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Around 8 years ago, my friend and I walked into Elphinstone College (Kala Ghoda, Mumbai) for the first time (we even looked it up on Local Guides to get an idea about it). It had a strong resemblance to those colleges from Bollywood movies. Although, if you’re unaware of the reference - think of 16 year old kids finding their Hogwarts. Spiral staircase, ancient paintings, wooden flooring, stone walls (kurla and malad basalt), and an alumni list that had everyone from Balgangadhar Tilak & B. R. Ambedkar to Jerry Pinto. (note: The Grand Old Man of India - Dadabhai Navroji was a professor here.)
#StraightOuttaCollege
But none-the-less, our academic experience was nothing like what we expected. (Surprise!) My classmates and I spent around two years running around this place, figuring out which lecture took place, where and in which class? (there was also the time we saw the Mantralaya fire from our Chemistry lab while trying to get the accurate pink color in our titration experiment.) Also, one thing we couldn’t comprehend was - why were there class rooms inside class rooms? But you can't blame us, because the college did make us quite inquisitive about things. What else would you expect when the Maharashtra Archives takes up a chunk of your college, but you aren't allowed near it?
Unesco World Heritage Site
Exactly a year ago, in July 2018 - it was announced that Mumbai’s Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles have been inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, and Elphinstone College was now a part of them. While it gives me great joy that institutions like these are being appreciated and given the recognition they deserve, what worries me is not much is done to improve these monuments.
It was while going here, that I came across Watson's Hotel (Esplanade Mansion) and didn't quite stop reading about it until I found the lines Mark Twain wrote while his stay at the swanky hotel - but that's for another piece. Watson's Hotel/Esplanade Mansion is what drove my interest to Mumbai's Heritage; so much that it's a part of the introduction on my resume. However, #BimblingInBombay technically picked up from Charni Road in 2016, while I was testing my new phone at Albless Baug. We've come close to three years capturing pictures and stories from the city. Let's see what lies in future.
I wrote this about the Cowasjee Jehangir Building for Elphinstone College because #BimblingInBombay on Instagram, doesn't quite feel the same. So if these 300 words aren't too boring for you, stay tuned - you'll hopefully see some more posts in the coming weeks.
#StraightOuttaCollege
But none-the-less, our academic experience was nothing like what we expected. (Surprise!) My classmates and I spent around two years running around this place, figuring out which lecture took place, where and in which class? (there was also the time we saw the Mantralaya fire from our Chemistry lab while trying to get the accurate pink color in our titration experiment.) Also, one thing we couldn’t comprehend was - why were there class rooms inside class rooms? But you can't blame us, because the college did make us quite inquisitive about things. What else would you expect when the Maharashtra Archives takes up a chunk of your college, but you aren't allowed near it?
"...why were there class rooms inside class rooms?"Besides fighting for window seats overlooking the David Sassoon Library Gardens, and sneaking into staff offices for a panoramic view of Kala Ghoda, we were glad that we chose to travel across the city every morning. (But also, we went there because they let us have vocational subjects) Fresh out of school - daily morning commute wasn’t the real challenge, but peak hour fast trains definitely were.
Unesco World Heritage Site
Exactly a year ago, in July 2018 - it was announced that Mumbai’s Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles have been inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, and Elphinstone College was now a part of them. While it gives me great joy that institutions like these are being appreciated and given the recognition they deserve, what worries me is not much is done to improve these monuments.
It was while going here, that I came across Watson's Hotel (Esplanade Mansion) and didn't quite stop reading about it until I found the lines Mark Twain wrote while his stay at the swanky hotel - but that's for another piece. Watson's Hotel/Esplanade Mansion is what drove my interest to Mumbai's Heritage; so much that it's a part of the introduction on my resume. However, #BimblingInBombay technically picked up from Charni Road in 2016, while I was testing my new phone at Albless Baug. We've come close to three years capturing pictures and stories from the city. Let's see what lies in future.
I wrote this about the Cowasjee Jehangir Building for Elphinstone College because #BimblingInBombay on Instagram, doesn't quite feel the same. So if these 300 words aren't too boring for you, stay tuned - you'll hopefully see some more posts in the coming weeks.
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