Bandra - The Queen of Suburbs Walk

Itinerary

Let’s take a step back in time to the days of yorn when what we know now as the grand city of Mumbai , was originally a set of 7 islands ; each with their own unique tales.

Amongst these islands, the island of Salsette was by far the most nondescript. Inhabited by the indigenuous Koli fishing communities, Salsette was a far cry from the present day cultural melting pot Bandra. Though what continues to intrigue both natives and non-natives is thecontinued community endeavor to maintain the delicate cultural balance which exists in the suburb today .Many put this down to the perpetual Western influence from the Portugese Jesuit priests given sole ownership of Bandra,Sion and Wadala in the 16th century. In the duration of the walk, we will take you on a mission to discover the hidden heritage treasures which the Western and native forefathers left behind.

Our walk for the day begins in the bustling bylanes of Chimbai village, one of the 24 original pakhadis or hamlets of the island. Tucked behind St Andrews Church and extending all the way to Carter Road, this predominantly fishing village continues to harbor a 400 year history within its echoleons. We shall then pay a brief visit to the historically significant St Andrews church and pay our respects to the epitephs which surround the front end of the campus

We then proceed to walk on through the humble and comfortable abode of the Ranwar village community, and watch in fascination as their narrow bylanes with Portugese inspired homes come to life in front of our eyes. We then stroll through the heartbeat of the infamous Hill road to get a glimpse into the history of the legendary modern liberal cinema and art movement of Bandra, the crux of which rests in the campus of the evergreen Mehboob studios.

Our walk then proceeds to take you on a journey of discovery through the humble and quaint surroundings of Saint Stephen’s church as well as the remarkable visual aesthetic of the Mount Mary church- the latter being the first church to be built by a non-catholic!

Our walk culminates at the location of the most popular heritage structure in the suburbs of Bandra : The Bandra Fort, or as it was known in the yesteryears : Castela de Aguada. We aim to let the sheer location and view of this magnificent structure titilate your every thought, and leave you with a glowing impression of Bandra’s true story.