(Image source: Wikipedia)
The Bandra heritage walk was not only an eye-opener but also an enriching experience
Having lived in Bandra for over two decades, I was taken by surprise when I joined The Bandra Heritage Walk on the morning of January 26.
Having lived in Bandra for over two decades, I was taken by surprise when I joined The Bandra Heritage Walk on the morning of January 26. Little did I know that my knowledge about the Queen of the Suburbs was minuscule compared to that of our guide, Alisha Sadikot. Having immersed herself in learning about the bygone days of our city, Sadikot founded The Inheritage Project in 2012, and Bandra has always been one of her favourite spots to talk about. Through the course of the walk, she gave us a lot of background information, which helped put things into perspective. For instance, Bandra was under the influence of the Portuguese, while most of the southern tip was later conquered by the British.
A lot of the history of Bandra is based on hearsay and tradition; for instance, one of the origins of the name ‘Bandra’ might have been ‘Bandar’ after the monkeys that populated the heavily forested hills of Mount Mary and Pali Hill. We explored and learnt more during our walk.
Lands End
The hill was granted to Byramjee Jeejeebhoy who built his house at the top in the mid-19th century. Today, the ruins of the stone walls and steps are quite noticeable.
Castella de Aguada
Also known as Fort of the Water Point, this fort was mostly used to supply fresh water to replenish ships that docked in the area. The interesting bit, however, is that the entire coastal stretch is laden with fresh water springs, which washermen (dhobis) use to wash clothes. Post 1661, when the British took the islands of Bombay to the south of Bandra, the fort assumed strategic importance, facing Worli and Mahim forts on the other side of the creek, which were owned by the British.
Bandstand
Did you know that the well-known Bandstand is actually called B. J. Road? It was named such in reverence to Byramjee Jeejeebhoy, who built the road connecting Lands End to St. Andrews, the oldest church in Bandra.
Ranwar
Ranwar was named Ran-wadi, which signified large rice plantations. It was occupied by the Kunbi community that was involved in cultivation. The village square, in the heart of Ranwar, was used for social gatherings. The houses located around the square are close to each other, however, what is unique is that the windows of all houses are positioned in such a way that no window faces a house, for privacy reasons.
Veronica Road
The road is so called because every year on Good Friday, the passion of Christ is enacted at St. Andrew’s Church and Veronica, who is an important character in the Bible, is dressed on this street and taken to the church.
Mount Mary Basilica and the Bandra Causeway
The Mount Mary Basilica was founded in 1570 as a private oratory for the Jesuits. The wooden statue in the church was brought from Portugal. One popular story associated with the statue is that after the Arabs attacked the church, they cut off the right arm of the statue, which holding a precious gilt. So, if you look closely now, in order to cover up the severed arm, the statue of Baby Jesus is placed over it. Unlike popular Mary and Baby Jesus statues where Mary is holding the baby in her left arm, the one at Mt. Mary’s shows quite the opposite.
During the Bandra Fair, you’d observe that people from different faiths pay a visit to Mt. Mary’s. Noticing how devoted the pilgrims were, Lady Jamshedji built what is now the Bandra Causeway in 1845, to make it easier for pilgrims to reach the Basilica on the mount.