Indian Columbus

Growels Mall, which was started in 2010, is one of Mumbai's most popular shopping malls. The design of the malls is inspired by Neoclassical architecture. Hence, it gives a European feel. The mall, spread across 7.5 lakhs sq. feet, is located in the Kandivali locality. There are many shops, but the options are limited compared to the other shopping malls in Mumbai. More than the shops in this mall, it is known for the European-style events that are being conducted. Happy travelling.

Guess what? Parle G holds the prestigious title of being the world's largest-selling biscuit brand. This beloved biscuit, an icon in India, is a creation of the Parle company, established by Mohanlal Dayal Chauhan in 1929 CE. Initially, the company had no official name and specialized in crafting delectable candies and toffees. It wasn't until a decade later, with the introduction of biscuits, that the company was christened after the village where its first factory was set up. This initial factory was strategically situated between the villages of Virla and Parla, which eventually merged to form the present-day Vile Parle. Interestingly, the origin of these villages' names can be traced back to the temples nestled within them, namely Virleshwar and Parleshwar. Consequently, Lord Shiva, particularly in the form of Parleshwar, indirectly lent his divine name to the Parle company. :-) You can find the Parleshwar temple on Hanuman Road in East Vile Parle. While Lord Shiv...

If you use its official name, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, no one in Mumbai might recognize it. However, it is globally popular in the name of the Colaba Causeway. It is referred to as the "Culture Square of Mumbai". Name something; you might definitely get it in the market of Colaba Causeway, one of the most happening places in the city. There are so many small shops in the market that literally sell everything, which includes books, bags, plastic materials, dress materials, shawls, carpets, slippers, and even antiques. The area is full of retail showrooms. However, the locals and travelers throng mostly to the pavement cosmetics and electronic shops. Some of the popular restaurants and cafes are located in this locality. Delhi Darbar and Cafe Leopold are very prominent among them. Cafe Leopold was started by Iranis in 1871 CE. It is prevalent among foreign tourists. During the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, this restaurant was attacked, and ten people were killed. Happy travel...

Sasson Dock, located near the most happening Colaba Causeway locality in Mumbai, is the first commercial wet dock. It was established in 1871 to promote the cotton trade. It was built on the reclaimed land by Albert Sassoon, the British Indian businessman who ran the "David Sassoon and Co.". The entrance that welcomes the visitor into the dock has heritage significance. It has a beautiful clock tower. The famous watch maker from London, John Bennett Company, made the clock. The entrance would lead you to the biggest fish market in Mumbai. Happy travelling.

Not many of the current generation might know that Mumbai was once a walled city. The wall had three gates, and one of them was Church Gate. It was named after the centuries-old St. Thomas Church located near the gate. The area where the gate stood once is a prominent locality of South Mumbai. It is called a Church Gate and connects the Nariman Point and Marine Lines. At the junction of Madame Cama Road and Jamsetji Tata Road in the Church Gate area, the statue of Shri Jamsetji Tata is found. It is supposed to be an important landmark of the city, but it remains an unknown monument today. Jamsetji Tata is considered the Father of Indian Industry. He was the founder of the Tata group of companies. He died in 1904. His statue was erected by public subscription and was unveiled on 11th April 1912 by Sir George Clarke, the then Governor of Bombay. Tataji is found seated wearing his trademark cap and his regular attire. The area where this statue is located is called Tata Park...

Phoenix Market City - this is perhaps the most happening place in the most happening city. Spread across 4.1 million sq. feet, this is one of the biggest shopping malls in Mumbai city. More than 600 shops/stores are housed in this mall. Some of the well-known domestic and international brands have their presence here. The names include PVR Cinemas, Adidas, Arrow, Bata, Cafe Coffee Day, Color Plus, Globus, Levis, Mochi, Nike, Reebok, Raymond, Titan, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Trends, Burger King, Hamleys, Lenskart, Starbucks, Dominos, KFC, Subway and so on. Movies, Dining, Events, Spa, Shopping - whatever you want, this is the perfect place for you in Mumbai. Happy travelling.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a freedom fighter and social reformer. He was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, and Mahatma Gandhi considered Gokhale, his mentor. Gokhale was the founder of the Servants of India Society. What was Gokhale's connection with Chennai? Apart from his few public speeches in the city, I am not sure about any other link. However, like Gandhi, few in Chennai considered Gokhale, their mentor. V. Krishnaswami Aiyer was prominent among them. The senior and leading lawyer of the High Court, Aiyer, became very close to Gokhale. Whenever Gokhale visited Chennai, he stayed in Aiyer's bungalow, known as the "Ashrama". V. Krishnaswami Aiyer  was the first Indian to have a statue on Marina Beach Road. His statue stands in front of the Senate House on the Madras University Campus. Next to this statue, Aiyer's professional mentor, Sir  S. Subrahmanya Aiyar's  statue is found. The next figure is Gopal Krishna Gokhale, the political mentor...

The first Indian to have a statue on Marina Beach Road is V. Krishnaswami Aiyer. After Aiyer's death, many opposed this idea when it was decided to put up a figure for him. Thanks to the emotional speech of his mentor, Sir S. Subrahmanya Aiyar, in a public gathering, which ensured that most people favored erecting the statue. Thus, the statue of V. Krishnaswami Aiyer was erected in 1912 in front of the Senate House on the Madras University campus. In another 23 years (in 1935), the statue of his mentor was erected next to him on the same campus. This statue of Subrahmanya Aiyar is one of the historical statues of Chennai. (To read about the statue of V.Krishnaswami Aiyer, click  here .) Aiyar was born in 1842 and passed away on 6th December 1924. He was the first Indian to become the Vice Chancellor of Madras University. He was a great freedom fighter and was a founding member of the Indian National Congress. He returned his knighthood to the British Government. Known as the Great...

V. Krishnaswami Aiyer, when he died on 28th December 1911 CE, was merely 48 years old. Although he passed away early, he led a very active social life. If one has to list down the great personalities of Chennai, the list would be incomplete without his name being mentioned. V.Krishnaswami Aiyer was apparently not allowed in Cosmopolitan Club. He and his friend started a similar facility called the Mylapure Club. He was an active member of the Congress party and became a prominent leader in the city. Aiyer was involved in the Arbuthnot bank crash case and later instrumental in starting the Indian Bank. He founded or co-founded many institutes/organizations, such as Venkataramana Dispensary and Ayurvedic College, Ranade Public Library, and the famous Madras Sanskrit College. When the Kanchi Shankaracharya, Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal, became the pontiff of Kanchi Mutt at his younger age, it was Aiyer who intervened personally to ensure that the administration did not...

Kanchipuram Athi Varadar comes out of the water once in 40 years. Similarly, some heritage structures in Chennai occasionally open their doors to the public. The Senate House is one such colonial building that was made accessible to the public for a brief period this year, thanks to an exhibition. Are you from Chennai, but you have never seen this place? Then, read on... The imposing Senate House building was built for five years between 1874 CE and 1879 CE. The great British architect Robert Chisholm, who pioneered the Indo-Saracenic architecture style in Madras, was the architect for this beautiful building. The Senate House is located on the campus of Madras University. The architecture is an amalgamation of Hindu temple architecture, Islamic architecture, and Gothic revival styles. The structure has two floors. There are six porches. There are two porches on the northern and southern sides. The eastern and western sides have two porches each. Each porch has thre...