10/02/2007
Our Vanishing Heritage
‘SAVE KHOTACHIWADI FROM BUILDERS’
For almost seven decades, Lynette and Bosco Fernandes have led a charmed life, impervious to the cacophonic din of the busy Girgaum Road just metres away from their front door. To live in a sprawling cottage built almost 150 years ago in the heart of the city is something most Mumbaikars could only dream of.
Yet, on a cloudy Friday evening, Bosco, sitting in the large dinning room, ruefully declared, “Ten years from now there will be no Khotachiwadi.’’ His wife didn’t quite agree with such a drastic prognosis, but she did add, “Every day, during the morning rosary, some of us ladies pray, ‘God, save Khotachiwadi from the builders’.’’
Khotachiwadi was originally founded in the late 18th century by a Pathare Prabhu named Khot, who sold plots of land to local East Indian families from Vasai, Salsette and the north Konkan. Now, its residents include Goan and Mangalorean Catholics, Maharashtrian Hindus and more recently, a steady influx of Gujaratis and Marwaris.
Today, the quaint enclave is one of the few heritage neighbourhoods that still stand, albeit crumbling at the edges. Its trove of old, mainly vernacular and Portuguese-style houses earned it the status of a heritage precinct in 1995. However, it has not remained immune from the epidemic of redevelopment that has engulfed the entire city.
Bungalows, tiled roof houses and cottages have been systematically torn down and replaced by hideous cement and concrete buildings (The place also boasts a Hotel Girgaum Palace).
In June 2007, civic chief Jairaj Phathak claimed, “...it be seen that no heritage regulations are violated for allowing redevelopment/reconstruction in the Khotachiwadi heritage precinct.’’ He was replying to a query by Sharad Upasani, chairman of the Mumbai heritage and conservation committee, who had forwarded an appeal by Khotachiwadi residents to save the heritage properties in the area.
Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah said that although most of the cottages are listed as grade III heritage structures, they do not enjoy any protection from demolition since they are all categorised as cessed properties. “Rules allow cessed structures to be pulled down for redevelopment,’’ she said.
There were as many as 64 bungalows here. Today, there are just about half of them remaining. The Khotachiwadi Welfare and Heritage Trust, comprising concerned residents, has a litany of complaints for the heritage committee. “No 1 Khotachiwadi was the first to go, which was a heritage building in good condition. Recently, No 29B was sold and destroyed. The modus operandi of the builder is to first remove the tiles and old windows and leave the elements to wreck the wooden structure. After one or two monsoons, they plead that the structure is irreparable and so get permission to demolish these grade III structures and construct seven-storey buildings with deep basements,’’ they said in a recent letter to chairman Upasani.
No 35 (Dias House), a heritage building, is also rumoured to be sold to the same developer who purchased No 29B. Residents alleged the developer is now negotiating to purchase Himkar Nivas, another heritage structure. “We have also heard that a combined property having five buildings, comprising house No 36, a ground plus two structure, three other ground plus one buildings, and a ground floor (all wooden structures) has been bought over in the core area of this
heritage precinct and will be demolished in the same fashion,’’ said the trust.
The doctor couple of Rakesh and Henal Shah, who bought a ramshackle 1860s cottage and painstakingly restored it to its original state over a decade ago, said senior citizens are compelled to live in their sprawling houses all alone after their children migrated abroad or moved to other parts of the city. “They cannot maintain such huge properties. So,the only option for them is to sell,’’ said Rakesh Shah. Maintaining the old wooden beams, the problem of underground water seeping into the walls, and treating the wood for termites could be both tedious and expensive. He observed that there have been many changes here, especially in the past three years. “The new residents have little respect for heritage. They do not maintain the facade, and instal plywood doors and marble floors.”
In May 2005, residents organised a Khotachiwadi festival with ethnic food stalls and art exhibitions to raise money to maintain the properties. “We did not succeed,’’ said Henal Shah sadly.
Meanwhile, Bosco Fernandes, now 70, has the final word: “There is no way we are moving out of here and staying in matchbox sized flats.’’
Yet, on a cloudy Friday evening, Bosco, sitting in the large dinning room, ruefully declared, “Ten years from now there will be no Khotachiwadi.’’ His wife didn’t quite agree with such a drastic prognosis, but she did add, “Every day, during the morning rosary, some of us ladies pray, ‘God, save Khotachiwadi from the builders’.’’
Khotachiwadi was originally founded in the late 18th century by a Pathare Prabhu named Khot, who sold plots of land to local East Indian families from Vasai, Salsette and the north Konkan. Now, its residents include Goan and Mangalorean Catholics, Maharashtrian Hindus and more recently, a steady influx of Gujaratis and Marwaris.
Today, the quaint enclave is one of the few heritage neighbourhoods that still stand, albeit crumbling at the edges. Its trove of old, mainly vernacular and Portuguese-style houses earned it the status of a heritage precinct in 1995. However, it has not remained immune from the epidemic of redevelopment that has engulfed the entire city.
Bungalows, tiled roof houses and cottages have been systematically torn down and replaced by hideous cement and concrete buildings (The place also boasts a Hotel Girgaum Palace).
In June 2007, civic chief Jairaj Phathak claimed, “...it be seen that no heritage regulations are violated for allowing redevelopment/reconstruction in the Khotachiwadi heritage precinct.’’ He was replying to a query by Sharad Upasani, chairman of the Mumbai heritage and conservation committee, who had forwarded an appeal by Khotachiwadi residents to save the heritage properties in the area.
Conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah said that although most of the cottages are listed as grade III heritage structures, they do not enjoy any protection from demolition since they are all categorised as cessed properties. “Rules allow cessed structures to be pulled down for redevelopment,’’ she said.
There were as many as 64 bungalows here. Today, there are just about half of them remaining. The Khotachiwadi Welfare and Heritage Trust, comprising concerned residents, has a litany of complaints for the heritage committee. “No 1 Khotachiwadi was the first to go, which was a heritage building in good condition. Recently, No 29B was sold and destroyed. The modus operandi of the builder is to first remove the tiles and old windows and leave the elements to wreck the wooden structure. After one or two monsoons, they plead that the structure is irreparable and so get permission to demolish these grade III structures and construct seven-storey buildings with deep basements,’’ they said in a recent letter to chairman Upasani.
No 35 (Dias House), a heritage building, is also rumoured to be sold to the same developer who purchased No 29B. Residents alleged the developer is now negotiating to purchase Himkar Nivas, another heritage structure. “We have also heard that a combined property having five buildings, comprising house No 36, a ground plus two structure, three other ground plus one buildings, and a ground floor (all wooden structures) has been bought over in the core area of this
heritage precinct and will be demolished in the same fashion,’’ said the trust.
The doctor couple of Rakesh and Henal Shah, who bought a ramshackle 1860s cottage and painstakingly restored it to its original state over a decade ago, said senior citizens are compelled to live in their sprawling houses all alone after their children migrated abroad or moved to other parts of the city. “They cannot maintain such huge properties. So,the only option for them is to sell,’’ said Rakesh Shah. Maintaining the old wooden beams, the problem of underground water seeping into the walls, and treating the wood for termites could be both tedious and expensive. He observed that there have been many changes here, especially in the past three years. “The new residents have little respect for heritage. They do not maintain the facade, and instal plywood doors and marble floors.”
In May 2005, residents organised a Khotachiwadi festival with ethnic food stalls and art exhibitions to raise money to maintain the properties. “We did not succeed,’’ said Henal Shah sadly.
Meanwhile, Bosco Fernandes, now 70, has the final word: “There is no way we are moving out of here and staying in matchbox sized flats.’’
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