Our final day in Mumbai took us through some old neighborhoods. Sunday traffic was light, but there were many people out and about.
The first walk of the day was through the Khotachi Wadi area, which is a very culturally and religiously diverse area of Mumbai. There are still Christian Indians of Portuguese descent here, living amongst Hindus, Jains, and Zoroastrians.
Many families have been living in the same houses for generations. We passed one home where the owner said his family had been living since the 1880s.
The Portuguese-influenced houses had carved window frames and balconies.
Their courtyards were often brightly decorated.
We stopped for refreshment at the 300-year-old James Ferreira bungalow.
The owner said that the house had belonged to his grandfather. He fought the city to keep it, and the surrounding area, as a cultural heritage preserve and prevent it from being razed for high-rise apartments.
His home and “No Borders” shop demonstrate that all are welcome.
Next we went through the upscale Malabar Hill area en route to the Walakeshwar temple complex. Here, preparations were underway for the Ganesh festival that begins on September 13. Meanwhile, everyone went about their daily business…
…having a hot meal…
…getting a haircut…
…or tailoring clothes.
Funeral rites were underway at one temple, with priests stoking fires and chanting prayers.
Nearby was the Banganga Tank, a spring-fed pool considered sacred and miraculous. Kids bathed in the tank and played marbles in the alleys alongside.
Our day provided yet another fascinating glimpse at life in Mumbai. Everywhere we went, everyone seemed interested in us and delighted if we put our hands together in the traditional “namaste” greeting.
