5 IGNORED WONDERS OF MUMBAI

5 Ignored wonders of Mumbai!!

If you felt that the victory of Taj Mahal in Lebanon was nothing but a marketing gimmick, you were bulls-eye. And if you felt that marketing gimmick should be applied at the right places, then you must surely give it a thought. Apparently, there are certain wonders in Mumbai which aint that great or huge in canvas alias Taj Mahal, but yes they can be certainly considered as the heritage places in Mumbai. And if you felt that it was an exaggeration, then you are wrong. 

Yes, I am talking about the 5 wonders of Mumbai. The Mahakali Caves, the Worli Fort, Watson’s Hotel, Karnala Fort and last but not the least the Shiv Temple. These are just few of the many wonders in Mumbai which have lost their pride due to ignorance, but these are one of the topmost places which are worth getting sighted. To start with Mahakali Caves formerly known as Kondivita caves dating back almost two thousand years, carved out of solid black basalt rock located between Andheri, Jogeshwari and Vikhroli, sandwiched between the Borivali National Park and Aarey Milk Colony, surrounded by encroachments and shanties and is declared endangered.

The second big thing is the Worli Fort, an ancient British Fort, often mistakenly referred to as being built by the Portuguese. Built on the Worli Hill, overlooked the Mahim Bay was used as a lookout for enemy ships and pirates. The upkeep of the fort has been impossible due to its inaccessibility, as the roads leading to it are completely blocked by illegal hutments that have cropped up over the years, only to be overlooked by the local authorities for the sake of electoral gain and bribes paid for allowing illegal constructions. The fort is completely in ruins today and a slum has enveloped the edifice, making it a den for illegal activities like the brewing of illicit liquor within its confines. A bell tower peeps out of the ruins and the ramparts are used to dry clothes. One ray of hope is the new Bandra-Worli sea link that will skirt around the Worli peninsula, bringing the fort back into the public eye, and hopefully, will lead to some action from the government.

To follow-up is the Shiv Temple in Ambernath which aint exactly situated in Mumbai but still it has one of the stupendous histories behind it which can arguably overtake any other historical place. Built over 1200 years ago of interlocking black stone in the “hemadpanti” style, covered with exqusite carvings has a “swayambhu” Shiv Ling. But unfortunately some carvings are now falling off due to poor maintenance and neglect otherwise it’s a rage during Mahashivratri.

If that wasn’t enough then Watson Hotel may make you think over again, known as the Esplanade Mansions located in Kala Ghoda. Built as the only white’s only hotel, it was the swankiest hotel in the city with 5 storeys with wide open balconies which lost in the race with Taj Mahal. The rooms in Watson's Hotel were built around the atrium in a courtyard arrangement. Just a few days after its nomination for being funded, part of the building's western facade (not seen in the picture) – originally balconies developed into tiny offices, collapsed, killing one person and crushing several cars and motorcycles parked in the street below. The building is currently listed as a Grade II-A heritage structure.

If you felt that we have nearly covered Mumbai, then you must wait and watch because even New Bombay has something to offer from its side. If you ask some of the Navi Mumbaikars, then you might get an instantaneous feedback on the name “Karnala Fort” situated between Panvel and Pen which is also known for its forest and bird sanctuary and gets tremendous response by the tourists during the peak time of monsoon.

When there are so many things in stores offered by these places, why the Government doesn’t consider changing their outlook towards such fantabulous places which can easily prove as a steeping stone towards Mumbai’s success and can provide it with a cutting edge over the others. When Mumbai is considered as the economic capital of India, why it isn’t spending much of its finance on such stupendous works. When there is a Taj Mahal being used as an ace card by Delhi, Mumbai must also think over using one of these cards and get itself back on track. Called as the “City of Dreams” lets sit down and try to fulfill the dreams seen by the people who went their heart outs working for such places. Let’s not shatter them, because it’s not just their dream it’s a part of our own city and our own culture.