In the fishing neighbourhood of Mazgaon, lies a sleeping, peaceful village that's called Matherpacady. A heritage precinct, and a hidden hamlet, we walked into its premises one day to find what life there is like.
When Google maps obnoxiously stated that ‘we had arrived, we had to no choice but to assume it was right, and we were wrong, and get out the cab’s broken door. After a little bit of investigation, we finally took the right left, and left the rush and the noise behind us with our first step. Locally known as Mazgaon village, Matherpacady is a small village with a mixed population taking it up it is half lived in by East Indian Catholics, and the rest by Maharashtrians and the Bohra community. The houses here are splashed with colour, and are, like those in Khotachiwadi, big and spacious. These Portuguese-style houses emit a sense of calm. We came when the sun was settling in, and setting down, and the neighbourhood was filled with the most gorgeous light.
Through the many twists and turns, we came across a small chapel, which the few houses here come to pray to. Apart from that, there is a tiny shop area, one tiny grocery shop, and next to it a huge well, which isn’t in use anymore. A charming, and slightly eerie place, where cats appear out of corners and light closes in and out of alleys, this village lives a little in isolation despite there being so much life right outside its lanes.
To eat, locals recommend going and having the ragdapattis and other types of pani puri from right outside the Sales Tax Office nearby. They also ask you to come by the place when Christmas comes around, as they do a fine job of setting up lights throughout the village. Some families in Matharpacady also host you with local delicacies.
If you thought you knew Mumbai, you’d be surprised that Matherpacady with its gorgeous bungalows, simple people and quiet life can continue to exist.