Rudyard Kipling’s childhood home in Mumbai may get reading club for kids

Located on campus of JJ School of Art at Fort, the bungalow is being restored by state’s directorate of archeology and museums

If all goes as per plan chalked out by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC), then the city may an outdoor winter book reading club outside Rudyard Kipling’s childhood home at Fort.

Rudyard Kipling's bungalow at Fort. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT)

The bungalow, located on campus of JJ School of Art at Fort, is being restored by state’s directorate of archeology and museums (DAM). Once ready, BMC aims to start several tourist attractions around the bungalow, including souvenir shops, books stores and an outdoor reading centre for children.

Additional municipal commissioner IA Kundan, who conceptualised the book club, said, “We approached the authorities restoring the bungalow, so that we can set up reading club once their work is done. We will not touch the main building, which is a heritage structure. The book club, art sessions and souvenir shops will organised outside the bungalow.”

BMC is plans to rope in students from the JJ School of Art to help draft blueprints. Souvenirs such as fridge magnets, key-chains, miniatures of characters from Kipling’s books will be on sale.

Kundan said, “While the aim is to attract tourists, we mainly want to pay tribute to Rudyard Kipling. His books fascinate children. Book reading sessions can happen on weekends in the gardens outside the bungalow. We may host other events such as painting sessions as well.”

An official from DAM said, “This is a good idea. But the final decision to allow anything on a property that is now in state’s custody remains with the director.”