Bandra’s Hidden Histories: A Heritage

Myth, belief, tradition and fact merge together on a heritage walk that explores the unique physical spaces, character and cultures of contemporary Bandra, spotlighting the neighbourhood’s particular history and legacies, and the manner in which its people attempt to preserve and negotiate the same today, at a time of monumental change and loss in the city. Highlights: The walk begins at Land’s End, the south-western tip of Bandra, with a visit to the remains of the 17th century Castella de Aguada, popularly known as the Bandra Fort, and its immediate surroundings. Leaving the Land' End, participants climb up to Mount Mary Church, a Bandra institution. St. Stephen's Church, a few metres away, stands in sharp contrast to Mount Mary, as intimate and private, as the latter is monumental and public. The walk continues through Ranwar village, one of Bandra’s few surviving East Indian village communities, and concludes with an exploration of the changes and signs of increasing gentrification along Waroda and Chapel roads, once the centre of Bandra's East Indian community. End Point: Hill Road.