Remnants of an empire

 

Vasai...once a Portuguese stronghold...so many stories that the stones can tell...

St.Francis Church ...what a grand place that must have been ..till 1739 ...when Portugal lost this particular battle ...

Kings come and Kings go.

A walk in the 1800s...Khotachiwadi

 Once upon a time long long ago...Coconut groves. Well appointed bungalows where everyone knew their neighbors. Winding lanes. Fruit orchards...Banana...Guava and pomegranate....Papaya and chikoo. 

The village by the forest on a hill ...Girgaum...

Today, busy roads have replaced lanes. Tall cranes bring new residents to the area in ivory towers. Yet the names of the lanes live on...Kele vadi...Gai vadi... Amrud vadi...

Recently took a amble in the area with longtime resident Andre Baptista and Instucen looking at this living treasure, Khotachiwadi. 

The land partitioned from coconut groves and plots demarcated for homes...in the 1800's. 

Homes that were perfect for the weather...sloping roofs and teak beam construction that has lasted generations. Homes that could be added to as families grew.

Now blue metal sheets cordon off some areas. Khanderrao chawl is being replaced with a new tower. I hope someone captured the old way of living.

Andre Baptista's home is well appointed. Teak and Blackwood furniture in min condition ...yet, in everyday use. That's a fainting couch...a cleopatra. That's a teakwood cabinet. A planter's chair. Cared for, polished. Their forefathers would be pleased.

The fare is sumptuous, home made or locally made. Wafers from Ideal...the first ever wafer company in Mumbai. Nankhatai from a local baker. Scones and puffs. Delicate and delicious. 

Some homes are locked, the owners living elsewhere..but the exteriors shipshape.

Our walk takes us to a space reimagined as an art gallery. Beautifully appointed. Perfect setting for the exhibition on street scapes by Zainab Tambawala.

Someone switches on Xmas lights. We stop by and pay respects at the cross erected as Thanksgiving after the plague. A group of women had crawled on their knees all the way from Girgaum chowpatty to the cross, in eternal gratitude, Andre says. Suddenly it feels as though the plague happened not so long ago.

 My pre Holi dhamaal celebration!

 Huge huge platter silver moon this pre dawn...sudden change in birdsong..pitch change...fervent 

Shining serenity.... 

 Basant is here!

This beauty sang out...a song of such purity..such joy...

 Just this infinite largesse of colors....

 These two were the result of a boring zoom call.

Which I attended anyway. 

We are polite that way.

 a new year , or something like it