India. Victorian Architecture of Colonial Bombay
Mumbai (aka Bombay) is the financial capital of India and the country’s most populous (12.5 million) city. Located on the Kokan Coast in the western part of the country, the city has a deep natural harbor and holds the distinction of being home to the largest number of billionaires in Asia. Present-day Mumbai was controlled by indigenous rulers before being ceded to Portugal in 1534. In 1661, the city was part of a dowry paid by Portugal to England when Catherine of Braganza married the future English monarch, Charles II. The British administered the city during the 18th through the 20th centuries. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 helped make the city the most important port on the Arabian Sea and by the late-18th century, Bombay was a leading center for international trade. Following India’s independence from Great Britain in August 1947, British soldiers departed the country, symbolically passing through Bombay’s Gateway to India arch. In 1995, the Indian government officially restored the city’s name to Mumbai.
We set out on a driving/walking tour of Mumbai’s unique architecture which blends Indian traditions with Gothic, Victorian, and Art Deco designs. Many of the city’s buildings were constructed during British Colonial Rule. Over time the neoclassical style was replaced by building designs that incorporated Victorian Gothic (aka Gothic Revival) elements. The Gothic style (aka Mumbai Gothic) is “expressive” with carved elements, flying buttresses, and stained glass. Architects consider Mumbai among the most characteristically Victorian cities in the world. While I expected to see Victorian Gothic buildings, I was surprised by the number of buildings featuring Art Deco elements. Developed in the early 20th century, the Art Deco style features bold colors and unique geometric shapes and volumes. Following Miami, Florida, Mumbai has the largest number of Art Deco buildings in the world.
Our walking tour included Mackichan Hall, located a short distance from Malabar Hill, Back Bay, and Chowpatty Beach. The building was named in honor of Scottish missionary Dugald Mackichan (1851-1932) who served as Chancellor of the University of Bombay. Today, the building serves as a male dormitory and wedding venue. A short distance away is Gateway to India, a 26-meter-high memorial positioned along the city’s waterfront. Created out of basalt, the arch was completed in 1924 to recognize the coronation of British King George V as Emperor of India. For many, it serves as a symbolic entrance to the country. A young girl walked toward my travel companion as we viewed the arch when I looked away so she approached my friend, urging him to accept a small flower. Ignoring my warning, he took the gift and for the next 30 minutes the girl followed us. My companion finally gave in, handing her a few hundred rupees (US $5-6).
A short walk from the arch is the luxury 5-star hotel, the Taj Mahal Palace. The “Taj” was named after the white-marble Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India. With 600 rooms and 44 suites, it is considered among the most luxurious hotels of the British Raj (the period of British rule). Among its innovations is the country’s first steam powered lift (elevator). During World War II, the Raj was used as a hospital. Regrettably, it was also a principal target of the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai when 167 people were killed. My companion and I stopped for lunch in a restaurant inside the hotel.
Our walking tour continued as we explored the “Queen’s Necklace,” a coastal road that extends from Nariman Point to Malabar Hill. One of the most impressive buildings is the Victoria Terminus Train Station. In 1996 the Terminus was renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in honor of Chhatrapati, a warrior-king of the Maratha Empire (1674-1818). Designed in the Gothic Revival style by British architect F.W. Stevens, the building was completed in 1888. It is surrounded by turrets and arches, and decorated with stone carvings of symbols, animals, gargoyles, and people. Perched on its top is a female figure that clutches a torch in her right hand and spoked wheel in her left. The building’s doors and windows are made from Burma teak. The Terminus remains an active station, with 18 tracks that serve three million commuters a day. Located on India’s Central Railway, the Terminus is one of the country’s busiest railway stations.
Another example blending Victorian Gothic and Art Deco styles is the Indian Mercantile Mansion. The building is located at the corner of Wodehouse and Madam Cama Roads. It was once owned by the Indian Mercantile Insurance Company. When British rule ended, the mansion was taken over by General India Insurance Company Oriental. We took a short walk down Altamount Road (aka “Billionaires’ Row”). Among the road’s high-rise structures is the Antilia Building which serves as a residence for billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family. Reaching a height of 173 meters, the 6,070 square meter building has 27 stories and nine high speed elevators. Inside there is a 50-seat theater, ballroom, spa, health center, swimming pool, and parking for 168 automobiles. Above the building’s top floor are three helipads. The six top floors serve as Ambani family’s private residence.
