From the time I first moved back to Andheri in the early 1990s, I never once even wondered what is inside the lanes to the left of J.P. Road. I knew there was a gaothan or a village, which was the only inhabited part of Andheri between the station and Dhake colony till the early 1970s. I never needed to go into those areas and explore.They were just a nothing land I gave little attention to until this week.
The upcoming metro has now blocked the main entry point for pedestrians from J.P. Road to S.V. Road, meaning, all roads to the station lead through those inner lanes. Yes, those fascinating inner lanes that can be a maze. The lanes remind me a bit of Mombassa's old town. The odd large bungalow shares the neighbourhood with small huts (not the variety that you see in the slums) and some so-called modern buildings.
The lanes are cosmopolitan with the smell of meat and the sight of Islamic flags, being as common as the ringing of temple bells and the cross erected in many small paths to buildings. You see rich and poor here, some women in shorts and others in burkhas. The gutters are well-sealed yet, I wouldn't risk walking in these lanes in the monsoons. If only there was someone who would tell more about the history of that place!!
The upcoming metro has now blocked the main entry point for pedestrians from J.P. Road to S.V. Road, meaning, all roads to the station lead through those inner lanes. Yes, those fascinating inner lanes that can be a maze. The lanes remind me a bit of Mombassa's old town. The odd large bungalow shares the neighbourhood with small huts (not the variety that you see in the slums) and some so-called modern buildings.
The lanes are cosmopolitan with the smell of meat and the sight of Islamic flags, being as common as the ringing of temple bells and the cross erected in many small paths to buildings. You see rich and poor here, some women in shorts and others in burkhas. The gutters are well-sealed yet, I wouldn't risk walking in these lanes in the monsoons. If only there was someone who would tell more about the history of that place!!
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