Mahim

I wasnt aware what this small stretch of Mahim Causeway wraps within itself till I began researching for the Urs festival that takes place at Mahim Durgah every year. It is one of the cities within the city of Mumbai which has somehow got lost in a whirlwind of traffic that dresses its roads during peak hours day after day. It has its own little history and culture which is to say the least of significant interest. Mahim Causeway A pla ue that stands at the Mahim Causeway records the making of the Mahim Causeway. It credits !ady "ee#eebhoy$ the main donor. It was built in %&'( to connect the island of )alsette with Mahim. *he swampy area between the two islands made travel dangerous and thus a need for a causeway arose. *he +ritish ,ast India Company$ who governed +ombay at that time refused to fund the pro#ect. -inally it was built at a total cost of .s %$(/$000 donated entirely by !ady Avabai "amset#ee "ee#eebhoy$ wife of the first baronet )ir "amset#ee "ee#eebhoy with a stipulation that no toll would be charged to citi1ens for its use by the government. Mahim Creek A dam built on Mithi .iver called Mahim Causeway is how environmentalists see the Mahim Causeway. *he Mahim creek is a part of Mithi .iver that originates at 2owai and meets the sea at the creek. Mahim bay area$ where Mithi .iver meets Arabian sea$ is a nominated bird sanctuary called )alim Ali +ird )anctuary where migratory birds come for nesting. *his part is full of mangroves and this fragile eco system re uires considerations from pollution point of view$ so that it is not destroyed. According to environmentalists$ the depleting mangroves of Mahim creek are one of the main reasons for the floods in Mumbai. ,merald -ields now a student at Massachusetts wrote in his blog about the beauty of the Mahim Creek. 3I used to live 40 feet away from sea water in Mahim creek. -ive to si5 years back$ it was great$ you could hear the sea waves lashing across the stone walls$ hear the fishermens boats leaving Mahim port at dawn. *iny lights shifting swiftly in the dark. )uddenly there was an army of trucks all around. *hey began dumping mud all over to make that new sea link. )o$ one would see dust instead

of boats and listen to noisy machines all the tim. *he whole beauty of it died$6 says -ields. Creek water 7hile many thronged the Mahim Creek to drink the miracle water earlier this year$ +MC warned the people that the water is unpotable. *he 8ational Institute of 9ceanography :8I9; said that the reason for the sweetening of water could be attributed to the large uantities of groundwater draining into the sea because of the rains. *he creek water is said to be highly unpotable due to low chlorine levels$ dangerous levels of nitrates and alarming pollution levels. According to the report on the Mithi river water submitted to the Maharashtra 2ollution Control +oard :M2C+; by <lean ,nvironmental Consultants$ the citi1ens dump raw sewage$ industrial waste and garbage unchecked. +esides this$ illegal activities of washing of oily drums$ discharge of ha1ardous waste are also carried out along the course of this river. Church Missionary activity in +assein$ )alsette and +ombay commenced from %(=' onward. *he -ranciscans were the sole missionaries on the island> they were in charge of )t Michael Church$ Mahim. *he -ranciscans$ who first arrived in India in %(00$ were the first to establish churches in +assein$ )alsette$ +ombay$ <aran#a and Chaul. According to -ather ?ugh -onseca$ around '0@(0$000 devotees visit the church every week. )t Michaels Church is popular for its wednesday 8ovenas. Durgah *he dargah of Makhdoom Ali Mahimi$ the secular )ufi saint$ is popular as the Mahim dargah. .eported to be at least =(0 years old$ the dargah sharief has five domes$ the only dargah in Mumbai to have more than one dome. According to Durgah authorities$ around A0$000 poeple turn up every week. During the annual ten day Urs festival celebrated on the %=th day of )hawwal$ the Muslim calendar$ millions of devotees visit the dargah. Urs 9ver =0 lakh devotees are e5pected to participate in the (B=rd birth anniversary celebrations of +aba Makhdoom )hah at Mahim Durgah this year. ,very December$ during Urs$ lakhs of devotees travel to the the durgah to offer prayers$ putting pressure on the e5isting traffic situation. 7hile hundreds of police officials participate in the celebrations$ over 4000 police officials and traffic police are deployed to maintain security and traffic at Mahim Causeway. *he highlight of Urs is the procession of around eight thousand which begins at the Mahim 2olice )tation$ the site of the saints residence. *wo policemen from each of the eighty four city police stations represent the police department. A representative of the Mumbai police is the first to offer the chaddar :shawl; at the tomb on the first day of the festival. !egend has it that it was a police constable who gave water to the dying saint from his cap.

Mahim Fair Most people who visit the Durgah are said to make a stop over at the Mahim mela held during Urs at the Mahim Creek. Different contractors install different #oy rides and stalls for the fair. *he rides include giant wheels$ merry@go@rounds$ dog shows$ magic shows and the well of death. *his years festival will attract more than =0 lakh people. Last man standing *he only Udipi restaurant on the Mahim Causeway stretch$ )hri <rishna .estaurant is the last restaurant standing at the #unction. A regular outlet for the nearby residents and police personnel deputed at the signal$ this is the only Udipi restaurant in the area. 7hile its dosas have been one of the much relished food items$ it has witnessed the changes in the traffic situation at this signal for years. )tanding right opposite the )t Michaels church his restaurant does great business on 7ednesdays when people come for the weekly 8ovena. < .avi who sits at the cash counter overlooking the signal says that he often watches people desperately trying to cross the road. 3I often watch people crossing the road. It takes them ten minutes to do so. Im used to the constant sound of vehicles but the honking still irritates me$6 says .avi. Ek cutting +asant tea and cold drink house has been standing at the #unction for the last '0 years. A regular halt for foreigners and ta5i drivers traveling to the International airport early morning$ Cishen#i )hahs .s = cutting chai is the most popular in the area. 3*he church goers and the workers in the bamboo market have been my regular clients for the past =0 years$6 says *ekchand )hah$ Cishne#is son. 7ay back in the %BA0s the chai which costs .s A now was sold for 4( paise at the shop. *ekchand remembers how the roads were narrower and there was space for people to walk back then. 3*he footpath was wider and there was a lot more free space. ,ven during the %0@day mela at the durgah$ there was no chaos$6 he recollects. Mahim fort ?ow many people know that there stands a fort at the edge the western coast of Mahim with a vantage view of Mahim creekD *he Mahim fort which has great historic importance is now in ruins. *he Mahim -ort is a relic from the +ritish .a#. *his fort is actually a fortress@ a part of the larger +ombay Castle. *his castle was an important base during the time of the +ritish ,mpire$ but now all that remains are a few ramparts scattered about the city. All one can find are encroachers and hutments in the area. *he fort which was once visible from the Mahim Causeway and +andra .eclamation is barely visible now. *he Mahim -ort is a heritage structure and the +MC in its budget proposal for 400(@400A had intended to pay special attention to Mahim -ort but nothing has been done yet. . Conservationist )harda Dwivedi says that the -ort is in a very bad state and needs to be restored. 3A glorious structure like the +andra fort is ruins. ,ncroachments have been allowed to flourish for years now. *he authorities dont care about the heritage structures$6 she says.

Mahim Beach *he Mahim beach can hardly be called a beach anymore. )lum dwellers e5crete and take a leak freely on the sands$ leaving no free space to take a peaceful walk. *he beach stinks and the shore is strewn with plastic. 9ne of the worst beaches in the city today$ it has been calling for attention from the civic authorities and needs a massive clean up drive to restore this important beach.
POSTED BY
SUPARNA

AT

3:01 PM

LABELS: MUMBAI MUSINGS