Malabar Hill
Encyclopedia
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(formerly Bombay), India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is an extremely upmarket residential area, most known for the Walkeshwar Temple
Walkeshwar Temple
Walkeshwar Temple , also known as the Baan Ganga Temple, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighborhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India...
which houses the Banganga Tank
Banganga Tank
Banganga or Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank which is part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai in India.-History:...
. Situated at a height of 50 metres (approx. 165 feet), it is the highest point in South Mumbai
South Mumbai
South Mumbai , sometimes incorrectly referred to by English Media as "SoBo" , the southern-most precinct of the city of Mumbai, India, comprises the city's main business localities and its adjoining areas...
.
History
The well known and prominent Keyi familyKeyi family
The Keyi family are nobles among the Mappilas of Malabar known for their immense wealth and landed properties which they acquired through brisk trade they carried out in Kerala even before the advent of English East India Company...
of North Malabar in Kerala was founded by Chovvakkaran Moosa in the early 18th Century. He was a strong force in trade and commerce during that time, having powerful links with rulers, kings and countries. He started off his business with the Portuguese, the French, and the British. He owned a large part of Bombay including the area currently known as Malabar Hill and many parts in Chowpatti Beach area. Even today the family has some old shops and buildings in that area. When the British East India Company started creating problems for their business, they had to call a truce with them in order to survive. The Keyis tried everything from funding Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
and Pazhassi Raja
Pazhassi Raja
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , popularly known as Kerala Simham or Lion of Kerala, was the Hindu Nair King of Kottayam , which was based in modern Kannur District, North Malabar zone of Kerala State in...
(the movie just released in India Pazhassi Raja even mentions that the king actually owed money to Chovvakkaran Moosa) in their war with the British at the time. When everything failed, they donated the entire area now known as Malabar Hill to the East India Company to maintain the Keyis' trading rights in the North Malabar area . Hence the name, Malabar Hill for this Western India prime property.
Walkeshwar Temple
Walkeshwar Temple , also known as the Baan Ganga Temple, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighborhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India...
, founded by the Silhara kings
Silhara dynasty
The Hindu Silhara dynasty ruled the region around present-day Mumbai between 810 and 1240.They were split into three branches; one branch ruled North Konkan, the second South Konkan , while the third ruled what is now known as modern districts of Satara, Kolhapur and Belgaon between 940 to 1215...
. The original temple was destroyed by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, but rebuilt again in 1715 by Rama Kamath
Rama Kamath
Rama Kamath was a Mumbai -based businessman and philanthropist. The records of his life are scanty. He was connected with the command of Indian troops under the British and had some connections with Kanhoji Angre...
, and by 1860, 10 to 20 other temples were built in the region.
Mountstuart Elphinstone
Mountstuart Elphinstone
Mountstuart Elphinstone was a Scottish statesman and historian, associated with the government of British India. He later became the Governor of Bombay where he is credited with the opening of several educational institutions accessible to the Indian population...
built the first bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
in Malabar Hill while he was Governor of Bombay, between 1819 and 1827. Following his example, the place soon became a posh locality, as it is today.
Overview
Banganga Tank
Banganga or Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank which is part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai in India.-History:...
, attached to the Walkeshwar Temple
Walkeshwar Temple
Walkeshwar Temple , also known as the Baan Ganga Temple, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva located in Walkeshwar, near Malabar Hill neighborhood, in South Mumbai precinct of the city of Mumbai, India...
, is the oldest standing structure in Mumbai. Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mythology has it that Lord Rama, on his way to Sri Lanka to rescue his kidnapped wife, Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, felt thirsty and stopped at the location of the Banganga Tank
Banganga Tank
Banganga or Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank which is part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai in India.-History:...
and shot an arrow into the ground. A water fountain erupted and Rama quenched his thirst. It is believed that the very same spring still fills the Banganga tank today. A Jain
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
temple dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankara, and the Parsi
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
Tower of Silence are two other religious structures in this district. Malabar Hill is the location of the Hanging Gardens of Mumbai, Kamala Nehru Park, and Priyadarshini Park, which is adjacent to the Arabian Sea.
The Malabar Hill district is arguably the most exclusive residential area in Mumbai, and home to several business tycoons and film personalities. Raj Bhavan
Raj Bhavan (Maharashtra)
Raj Bhavan is the official residence of the Governor of Maharashtra. It is located in the capital city of Mumbai, Maharashtra on Malabar Hill. The present governor of Maharashtra is Kateekal Sankaranarayanan.The Raj Bhavan is located in of sylvan surroundings, surrounded on three sides by the sea...
, the official residence of the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
and the bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
"Varsha", which is the official residence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra are located here. Houses here are amongst the most expensive in the world. An unhindered view of Back Bay, with the Girgaum Chowpatti
Girgaum Chowpatti
Girgaum Chaupati , commonly known as just Chaupati , is one of the most famous public beaches adjoining Marine Drive in the Girgaum area of Mumbai, India. The beach is famous for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations when hundreds of people from all over Mumbai come to immerse the idols of Lord Ganapati in...
beach in the foreground, and the Nariman Point
Nariman Point
Nariman Point is Mumbai's premier business district and country's first central business district. It was named after Khursheed Framji Nariman, a Parsi visionary. The area is situated on land reclaimed from the sea. It had the distinction of having the highest commercial real estate rental space...
skyline in the background is one of the reasons for the sky-high real estate prices in this district (Rs. 60,000+, or US$ 1200+ per square foot). It is also home to famous Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actors. Buses only started serving this area during WWII.
The former residence of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
is also present here, but is closed to public due to property disputes.
Also of note in the Malabar Hill district, there is a cremation ground that sits near the sea which is home to the samadhi shrines of several famous Indian saints. Notably among them is the samadhi shrine of the guru of Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who was Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, as well as the samadhi shrine of his devoted disciple Shri Ranjit Maharaj.