Khotachiwadi a Fragile Sliver of Lost Heritage, Khotachiwadi Is a Tiny Portuguese Village Tucked Away Into the Back Lanes of Girgaum, in the Heart of South Mumbai

travel BLEISURE

Preserving Goan heritage in Mumbai Khotachiwadi A fragile sliver of lost heritage, Khotachiwadi is a tiny Portuguese village tucked away into the back lanes of Girgaum, in the heart of South Mumbai. To see is to believe!

words // Punita Malhotra

MAHARASHTRA Mumbai Imagesare for representationonly

Vistara | 26 | Feb 2019 I of EastIndian Christians. Sixty five (plantation orgarden) toabunch Waman Khotleasedthis than 100years ago, when Dadoba Remnants matchbox-Mumbai sprawl. incompatible withthesurrounding old Go but regular. It Except, thehousesare anything regular people livingregular lives. Just abunchofregular houseswith ahead. no magnificentmarvels from aregular iron pole. There are and-white signboard suspended navy-announces anon-descript ' ECHOES calm inthechaosofMumbai. asliceof villageoffering heritage to Khotachiwadi,aPortuguese on theconcrete outside. Welcome a fewmetr miraculousl that hassurvived shadows ofonesleepy settlement one stepsintothecomforting space seemslikeafantasy. Until where skyscrapers for struggle simple fishingvillages plantations, paddiesand lushrice woods, mango palm-fringed rich The existenceofalandwith morphed beyond recognition. centre ofbusiness seven islandstobuzzingnerve- reclamation. From archipelago of most incredible examplesofland andoneofthe British imperialism early Portuguese colonisation, spanning fascinating history Khotachiwadi Pin400004 There aretimber-framed frontporches,serenesit-outs and overhanging balconieswithtraditional external staircases. chaotic megapoliswitha never sleeps. Cosmopolitan, V powered financialcapital. ndia’s hyper-paced, high- ibrant, vivacious citythat a, minus thebeach OFAHERITAGE ofabygone era, more e s from racing vehicles ' s arefreshing whiffof , Mumbai has in acity wadi , ' starkly

y, just them there is stillanongoingthreat of today homesintheareaheritage have precious Konkan-Portuguese-style mind gettingtrapped in.Empty walkwaysonewouldn’tpedestrian This isoneweb ofnarrow Herita the Khotachiwadi Welfare and and isfiercely protected by of aGrade precinct IIIheritage has beenupholdingthelabel since 1995,theneighbourhood contagion. high-rise Thankfully, A lane full of Konkan-Portuguese-style heritage homes in Khotachiwadi beingswallowed upby the been reduced tojust28and ge Tru Vistara | Vistara st. 28 | Feb 2019| Feb BLEISURE travel

enhance theindividualfacades. wooden balustradesElegant to traditional staircases. external and overhanging balconieswith front porches, serene sit-outs h the love liesinthedetail. green and even radiant red. But blue, ochre, warm softpeach,lively show stealers of thebuildingsare clearlythe direction onelooks. The colours bungalows fillthegaze, inevery Nineteenth-century residential then, atawkward, obtuseangles. now every lanes criss-cross and and-painted gates, timber-framed — there’s cheerful There are

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HOW TO GET THERE Vistara has daily direct flights to Mumbai from Delhi, Amritsar and Goa, along with convenient connections from other cities.

Delicate cast-iron grills to add to the timeless beauty. And sloping red-tiled roofs, for that universal old-world charm. Artistic appeal spills from each element. Punita Malhotra

From the tiny green garden patches to the sunlight streaming into the dimly-lit interiors, everything A wall mural in Khotachiwadi with distinctive Portuguese art influences warrants a second glance. Black- and-white family photos adorn walls. Colonial furniture graces architecture influences living AGELESS FOREVER geometrical-tiled floors. Large style—this old adage comes true A hole-in-a-wall chapel with an creaky fans dangle from high right here in Khotachiwadi. In idol of crucified Christ makes a ceilings. Vintage lamps throw these neatly cobbled streets, statement of sorts in bright red. A shadows on tables and uncommon one senses an unfamiliar sense flamboyant graffiti on the outside curios crowd narrow shelves. Each of peace, so out-of-sync with wall, depicting Mary sitting on individual strand adds depth to the the mad rush beyond. A pink a lotus holding baby Jesus. The classic, quaint ensemble. shuttered balcony window peeks life-like facial glow, the intricately from behind a frothy palm and a painted mosaic-like garment, and FROZEN IN YESTERDAY bunch of fuchsia bougainvillaea a surreal halo make for an exquisite Houses, houses and more houses spills out uncontrollably. Bicycles, three-dimensional effect. And a to stare at. But one singularly scooters and motorcycles lean multi-hued background scattered noteworthy stop? The 200-year old against walls. Cats cross empty with light-as-feather flowers and 47G, home to celebrated fashion streets lazily in search of dark leaves creates a distinctive impact. designer and Khotachiwadi resting corners. Clean benches The little chapel and the wall graffiti crusader, James Ferreira. Hard wait in shadows. Tall trees speak fittingly sum up the character of to miss, hard to resist, part-art of bygone times when orchards this little Portuguese village. Ageless gallery, part-home with countless filled the area. Small shrines and and classic. In a city forever on the heirlooms and antique collectibles modest chapels stand side by run, Khotachiwadi has managed to wordlessly narrating the nuances side in harmony. This is where retain its unique character, nestled of the inimitable East Indian sleepy mornings trail into lazy in its own time warp. Hopefully that lifestyle. Added bonus? An upper- afternoons, and friendly evenings will remain unchanged for a long, floor vintage-styled bed and slip into peaceful nights. long time to come. breakfast, adorably tagged Brown Paper Bag. VISTARA QUIZ A REAL TIME WARP Question 2: What is the deepest point on Earth called? It's not just the houses, it's the Answers in the next issue of Vistara magazine. culture that is different too. Living style influences architecture and

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EXPLORE THE CITY The bustling cultural hub has many facets for travellers to explore

Head to Fort, a bustling cultural district. Start with the gothic masterpiece Chhatrapati Shivaji Escape to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Maharaj Terminus, walk across a green oasis nestled inside the metropolis the iconic Azad Maidan, dodging for a quick break. Its many attractions include the dozen or so cricket games on jungle jeep safaris, trekking and cycling routes, at all times, and visit the National adventurous prehistoric caves and a lake with Gallery of Modern Art, famous rent-a-boat options. for both art and architecture. VISIT Move on to Kala Ghoda and Book yourself a private yacht at Colaba and sail take a breather at one of the for a few hours in tranquility with the setting many cafes there. Shop here for sun casting the perfect golden glow over the clothes or collectibles or, if you're Gateway of India and the glittering Mumbai in the mood for some bargain skyline. book-hunting, head to Flora Fountain where book sellers stack Try Parsi delicacies like mountains of paperbacks. Akuri on toast (scrambled eggs), dhansak-rice Try restaurants on Linking Road for Egg (mutton and Benedict breakfasts and Singaporean crab lentils with and lobster lunches while a walk through caramelised the Bandra Kurla Complex will throw up rice), and patra many gourmet options from Greek, Italian, EAT macchi (fish in Thai and Cantonese. Wash it all down with banana leaves). fresh beer from the breweries here. Tickle your taste buds with Malvani favourites like Barlela pomfret, Bombil fish fry, oysters and mutton sukke (spicy mutton). The eponymous Kolhapuri mutton and prawn Koliwada are As fashion capital of India, Mumbai has perfect for those in the mood for red-hot food. its pulse on the latest flavour of the The Gujarati thaali with its wide array of palatable season. Head to Telon (Malabar Hill), vegetarian goodies is another option. Melange (Altamount Road) or Madison (Pedder Road) to get a lowdown on the latest fashion and accessory trends.

When travelling to the city of dreams, buying a Bollywood movie poster is a must. From authentic hand- SHOP painted classics to printed contemporary ones, Chor Bazaar has it all.

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