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THE BOMBAY HERITAGE WALKS
group has been organising walking tours around the city since April
1999. The heritage walks aim to raise the awareness of the people of
Mumbai and visitors, about the city’s architecture and heritage
monuments. Personalized, educative and imaginative, the walking tours
highlight the vast range of architectural styles, planning elements and
ornamental details, tracing the social and cultural history of the city.
Walk around the throbbing
Kala Ghoda Art District...
Meander through the sleepy by-lanes of old Colaba...
Stroll down the age old historic Dockyard Road...
Visit the splendid University Campus...
Enjoy the arcaded bazaars along the Victorian style D.N. Road...
Soak in the legends at the ancient Banganga Tank Complex...
Join THE BOMBAY HERITAGE
WALKS and discover places you probably never even knew existed…
in the very city of
Mumbai!
At BHW, we believe -
The real essence of Mumbai can only to be discovered on foot, with some
knowledgeable about the city's past, conversant with it's architecture
and intimately familiar with the city streets.
NOTE :
Heritage
Walks are offered in English OR French Languages.
Location : Mumbai
TIMINGS OFFERED :
-
Mornings 9:00 am or
evenings 4:30 PM only.
Timings can be adjusted by 30 minutes (walk to start sooner).
-
For Combo Fort Tours,
Morning Start Time of 9:00 AM remains the same.
Evening Start Time will be 3:30 PM (On Request Only)
-
Tours Operates only in Weekends
i.e. (Saturday & Sunday), For Weekdays Tours can be arranged Subject to
availability
Number of Pax :
Duration : 2 - 3
Hours
Itinerary for
Walk A - The Kala Ghoda Route
 On
this route, you will see a veritable parade of archetypal Neo-Gothic
public buildings built in the 1860s & 70s such as the glorious Bombay
University Library with its high campanile and the grand imposing High
Court that are South
Mumbai's main architectural attraction. Fronting this line of historic
Gothic edifices across the open space of Oval Maidan is a row of superb
1930s Art Deco apartment buildings making this a marvellously unique
setting both visually and architecturally. Other highlights on this
heritage route are the culturally vibrant Kala Ghoda node with newly
restored Elphinstone College, the 'miniature Gothic'
David Sassoon Library, the Neo-Classic Army & Navy building and much
more.
DURATION :
Approx. 2 hours
START POINT
Gateway of India (forecourt of the monument, in front of the central
arch).
You/your clients will be met by your presenter here at this spot. He/She
can be
identified by a BHW Presenter ID badge round the neck.
ROUTE
Start from the Gateway of India, standing in the forecourt of the
monument, you will be given an introduction to Mumbai, its historical
background, geographic morphology and told about surrounding Apollo
Bunder precinct including Taj Mahal Hotel, Royal Bombay Yacht Club etc.
Walk to Regal Circle. Stand near the Wellington Fountain and view the
historic circle of buildings around.
-
Visit the Holy Name Cathedral in
Nathalal Parekh Marg, off Regal Circle.
-
Visit the Phillips Images Gallery (part
of the Phillips Antiques estd. in the early 1900s in Indian Mercantile
Chambers at Regal Circle), which showcases
a superb collection of photographs of Old Bombay.
-
Walk to Kala Ghoda intersection. Here,
you will be given an explanation of significance of 'Kala Ghoda' with
respect to the Fort and details of all buildings
around including Elphinstone College, David Sassoon Library, Army & Navy
Building, Watson's Hotel.
-
Visit the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue
in Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg.
-
Walk to the Mumbai University Campus.
Visit the University Library.
-
Cross over to Oval Maidan to take in
view of High Court, Art Deco line of buildings, Eros Cinema tower and
Western Railway HQ building skyline.
END OF TOUR
Itinerary for
Walk B - The Horniman Circle Route
 The
city’s long association with the British is reflected in the old world
charm of its buildings made in varying styles - from the early 1800s
neo-Classic to the late
1860s Victorian neo-Gothic, early 20th century Indo-Saracenic style of
architecture that combined Gothic-like flamboyance with Muslim-Indian
architectural features, and also the flamboyant Art Deco of the 1930s
and 40s. On
this tour you see some of the city's well-known landmarks, in the heart
of the old Fort area – Mumbai’s oldest business district. Besides their
heritage value, the presence of over 30 banking establishments and
important financial institutions renders the area into Mumbai’s
principal tourist and commercial hub.
DURATION :
Approx. 2 hours
START POINT
Asiatic Library (bottom of steps, to
the left-hand side when facing the steps).
You/your clients will be met by your presenter here at this spot. He/She
can be identified by a BHW Presenter ID badge round the neck.
ROUTE
Start the tour at the Asiatic Library. Here you will be given an
introduction to Mumbai, its historical background, geographic morphology
and told about surrounding Fort precinct including the Asiatic Library,
Horniman Circle etc.
- Visit the Asiatic Library*
considered to be among the finest neo-Classic buildings in India, and
one of the oldest surviving Colonial buildings in Mumbai. It houses
the Asiatic Society of Mumbai and Central Library.
- Then walk through the elegantly laid
out Horniman Circle Gardens. Reach Mumbai Samachar Marg, the historic
location of Asia's oldest Stock Exchange. View the BSE building and
other leading banking institutions of the
country.
- Visit the UNESCO Heritage Award
winning St. Thomas Cathedral, the city's oldest British church.
- Continue towards Flora Fountain
along Veer Nariman Road. Stop at the highly embellished Fountain, a
quintessential city icon and take in the splendid
structures that define the perimeter of this intersection
- Passing by the Central Telegraph
Office, view the magnificent Gothic-style High Court building with its
fabulous Venetian style galleries.
- Next, visit the Mumbai University
Library with the famed Rajabai Clock Tower - a majestic structure
built in a fusion of Italian & Gothic style with some of the most
exquisite stained glass windows in Asia.
- Cross over to Oval Maidan to take in
a view of the High Court, Art Deco line of buildings, Eros Cinema
tower and Western Railway HQ building.
END OF TOUR
Itinerary for
Combo Fort Tour Walks A + Walks B
 A
combination of the two previously laid out routes i.e. Walks A & B
together as one extended route is also offered.
DURATION : Approx. 3 to
3.5 hours
START POINT
Gateway of India (forecourt of the monument, in front of the central
arch).
You/your clients will be met by your presenter here at this spot. He/She
can be identified by a BHW Presenter ID badge round the neck.
ROUTE
-
Start with an introduction to
Mumbai, its history and geographic morphology. Stand at the Gateway of
India monument and here you will be told about surrounding Apollo Bunder
precinct including Taj Mahal Hotel, Royal Bombay Yacht Club etc.
-
Walk to Regal Circle. Stand near
the Wellington Fountain and view the historic circle of buildings
around.
-
Visit the Holy Name Cathedral in
Nathalal Parekh Marg, off Regal Circle.
-
Visit the Phillips Images
Gallery (part of the Phillips Antiques estd. in the early 1900s in
Indian Mercantile Chambers at Regal Circle).
-
Walk to Kala Ghoda intersection.
Here, you will be given an explanation of significance of 'Kala Ghoda'
with respect to the Fort and details of all
buildings around including Elphinstone College, David Sassoon Library,
Army & Navy Building, Watson's Hotel, Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue.
Visit the splendid Mumbai University Campus.
Walk past the magnificent Gothic-style High Court building.
-
Walk to Flora Fountain
intersection. Stop at the highly embellished Fountain, a quintessential
city icon and take in the heritage that defines this junction.
-
Visit the UNESCO Heritage Award
winning St. Thomas Cathedral, the city's oldest British church.
-
Reach Mumbai Samachar Marg, the
historic location of Asia's oldest Stock Exchange. View the BSE building
and other leading banking institutions.
-
Then walk through the elegantly
laid out Horniman Circle Gardens.
-
Cross the road and end the tour
with a visit to the old Town Hall considered to be among the finest
neo-Classic buildings in India, and one of the oldest
surviving Colonial buildings in Mumbai.
IMPORTANT :
-
Visit to Holy Name Cathedral
will be possible if mass timings do not clash.
-
Visit to Keneseth Eliyahoo
Synagogue will be possible if mass timings do not clash; no permission
to enter on Saturdays and Sundays.
-
Visits to Phillips Images
Gallery, University Library, Asiatic Library are not possible on Sundays
& public holidays.
-
Photography IS NOT permitted
inside David Sassoon Library, Mumbai University Library and Asiatic
Library.
Itinerary for
Walk C - Banganga Route
 The
stepped tank called Banganga, surrounded by temples (mandirs), memorials
(samadhis), hermitages (maths), pilgrim rest houses (dharmasalas) and
residences stands on the western fringes of Malabar Hill in South
Mumbai. Over the decades, and particularly since the intensive
development of Malabar Hill beginning from the 1960s, this tranquil,
historic centre of pilgrimage has been severely transformed by being
virtually engulfed by haphazard highrise development in the environs.
The BHW Banganga Walking Tour takes you for a 'parikrama' or holy
circumabulation around the Banganga tank, stopping at various temples
along the way. History and legends associated with this incredible
locality will be unfolded on the tour as well as details about Hindu
religious architecture. You will see that even though the physical state
of the complex has deteriorated considerably, the
ambience and sanctity of Banganga seem intact.
DURATION :
Approx. 2 hours
START POINT
Walkeshwar Bus Depot, Walkeshwar Road
Directions - Coming up via the Walkeshwar slope from Chowpatty, keep
going straight till you reach TeenBatti Junction. From here, go further
straight and you
will arrive at the Walkeshwar Bus Depot.
You will be met by your presenter here at this spot.
You will be met by your presenter here at this spot.
ROUTE :
END OF TOUR
NOTES
1. After meeting at the
Start Point, the group will be led to the Banganga Tank & Temple Complex
which is a 5 minute walk away.
2. Since this route involves visiting many Hindu temples to enter into
which, it is
necessary to remove one’s footwear, we suggest that you wear appropriate
shoes
that can be easily worn and taken off.
3. Photography is allowed inside the Tank & Temple Complex.
Book Now
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