As I retrace Mumbai...

Retracing one’s steps is like going backward on a Time Machine. It evokes fond memories of the past. I cherish such memories of Mumbai and wish to share these with those who love this city.

I grew up in and with this charming city, from early forties. Many others like me, as well as those who have an emotional bonding with  this fabulous  city, may wish to read about how this city has witnessed exciting moments and also been privileged to witness eminent personalities growing in stature.  Apart from me, who learned to walk and talk in this city, there are many others who reached Mumbai midstream in their life and started loving it. Then there are still others who belong somewhere else and keep coming back to Mumbai again and again, out of their sheer love for Mumbai. Even for those who, for some reason, cannot return to the city, their heart is still in Mumbai.


They all are invited, through this blog, to share my treasure of fond memories, less known bits of interesting information and a small part of history, as it is known to me.


I have chosen to cover this canvas, which is too large to do justice in one stretch, over a series of write ups. I intend to write twice or thrice a month and go on, till I exhaust my treasure trove.


Interested readers are, of course, welcome to open and join in a dialogue and may even contribute, to add what I may be missing out on and thus enrich the exercise of retracing Mumbai.


Retracing Mumbai is fascinating when looking at its roads, streets, chowks and places, taking one at a time. Each of these has seen famous personalities and memorable events. I have been a witness to many of these. Also, rare information has filtered in from various credible sources. This way, I expect that, apart from famous landmarks like Kala Ghoda, even obscure names like Tukaram Javji Road would come alive. After all, roads and streets are akin to arteries and veins. They come alive only when memories and blood flow in them respectively. Hence this retracing will not remain merely recounting interesting events and impressive personalities linked to places in Mumbai. It will, instead, bring up flashbacks, just as Gulzar Sahab weaves narration of stories in his films.