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Maximum City, maximum art

The denizens of Mumbai have always been in the forefront of heritage conservation in their own myriad ways.

Maximum City, maximum art

Celebrate culture: Kala Ghoda building is popular for hosting the cultural festival after its name photos by the writer



Kavita Kanan Chandra 

The denizens of Mumbai have always been in the forefront of heritage conservation in their own myriad ways. Be it organising cultural festivals in the heritage precincts of the erstwhile Bombay, or architects working relentlessly towards the restoration of monuments of significance, or heritage enthusiasts leading heritage walks to create awareness, those who can, have always strived for the upkeep of heritage. And then there are professionals who have painstakingly researched and documented the architectural elegance of the vintage structures, citizen groups and owners of crumbling buildings, who  try to strengthen and restore them against all odds. The international recognition for Mumbai’s heritage is a reward for their efforts. 

Citizens take charge

The urban conservationists and citizen groups took up the cause of securing the dilapidated heritage of the metropolis. A lot of credit goes to conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, who had meticulously prepared the heritage dossier and had first mooted the idea some 14 years ago at a Unesco meet in Chandigarh. With support from the Maharashtra Government, Urban Development Department and various citizen associations, Mumbai got the recognition it deserved.

As it happened  

On June 30, at Manama in Bahrain, the Unesco declared the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles of Mumbai as the Unesco world heritage site. The entire stretch from the coastline of Marine Drive and Churchgate to the Fort precincts could well be an ‘architectural district,’ with the green expanse of Oval Maidan adding to the vintage beauties. The once-fortified trading post of the British colony had transformed into a bustling global trading centre that prompted ambitious urban planning projects. The old Fort walls came down as new constructions began 1860 onwards.

The second half of the 19th century saw the construction of buildings in Victorian Gothic, Neo-classical and Indo-Saracenic styles by the British. However, the early 20th-century construction of Art Deco buildings, stretching from one side of the Oval Maidan opposite Victorian structures to the entire curve of Marine Drive, was mostly designed, financed and built by aspirational Indians, who  wanted to imbibe this new style adopted in the coastal cities of Miami and Havana.  

Atul Kumar, founder of Art Deco Mumbai and a heritage conservationist, has, for the first time, brought a repository of research and well-documented facts on Art Deco buildings of Mumbai online for everyone to see. With the largest number of Art Deco buildings after Miami, the website not only has facades of monuments, but also beautiful pictures of staircases, window grills, doors, flooring....      

According to the Unesco website, the Victorian ensemble includes Indian elements like balconies and verandahs, suited to the local climate. Similarly, the Art Deco buildings blend Indian designs with Art Deco imagery, creating the unique Indo-Deco style. “These two ensembles bear testimony to the phases of modernisation that Mumbai underwent in the course of the 19th and 20th centuries,” the website mentions.

Why the recognition matters

It was also the first time in India that Unesco recognised relatively modern architecture in contrast to the ancient and medieval ones. These heritage structures are still in use as centres of learning. They are also used for residential, commercial and government purpose. The Unesco acknowledgement can catapult Mumbai to the global map. It has always been the financial capital of India, but now it would also be a cultural hub. This would give a huge boost to the decrepit structures falling apart for lack of funds. The status would ease funding, both from national and international sources.

For most of the 96 heritage buildings, spread over 163 acres in and around Oval Maidan, the silent sentinels of the everchanging city have something to rejoice. Anyone who has attended the annual Kala Ghoda festival, a must on the cultural calendar of Mumbai art and heritage enthusiasts, would know how the revellers lift the spirits of the Rampart Row, the venue. The surrounding architecture in Victoria Neo-Gothic and Indo-Saracenic styles is a visual treat.  Brinda Miller, director of KGAF, points out that whatever money they generate from various art stalls goes into the restoration of these structures, which now have the privilege to be on the list. 

Structures of prestige 

The David Sassoon Library in yellow malad stone was built by a Baghdadi Jewish philanthropist Albert Sassoon and designed by architects J Campbell and GE Gosling in 1870. In the vicinity stands the grand Elphinstone College, Army and Navy buildings and the famous Watson Hotel that is a far cry from its grandeur of yore. Also known as the Esplanade Mansion, it is the oldest surviving cast-iron building in India. Named after the owner John Watson, the building was designed in England and constructed at Kala Ghoda in 1863.  

“Unesco recognition will ensure preservation and protection of this precinct, which would have faded away,” says Viraat Kasliwal, founder of Raconteur Walks that covers all heritage structures on its heritage walks. One of the Art Deco residential buildings along Marine Drive is Soona Mahal, preserved by its third-generation owner, Mehernosh Sidhwa. When there was Backbay reclamation of land on Marine Drive, many wealthy citizens constructed Art Deco residences there and Kawasji Sidhwa, Mehernosh’s grandfather was one. In all, 35 buildings around Marine Drive and 41 towards Oval Maidan are on the list. 

A role to play

The Indian Institute of Architects founded in 1929 had a role in promoting the movement in 1937.  As Mumbai became a major commercial centre, it attracted migrants from all parts of India and the demand for housing rose. Land reclamation, aspirations of educated Indians, anti-British sentiment and the exposure to the West, where Art Deco aesthetics were in vogue, prompted many native architects to follow the style that first got recognition in Paris. Viraat adds: “Art Deco was more than a fashionable statement. It was a sum of various factors. It was different from the British Victorian Gothic architecture.”

The Art Deco buildings are mostly residential, besides offices, hotels, iconic movie theatres and the Cricket Club of India. Eros Cinema in Oval Maidan and Regal in Colaba still make older Mumbaikars nostalgic. Regal was the first Art Deco building with air conditioning and underground parking. Eros’ architect Sohrabji Bhedwar built a classic façade of the theatre. The Art Deco pioneers were   believed to be Indian architects like GB Mhatre, Master Sathe and Bhuta, Bhedwar & Bhedwar, Merwanji Bana & Company among others.

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