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The jinx of Grand Paradi
What is it about Grand Paradi that prompts many of its residents to jump to their death?, writes Anjali Doshi.
The three 28-storeyed pista green-and-white towers stand out prominently amid a crop of less imposing buildings in the South Mumbai skyline-a landmark most Mumbaikars would instantly recognise. But behind the façade of one of the city's swankiest residential addresses lies a sordid saga of suicides.
What is it about Grand Paradi that prompts many of its residents to jump to their death?
While Charisma Kadakia, 25, a resident of Grand Paradi, jumped to her death from her boyfriend's building in Teen Batti, Walkeshwar, on Saturday, roughly two kilometres from the three towers. There has been a spate of suicides by Grand Paradi residents in the building itself in the past eight-10 years. As many as seven suicides in the last decade have left the residents reeling in shock-at least 10 residents Hindustan Times contacted refused to discuss Kadakia's suicide or any of the earlier suicides.
But the residents clearly believe there is a problem: after a triple suicide last year, the Grand Paradi Co-operative Housing Society sought a counselling session from Counselling and Suicide Prevention Centre (CASP), attended by over 100 residents.
Built in 1975, the three towers at Kemps Corner offer one of the most spectacular views of the city. For long considered one of Mumbai's most coveted addresses - a flat here is valued at Rs 40,000 a square foot - Grand Paradi is home to several diamond merchants and Gujarati, Marwari and Sindhi businessmen. An apartment in Grand Paradi is indicative of enviable wealth and status.
Not surprising then that financial reasons have led to most of the suicides: whether it was Charisma's wealthy family who allegedly disapproved of her relationship with a boy who was not of the same financial standing, or the Dalals where a long standing dispute over the flat valued at Rs 3 crore ended in three generations of the family jumping off the balcony.
First, Vasadeo and Tara Dalal ended their lives following harassment from their son and daughter-in-law Balkrishna (48) and Sonal (45) on June 14, 1998. The duo was arrested on charges of abetment on the basis of the suicide note left behind by their in-laws claiming they were "fed up" because of sustained harassment from Balkrishna and Sonal.
On the day of the verdict, seven years later, on March 28, 2005, fearing conviction, Balkrishna, Sonal and their 19-year-old daughter Pooja jumped off the balcony of the eighth-floor apartment.
It was after the suicides in March 2005 that the housing society sought professional counselling. "They were worried about the spate of suicides," Garge Ursekar, a counsellor with CASP, told HT. "They were planning to set up a counselling cell." While nearly 100 residents attended the interactive discussion held on the society's plush lawns, the cell was never set up.
A resident of Mont Blanc, a 29-storey building that shares a driveway with Grand Paradi, told HT, "Nobody can quite understand what has driven so many people in Grand Paradi to commit suicide."
It is a question that perhaps even Grand Paradi residents can't answer.
» June 14, 1998: Senior citizens Vasudeo and Tara Dalal jumped of the balcony of their eighth floor apartment flowing harassment from their son Balkrishna (48) and daughter-in-law Sonal (45).
» March 28, 2005: Fearing conviction for the suicides of Vasudeo and Tara, Balkrishna and Sonal jumped off the balcony with their 19-year-old daughter Pooja on the day of the verdict.
» April 26, 2001: Narayan Ramchander (36), a domestic servant in the building, threatened to jump off the parapet of the 19th floor apartment in a 10-hour suicide drama after he was accused of stealing by his employers.
» Mr Jain, an employee with a brewery company, in his early forties committed suicide, some time in 2000.