Visitors to the city of Mumbai are amazed by its beautiful skyline all along the coast. But all of Mumbai is not glass and steel. There are some parts that still retain the buildings of the past. Yes, strange as it may sound, there are a few pockets where old villas and buildings still exist, hidden behind the concrete towers that have sprung up.

I had always known about these villages but for one reason or the other, didn’t bother to find out more. But this Sunday, a message on a WhatsApp group mentioned a walking tour of Mazgaon conducted by a young student. Most tours are conducted during the week but this one was specifically on Sunday afternoons only, so I was hooked.

Two magnificent lions flank the entrance of Lions’ Den, an iconic bungalow from where we began our tour.

The sky was overcast as I left for Nesbit Road, where we’d agreed to meet, and just as soon as I stepped out of the cab, it began to rain. I made a dash for the nearest shelter and hoped the people whose entrance I stood at wouldn’t object to my presence. Many residents resent the curious stares of strangers and are also wary of potential land sharks posing as tourists.

Tourist in my city

Luckily the rain stopped as my guide came and we began our tour. Since we were going to walk up to Mazagon HIll and see the John Baptista park, the water works and the Chinese Temple, we didn’t spend too much time in the village which turned out to be Matharpacady and not Mazgaon Village as announced by the gateway erected by the local MP.

The houses were single storied with wooden balconies, side staircases and typically Portuguese in architecture.

Originally built in an Oart( or garden) it was famous for mango trees that fruited twice in a year, there are no traces of any greenery with its narrow lanes and quaint houses.

Many of the original inhabitants of the village were scared away by the bubonic plague that decimated the population of Mumbai and those that survived raised the Holy Cross Oratory in gratitude.

One of the residents who was up and about was happy to share some of the history of the village but by and large, the residents do not look kindly on outsiders and we should respect their privacy.

So while it is worth a visit, I would suggest going with an experienced tour operator like Khaki Tours , who has taken prior permission from the residents of the village for a more thorough and rewarding trip.

Ciao,