is spectacular and worth the effort at the top.

Castella de Aguada overlooks the Mahim Bay to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west, the islands of Worli to the south and the town of Mahim to the south west. You can also see the beautiful Worli-Bandra sea-link when you reach to the top of the hill.

We climbed down the stone steps, passing through stone castle. I decided to rest, while my friends walked down to the sea to soak their feet.

Later it was a long walk down the Band Stand promenade, passing through the ‘Walk the Stars’ where you are likely to find tiles with palm-print and signatures of some Bollywood star.

We decided to wait in the children’s park and watch the sunset.

Friends went back with happy memories of the beautiful evening spend.

Khotachiwadi _ Heritage lane at Girgaon.

If you go to tiny by-lanes of Mumbai, you are likely to see some old heritage buildings.

My friend, Mr Biswajit Dey, recently visited one such lane called Khotachiwadi and he share his experience with us.

Khotachiwadi is a tiny colony containing a cluster of old-Portuguese-style bungalows. Hence, it has a tremendous history and heritage value to Mumbai – going back almost 300 years. 

It’s tucked away in a lane in Girgaon (Girgaum), South Mumbai – near St Teresa’s Church, not too far from Charni Road Station. The bus stop is Majestic Cinema. Khotachiwadi’s original people were East Indians, Christians, and the few bungalow-type houses that still remain are homes to the descendants of these people.

These pretty-looking bungalows are typically wooden structures, with wooden verandahs, porticos, staircases and roofs. Some now have brick-and-plaster walls.

There aren’t too many of these bungalows left now, maybe 25 or so. Modern houses have come up all around them, bringing in a population of Gujaratis and Marwaris, cars and motorbikes... relegating Khotachiwadi as a dying ‘heritage village’ in the middle of South Mumbai.

The first thing I saw as I entered the lane in Khotachiwadi is a tiny church.

The old-Portuguese-style Khotachiwadi bungalows (cottages, one might say) are all wooden structures made from Burma teak (or so I was told), with tiled roofs, some of them with canopies and wrought iron grills.

I admired the wooden staircases outside the bungalows. 

Thank you Biswajit for sharing your post and your pictures.