Areas in Mumbai have seen an interesting range of names crop up over the years - from Bandra to Goregaon and Andheri.
Mumbai is a bustling metropolis with the most eclectic bunch of names – from Churchgate to Goregaon to Charni Road. Ever scratched your head, trying to decipher the history behind some of these names? Here’s a helpful guide:
1. Goregaon
Source: FrogStarB / Flickr
There are two versions of this tale. While one group holds on fiercely to the idea that Goregaon was named after the politically active Gore family, others feel that it is quite literally called the ‘white village’ because it was a major producer of milk long ago.
2. Bandra
Source: Tawheed Manzoor / Flickr
It is believed that Bandra got its name from the Persian word, ‘Bandar’, which means port. Bandra was a nondescript fishing village centuries ago and primarily had Kolis (fishermen) and farmers as its residents.
3. Chowpatty
Source: Shawn Morgan / Flickr
This one is synonymous with young couples for its endless possibilities and the sea. Bollywood has done a fairly good job of portraying the essence of the place in colorful songs. It literally stands for four lanes and was meant initially for Girgaum beach because of the possibility of four water inlets of the sea near Girgaum.
4. Cumbala Hill
Source: Grande Illusion / Flickr
This one is located near the posh locality, Kemps Corner, and got its name on account of the vast number of beautiful lotus flowers or kamals that flourished in the region in the past.
5. Churchgate
Source: Archana Menon / Flickr
The old Church gate was demolished in the 1860s. The gate led up to the fort that allowed people to enter St. Thomas’ Church. The name, however, wasn’t the only one. It was also called ‘Pawan-chakki gate’ – most probably because of a windmill that existed in the location in the 18th century.
6. Dhobi Talao
Source: Jshyun / Flickr
Dhobi Talao witnessed dhobis in large numbers who showed up to wash clothes at a tank, which stood in the area aeons ago. Although the tank was covered up later, the name stuck and Dhobi Talao is a very well-known area in contemporary times.
7. Mahim
Source: Anuradha Sengupta / Flickr
Mahim used to be a desert island and had fishermen and families residing in the area. Mahim has been adapted from ‘Mahimavati’ which means miraculous in Sanskrit. The name came about after King Bimbadev built a city called Mahikavati.
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