Bombay, is currently, at a standstill thanks to the continuous rain and the consequent deluge. Can't the Bombayites hope for better things? Why hasn't its infrastructure improved over the years? India's 'financial capital' always comes to a standstill on similar occasions! And they say that the Bombayites are resilient as if it were of some comfort.
Its History.
A group of seven islands comprising Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, Matunga-Sion formed a part of the kingdom of Ashoka the Great of Magadh, ironically in north India! These islands passed through many hands - the Sultans of Gujarat, the Portuguese and the British. And every ruler left behind proof of residence in Bombay.
The Mauryans left behind the Kanheri, Mahakali and the caves of Gharapuri more popularly called Elephanta. The Sultans of Gujarat built the the dargahs at Mahim and Haji Ali. The Portuguese built the two Portuguese churches, one at Prabhadevi and the other, St Andrews at Bandra. They also built forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra and Bassein(Today's Vasai). The Portuguese named the group of 7 islands 'Bom Baia' meaning, Good Bay. The British built a city out of the 7 islands and called her Bombay.
The original settlers of the 7 islands, the Koli fishermen, worshipped Mumba Devi, her temple still stands at Babulnath near Chowpatty! The Kolis called the island Mumbai, 'Mumba, Mother Goddess!'
In 1662, King Charles II of England married the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza and received the seven islands of Bom Baia as part of his dowry. 6 years later, the British Crown leased the 7 islands to the British East India Company for a sum of 10 pounds, in gold, per annum. It was under the British East India Company that the future megapolis began to take shape. After the first War of Independence in 1857, Bombay once again became a colony of the British Empire.
The first Parsi settler came to Bombay in 1640 and he was none other than, Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel!
In 1689-90, a severe plague epidemic broke out in Bombay and most of the European settlers succumbed to it.
The Siddi of Janjira attacked in full force. Rustomji Dorabji Patel, a trader and the son of the city's first Parsi settler, successfully defeated the Siddi with the help of the Kolis and saved Bombay.
General Aungier, the Governor of Bombay, built the Bombay Castle, an area that is even today referred to as Fort! He also constituted the Courts of Law. He brought Gujarati traders, Parsi shipbuilders, Muslim and Hindu manufacturers from the mainland and settled them in Bombay. It was during a period of 4 decades that the city of Bombay took shape. Reclamation was done to plug the breach at Worli and Mahalakshmi and Hornby Vellard was built in 1784. The Sion Causeway, connecting Bombay to Salsette, was built in 1803. The Colaba Causeway, connecting Colaba island to Bombay was built in 1838.
A causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was built in 1845. Lady Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, the wife of the First Baronet Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy donated Rs.1,57,000/- to meet the construction costs of the Causeway. She donated Rs.1,00,000/- at first. When the project costs escalated and money ran out half way through, she donated Rs.57,000/- to ensure that the vital Causeway was completed. She also stipulated that no toll would ever be charged for those using the Causeway! Today, Bombayites have to pay Rs.75/- to use the Bandra-Worli Sealink, connecting almost the same two islands!!
The shipbuilding Wadia family of Surat was brought to Bombay by the British. Jamshedji Wadia founded the Bombay Port Trust and built the Princess Docks in 1885 and the Victoria and the Mereweather Drydocks in 1891. Alexandra Docks were built in 1914.
A Gujarati civil engineer supervised the building of the Gateway of India.
The Tatas made Bombay their headquarters and gave it the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel and India's first civilian airlines, Air India.
The Godrejs gave India its first vegetarian soap.
Cowasji Nanabhai Daver established Bombay's first cotton mill, 'The Bombay Spinning Mills' in 1854. By 1915, there were 83 textile mills in Bombay, largely owned by Indians.
This brought about a financial boom in Bombay. Although the mills were owned by the Gujaratis, Kutchis, Parsis and Marwaris, the workforce was, essentially, migrant Maharashtrians from rural Maharashtra.
Premchand Roychand, a prosperous Gujarati broker, donated Rs.2,00,000/- to build the Rajabai Tower in 1878!
Muslim, Sindhi and Punjabi migrants have also contributed handsomely to Bombay.
Apart from its original inhabitants, the Kolis, everyone else in Bombay, are immigrants!
Tailpiece.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has come up with the preposterous idea of setting up Sharia courts in all the districts of the country. This has to be nipped at the bud simply because the Indian Judiciary is dynamic, strong and people friendly and have been providing justice to the Indians, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Just as the 'khap panchayats' of certain north Indian states have been put in their place, there's no question of setting up an alternate justice delivering system in this secular country.
Its History.
A group of seven islands comprising Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, Matunga-Sion formed a part of the kingdom of Ashoka the Great of Magadh, ironically in north India! These islands passed through many hands - the Sultans of Gujarat, the Portuguese and the British. And every ruler left behind proof of residence in Bombay.
The Mauryans left behind the Kanheri, Mahakali and the caves of Gharapuri more popularly called Elephanta. The Sultans of Gujarat built the the dargahs at Mahim and Haji Ali. The Portuguese built the two Portuguese churches, one at Prabhadevi and the other, St Andrews at Bandra. They also built forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra and Bassein(Today's Vasai). The Portuguese named the group of 7 islands 'Bom Baia' meaning, Good Bay. The British built a city out of the 7 islands and called her Bombay.
The original settlers of the 7 islands, the Koli fishermen, worshipped Mumba Devi, her temple still stands at Babulnath near Chowpatty! The Kolis called the island Mumbai, 'Mumba, Mother Goddess!'
In 1662, King Charles II of England married the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza and received the seven islands of Bom Baia as part of his dowry. 6 years later, the British Crown leased the 7 islands to the British East India Company for a sum of 10 pounds, in gold, per annum. It was under the British East India Company that the future megapolis began to take shape. After the first War of Independence in 1857, Bombay once again became a colony of the British Empire.
The first Parsi settler came to Bombay in 1640 and he was none other than, Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel!
In 1689-90, a severe plague epidemic broke out in Bombay and most of the European settlers succumbed to it.
The Siddi of Janjira attacked in full force. Rustomji Dorabji Patel, a trader and the son of the city's first Parsi settler, successfully defeated the Siddi with the help of the Kolis and saved Bombay.
General Aungier, the Governor of Bombay, built the Bombay Castle, an area that is even today referred to as Fort! He also constituted the Courts of Law. He brought Gujarati traders, Parsi shipbuilders, Muslim and Hindu manufacturers from the mainland and settled them in Bombay. It was during a period of 4 decades that the city of Bombay took shape. Reclamation was done to plug the breach at Worli and Mahalakshmi and Hornby Vellard was built in 1784. The Sion Causeway, connecting Bombay to Salsette, was built in 1803. The Colaba Causeway, connecting Colaba island to Bombay was built in 1838.
A causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was built in 1845. Lady Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, the wife of the First Baronet Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy donated Rs.1,57,000/- to meet the construction costs of the Causeway. She donated Rs.1,00,000/- at first. When the project costs escalated and money ran out half way through, she donated Rs.57,000/- to ensure that the vital Causeway was completed. She also stipulated that no toll would ever be charged for those using the Causeway! Today, Bombayites have to pay Rs.75/- to use the Bandra-Worli Sealink, connecting almost the same two islands!!
The shipbuilding Wadia family of Surat was brought to Bombay by the British. Jamshedji Wadia founded the Bombay Port Trust and built the Princess Docks in 1885 and the Victoria and the Mereweather Drydocks in 1891. Alexandra Docks were built in 1914.
A Gujarati civil engineer supervised the building of the Gateway of India.
The Tatas made Bombay their headquarters and gave it the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel and India's first civilian airlines, Air India.
The Godrejs gave India its first vegetarian soap.
Cowasji Nanabhai Daver established Bombay's first cotton mill, 'The Bombay Spinning Mills' in 1854. By 1915, there were 83 textile mills in Bombay, largely owned by Indians.
This brought about a financial boom in Bombay. Although the mills were owned by the Gujaratis, Kutchis, Parsis and Marwaris, the workforce was, essentially, migrant Maharashtrians from rural Maharashtra.
Premchand Roychand, a prosperous Gujarati broker, donated Rs.2,00,000/- to build the Rajabai Tower in 1878!
Muslim, Sindhi and Punjabi migrants have also contributed handsomely to Bombay.
Apart from its original inhabitants, the Kolis, everyone else in Bombay, are immigrants!
Tailpiece.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has come up with the preposterous idea of setting up Sharia courts in all the districts of the country. This has to be nipped at the bud simply because the Indian Judiciary is dynamic, strong and people friendly and have been providing justice to the Indians, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Just as the 'khap panchayats' of certain north Indian states have been put in their place, there's no question of setting up an alternate justice delivering system in this secular country.
No comments:
Post a Comment