Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Looking back, going forward

The buzz had been growing for weeks: Girgaum’s Khotachiwadi, one of the city’s oldest and most cherished neighbourhoods, known for its charming Portuguese-style architecture and quaint walkaways, -would be opening its doors, after a long, pandemic-induced hiatus, to the public for an open house weekend, with a rich line up of cultural, gastronomic and lifestyle offerings earlier this month

The buzz had been growing for weeks: Girgaum’s Khotachiwadi, one of the city’s oldest and most cherished neighbourhoods, known for its charming Portuguese-style architecture and quaint walkaways, -would be opening its doors, after a long, pandemic-induced hiatus, to the public for an open house weekend, with a rich line up of cultural, gastronomic and lifestyle offerings earlier this month.

Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Looking back, going forward

This included the launch of a new and first-of-its-kind gallery ‘47-A’, dedicated to showcasing contemporary and historical design practices, by gallerists Chatterjee and Lal and Srila Chatterjee of Baro Market; a showing of his newest work by renowned artist Jahangir Asgar Jani; an exhibition of bespoke designer jewels by Taara by Sangeeta Khanna; a pop-up by an organic sustainable Maharashtrian food brand, another, organised by a women’s NGO, an east Indian food pop-up café and a showing of a handful of talented young designers amongst others.

And the man behind this resurgence was none other than the designer, aesthete and urban activist James Ferreira, a long-time resident of Khotachiwadi, whose impassioned, decades-long crusade to preserve his neighbourhood’s heritage and ward off the threat of mindless urbanisation and gentrification has been nothing short of heroic.

With such a formidable assemblage of cultural, design and foodie attractions, it was no surprise that for the city’s design enthusiasts, gastronomes, culture vultures and conservationists - all roads would lead to Khotachiwadi, that weekend.

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One of the staples on the city tourist map, Khotachiwadi founded in the 18th century has always held a special place in Mumbai’s heart. Originally boasting a cluster of 65 cottages (there are said to be less than 28 now) the neighbourhood with its Portuguese styled homes featuring intricate column designs, arched doorways and sunny verandahs and its narrow winding lanes and pretty chapel, not to forget the aroma of Konkan and Goan meals being prepared in old-style kitchens, has come to represent a more graceful time in the city’s life.

But given that it is located in the very heart of South Mumbai, not even a few kilometres away from some of its most valuable pieces of real estate, it is no surprise that the hamlet has long-faced an existential threat having been the apple of many a builder and an urban developer’s eye. It hasn’t helped either that many of its original residents have passed on, or migrated abroad, leaving titles in the hands of more practical descendants who would prefer to unlock the neighbourhood’s vast economic potential with the construction of high rises, rather than hang on to homes which require considerable maintenance and care. In this regard, Ferreira’s role in trying to protect the area from rampant urbanisation has been an uphill battle.

After much lobbying, the area had been declared a protected historical precinct in 1995, only to be reversed in 2006 – a decision met with much opposition from residents, conservationists and the culturati, for whom the hamlet represented a living testimony to its old glory and charm.

No surprises then that the neighbourhood’s recently held open house earlier this month elicited such favourable response and was witness to so much enthusiasm and footfall. It heralded good tidings for Khotachiwadi and the city.

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Arriving early on Sunday evening, my first stop at Khotachiwadi is on the first floor of Ferreira’s sumptuous bungalow, where Jani’s exhibition ‘ Rhythm And Echoes Of Childhood’ consisting of six new sculptures is being held. A deeply thoughtful artist who has eschewed the media circus, to produce works of startling depth and intensity, I am fortunate to join a group of artists and art lovers as Jani walks us through the exhibition, explaining the processes and thoughts that have gone in to its making. “ I am trying to arrive at some clarity by iterating the memory with the multiples of what looks like the same work.” He tells us. ‘Each element echoes an altered sound, tantalizingly close to establishing a meaning and yet defying definition.” With titles like ‘YOU LEFT SO SOON ALEX’ (A tribute to the late Alexander McQueen) and A Matter of Pride, the sculptures are striking for their aesthetic appeal and dark subversive humour.

Next stop is to 47 A, where a carefully documented tribute to India’s contemporary design history (featuring such icons as the Sarabhais, Charles Eames’ Indian tryst, Pupul Jayakar and Mitter Bedi) is underway. “It’s a dream come true to add a new dimension to this city’s cultural landscape.” Srila tells me. “ We are lucky to have the gallery located on the ground floor of the beautiful Crasto bungalow in this heritage precinct.”

My next stop is at Taara by Sangeeta Khanna, where a king’s ransom of handmade necklaces, earrings, bracelets, bangles, maangtikas are on display. Khanna their creator is one of the city’s most celebrated design mavens and also happens to be Ferreira’s muse. But before that there’s been a pit stop at the mother and son manned counter selling hot dogs and burgers by restaurateurs and artisinal food producers Meenu and Kaviraj Thadani, whose delicious fare has attracted a throng of salivating foodies.

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Imagine spending a Sunday evening in the heart of one of Mumbai’s oldest neighbourhoods amidst a festival of design, food, art, fashion and friends; imagine walking in and out of heritage homes which welcome all who enter, be they strangers or friends, with no thought of security or pilferage -just like in the good old days. Imagine the privilege of standing outdoors in an amiable queue, awaiting your hot dog while conversing with its maker, a graduate of a celebrated Swiss gourmet establishment!

Imagine experiencing a sense of community and conservation at a time when you’d almost given up on both. For those who managed to catch Khotachiwadi delightful Open House earlier this month, it was a rare pleasure, a promise of a newly resurgent city, offering a multitude of attractions, a much-needed respite from the barren days of the pandemic.

I do not know if the Khotachiwadi open house weekend is here to stay. But going by the enthusiastic footfall it attracted and the celebration and community spirit it evoked, it appears to be an idea whose time has come. A reminder of all that is good and great in Mumbai, of preserving the old while celebrating the new.