Bombay

Mallet Ferry Wharf

Mallet Ferry Wharf! I visited the place. It is a ferry terminus and fish trawlers unloading port in Bombay. Whole area smells of fish even from a distance. Hundreds of fish traders stand on the platform and fish baskets are conveyed to top from boats by ropes and mesh nets. There are mounds of fish of every kind. Every single inch is covered with sea  fish. There are porters towing it away on the carts. Water drips from the  baskets made of the bamboo carrying the fish. Trucks and tempos  are loaded with the fish for taking it to the different… Read More »Mallet Ferry Wharf

Boabdil: The Unfortunate: El Zogoybi

Boabdil is a Spanish corruption of the name Abu Abduallah. He was the last king of Nasrid rulers of Granada. He was also called El Chico, meaning the little, or El Zogoybi, the unfortunate. Zogoybi is the name of the protagonist of the book “The Moors Last Sigh” written by Salman Rushdie. The Moors are Muslims belonging to Spain. Complete name of Boabdil was Abu ‘abd-Allah Muhammad XII. He tried to gain prestige by invading Castile but was defeated and taken prisoner and was freed only in lieu of surrendering Granada to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Castile. The… Read More »Boabdil: The Unfortunate: El Zogoybi

Sense of Ennui

Our colony is very big in comparison to most colonies in Bombay. It is spread over an area which has circumference of about 3 kilometers. There are 1400 flats. Once upon a time this colony was bustling with people. But after the 2005 floods decadence has set in. An exodus ensued and people began to leave the colony and shifting to nearby Kharghar area. As the number of residents dwindled the administration became slack and maintenance suffered greatly. Presently the colony seems to be ghostly place after the dusk. Only about 50% flats may be occupied. Number of security guards… Read More »Sense of Ennui

Bombay Duck is not a duck!!

Guess what is Bombay duck?  Any normal person will think that it must be a duck living in the water bodies around Bombay. There is a surprise. It is a fish!!! In fact Bombay duck or Bummalo is a fish belonging to lizardfish family. In the areas around Mumbai and Konkan, this fish is found in plenty in the Arabian sea and is very popular among the fish eating people. The fish is often dried and salted before it is consumed. Generally it is consumed in the fried and curry forms. After drying, the odour of the fish is extremely… Read More »Bombay Duck is not a duck!!

Monsoon in Mumbai

Indian continent experiences a number of weathers. Even there are vast differences in the weather along the length and breadth of India. Unlike Europe, the weather changes are rapid and during the year one can experience biting cold and searing heat at one place. This is particularly true in the Northern plains. The weather along the sea coast remains humid and moderate. During summers, the humidity and heat becomes unbearable.  In Bombay, everyone prays the rain gods for being benign and lash the city with rains to cool the heat and bring succor to people, animals and trees. The hot… Read More »Monsoon in Mumbai

Description of Early Bombay nee’ Mumbai

This information is given about Bombay in the Imperial Gazetteer during the period 1908 to 1930. During this period a frenzied activity was taking place resulting in the development of a city which is nowadays known as the commercial capital of India. In the historical context, originally Bombay formed the outer portion of the Kingdom Aparanta or North Konkan and was ruled by King Asoka. He was succeeded by Satavahanas, who ruled this area in the second century AD. After this the succession of rules belonging to Mauriya, Chaulakyas and Rashtrakutas. The original inhabitants of the place are Kolis which… Read More »Description of Early Bombay nee’ Mumbai

Some Facts About Bombay

The year 1840 marked the year of progress and prosperity. Great Indian Peninsular Railway completed first sod work in 1850 and completed the rails laying work in 1853. First bank of Bombay was opened in 1840. First tramway was opened in 1860 in Colaba. In 1857 first spinning and weaving mill started to work. In 1869, the Crawfors Market was thrown open to public. Tulsi water works were completed in 1879, Powai water works in 1889 and Tansa in 1891-92. Between 1860 to 1890 great influx of migrant labours took place and was held mainly responsible for city congestion and… Read More »Some Facts About Bombay