A,B,C,D Roads and other surroundings around Churchgate

The most impressive building in Churchgate area is the Western Railway Head Quarters. The Britishers’ foresight in providing a grand architectural design was admirable. Had a river like the Yamuna been flowing next to it and a large open space with manicured lawns surrounded it, this building would certainly have been a major tourist attraction of national importance.

 As against this, our own government authorities showed  devil may care attitude of “Mumbaikars deserve nothing better than just a large matchbox like structure for the redeveloped Churchgate Station building. “The Times of India” heavily criticized it the day it was inaugurated.

Right behind the WR HQ is the Cross Maidan. One of the most remembered  exhibitions held there was the film industry’s exhibition in early sixties. The R K Films’ pavilion was, by far, the most impressive. It was a circular stall, with a tall replica of Eiffel Tower on top of it. It was to herald the impending release of “Sangam”. Inside the stall, an eye catching portrait of Raj Kapoor, dressed in  a  smart air force uniform, was the centre of attraction.

The Churchgate end of Cross Maidan had two places of diametrically opposite cultures. A  restaurant “Anna Purna”, run by a women’s cooperative offered local varieties at rock bottom rates.  A huge contrast to this was the up market “Blue Nile” restaurant. It came to life after 10’o clock, with belly dancing. Self proclaimed guardians of the city’s culture had not yet learnt to  make noises.

The other end of the Maidan has the famous Parsi well, which is a testimony to the contribution of Parsis to the city. The other well known nearby well, is adjoining the High Court’s compound wall. I knew some elite families who got their drinking water from there every day, by  sending their chauffeur driven cars.

The Eros Cinema building, built in Art Deco style, is a star attraction of the area. Its “catchment area” covers no less than seven collages.  Students, including couples, found it an ideal place to spend three hours in comfort and privacy. Proudly showing a self promotional clip “House of Hits” at the beginning of each show, it enjoys a vantage location. Apart from the cinema theatre, its Sundance Café, with opening on the Oval Maidan side, was a rage among  collegians.

The roads on the Marine Drive side of Churchgate Station building are named as A,B,C & D.  (Today’s generation is more familiar with KBC than ABC ! )

One of the most illustrious couples staying (on C Road) was the world famous cartoonist with “The  Times of India” Mr R K Laxman and his danseuse wife Kamala Laxman. His cartoons, ever since early 50s, were a prime attraction and staple food for our family’s breakfast !

Three major colleges are located on these roads. Government Law College has given eminent lawyers like Nani Palkhiwala and Ram Jethmalani. Supreme Court and High Court judges, including Sujata Manohar, have come from this Alma Matre.

Many past students of Sydenham College run business empires. K C College, though not on these roads but still nearby,  has given the first super star to the country: Rajesh Khanna. Incidentally we got married in the K C College hall but my wife still feels that it was only the second best thing to have happened there, the first being Rajesh Khanna coming out of that college !

Jai Hind College, which was  fairly new when I sought admission to a science college, was ruled out and I joined Elphinstone College.  A friend of mine, however, joined Jai Hind College and it gave me opportunities to keep visiting it, for meeting him. His hostel was on the adjacent road.

It  had a good auditorium, which hosted excellent dramas of Indian National Theatre (INT).  Pravin Joshi, nis wife Sarita  and brother Arvind have given “Mograna Saap” and many other memorable dramas there.

While visiting Jai Hind College, one would find many pretty girls sitting on its steps. A daughter of the pioneer of the cooperative societies’ movement for residential buildings in Mumbai was one of them. She was aiming to get an admission to medicine. When she found, however, that she had not done too well in her exams, she committed suicide.

The college’s foyer looked more like a ramp at a beauty contest. One of the girls, who was strikingly beautiful, attracted every boy’s attention. Every boy nursed a secret desire to marry her. If not her, at least her look alike – more or less.“More” was not possible, it had to be, therefore, less but still somewhat similar to her. 

Two years later, we saw her in posters of “Love in Simla”.. She was none other than Sadhana.

Three years later, my desire to see her again personally was fulfilled, that too in my college. When we came out after giving our last paper in our engineering college (VJTI), we saw the staircase of the college “converted” to that in a “medical” college! Boys and girls wearing white coats and stethoscopes around their necks were moving up and down.

Bimal Roy’s Prem Patra” was being shot. Its crucial scene, in which Shashi Kapoor and Sadhana cross each other on a staircase, was shot in our presence.