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Sunday 28 April 2013
List of Bombay Heritage Walks
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The Bombay Samachar Building
First published on the first of July 1822 .A weekly till 1832, a bi-weekly till 1855 and a daily since then
The founder, a Parsi Scholar and Priest by the name of Fardoonji Murazban was a pioneer not only of journalism in Western India but of all Gujarati printed literature.
On July 1 1822, a Parsi scholar and priest Fardoonji Murazban, a pioneer in journalism in western India, started publishing the newspaper as Bombay Samachar. www.fravahr.org
His descendant Pirojsha Jehangir Marzban (1876-1933) wrote under the pen name of “Pijam” and was known as “Mark Twain of the Parsis”. www.nationmaster.com
http://bombaysamachar.com/new/ (in gujarati)
Company Name Bombay Samachar
Head of the Company Hormusji Nusserwanji Cama
Designation Managing Director
Head office The Bombay Samachar Pvt. Ltd., Red House’, Sayed Abdulla Brelvi Road, Horniman Circle, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400001
e-mail samachar.bombay[at]gmail.com
Phone / Mobile / Fax +91-22-22045531 (3 lines), 22045503,22048861 ; ; +91-22-22046642,22045501
Language Gujarati
Periodicity Daily
Down Red Brick Road
The building, defined as an industrial prototype, houses the offices of the Samachar Press inclusive of the Bombay Samachar Pvt Ltd, Bombay Samachar Chronicle Co Pvt Ltd. and the Bombay Associate Newspapers Pvt Ltd.
At the entrance, a plaque carries a brief history. The then governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle Frere, ordered its construction in the 1860s and called it Elphinstone Circle. The garden, called the Old Bombay Green, was laid out in 1869 and oriented with the Town Hall at one end and Flora Fountain at the other. Famous architect James Scott designed the buildings around it.cities.expressindia.com
The Bombay Samachar, Bombay : The Bombay Samachar, the oldest vernacular newspaper in India, was founded by Mr. Furdunji Marzban, the pioneer of native journalism in Western India, in 1822. Appearing first as a weekly, it was converted in 1932, into a daily paper, but was forced by lack of resources to revert to be a bi-weekly issue in 1833. In 1855, however, it again appeared as a daily, and has remained so up to the present time. Since 1870, the paper was the property of the Minocher Homji family, who conducted it for the benefit of all sections of the public. Now it is managed by the Bombay Samachar Private Ltd.
At present the Bombay Samachar publishes the Bombay Samachar, daily and weekly (Sunday); Diwali Ank, Panchang and Vasant Ank annually. The daily circulation of the Bombay Samachar amounted to 1,30,985 and that of the weekly edition to 1,42,931. The strength of the office staff in 1975-76 was 48, working journalists 30 and press workmen 127. The news coverage for the paper is done by its own reporters and representatives in selected cities and towns in India. The editors of the daily and weekly are Mr. Jehan D. Daruwala and Mr. Shantikumar Bhatt, respectively. Maharashtra State Gazetteers
The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
Ms. Mrugaya Desai from BHW Team of Presenters showing an image of the area 100 years ago
Ms. Mrugaya Desai from BHW Team of Presenters and Ms. Abha Bahl – architect, co-founder THE BOMBAY HERITAGE WALKS (BHW) Group.
The Asiatic Society of Mumbai was founded by Sir James Mackintosh, a distinguished lawyer, jurist and public figure in England Known then as the Literary Society of Bombay, it met for the first time on November 26, 1804.In 1826, the Literary Society merged with the recently established Royal Society of Great Britain and Ireland (RAS) as its Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (BBRAS).In 1873, the Geographical Society of Bombay and in 1896 the Anthropological Society of Bombay merged with the BBRAS,n 1954, it became separate from RAS and renamed itself as ‘The Asiatic Society of Bombay ‘and recently ‘The Asiatic Society of Mumbai.’
1804 – 1829 Literary Society of Bombay www.asiaticsociety.org
1829 – 1954 Bombay Branch of Royal Asiatic Society
1955 – 2005 Asiatic Society of Bombay
2005 The Asiatic Society of Mumbai [1]
Yearly member ship 1000 rs
For tourist daily pass 250 rupees (2009 please recheck )
The building is much admired for its simplicity. With its ribbed Doric columns, old parquet floors, spiral staircases, wrought iron loggias, and exquisite marble statues of forgotten city fathers, the colonnaded Town Hall is perhaps the most regal and elegant of Bombay’s heritage buildings.
The building was designed by Col. Cowper of the Bombay Engineers, the original columns shipped from England were too large and had to be used in the Byculla Church instead.
The neo-classical design is due to Colonel Thomas Cowper of the Bombay Engineers. The building is 200 feet long and 100 feet deep. The facade has three porticoes faced by Ionic columns. The plans called for a double row of columns, built out of
material brought from England. Although these plans were curtailed, the final cost of the building came to about 500,000 pounds; far in excess of the initial estimates. The East India Company, took on a major part of the expense. The building
was completed in 1833, after the death of Cowper. tifr.res.in
the Asiatic Society, a library with a collection of 800,000 antique volumes. One of them is a priceless first edition copy of Dante’s “Inferno.” There is also an impressive numismatic collection of over 1,000 ancient coins and a rare gold mohur belonging to the Mughal Emperor Akbar. cybernoon.com
Britannia & Co restaurant
Britannia & Co: If it’s berry pulao, it must be Britannia!.
In any case, the berries are cooked with the best quality of basmati rice, then the marinated and masalaed meat placed between layers of the rice. And there is a garnish of cashewnuts and fried onions. Plus, a few kababs. Note: This is the only place in India that you get berry pulao
Red Checkered tablecloths,Old Polish chairs,
ceiling fans,
photos of Robin the rooster,
even the raspberry drinks(Raspberry Soda ) that you never get anywhere else
Established by Rashid Meherwan Kohinoor, opened it in 1923
Only officers were allowed, the assistant collector of customs, Port Trust manager, the collector of Bombay.
Irani restaurants is that most of them are located at street corners in prominent places in Mumbai.
“Those days the other communities, especially the Hindus, regarded the corner establishments as unlucky. So, we got them at throwaway prices,” recalled septuagenarian Boman Rashid Kohinoor telegraphindia.com
Boman Kohinoor, the owner of the Britannia & Co restaurant and one-time partner of Bastani, Mumbai en.wikipedia.org
Prices 2008
- Chicken Berry Pulav Rs 170
- Mutton Berry Pulav Rs 200
- veg Berry Pulav Rs 100
- chicken Dhansak Rs 140
- Mutton Dhansak Rs 170
- veg Dhansak Rs 100
- Sali Boti (Mutton) Rs 150
- Fry Bombay Duck (seasonal) Rs 90
- P atra ni machchi Rs 200
- Chicken biryani Rs 140
- Mutton Biryani Rs 170
- Sali Kheema (mutton) Rs 120
- Chichek cutlet gravy Rs 90
- Chicken Cutlet dry Rs 70
- misti doi
- Caramel Custard
Prices March 2009
The infamous Chicken Berry Palav
* Chicken Berry Pulav Rs 240
* Mutton Berry Pulav Rs 280
* Kheema Berry Pulav Rs 240
* veg Berry Pulav Rs 150
* chicken Dhansak Rs 200
* Mutton Dhansak Rs 240
* veg Dhansak Rs 150
* Sali Boti (Mutton) Rs 210
* Fry Bombay Duck (seasonal) Rs 150
* Patra ni machchi/fish Patra Rs 300
* Chicken biryani Rs 200
* Mutton Biryani Rs 240
* Veg Biryani Rs 120
* Sali Kheema (mutton) Rs 180
* Chichen cutlet gravy Rs 140
* Chicken Cutlet dry Rs 120
* misti doi 50
* Caramel Custard 60
* Chocolate Mousse
My views on the berry palav. The berry palav is highly over rated and over sold in all the blogs i have read. It is not worth value for money at 240 rupees for a pile of rice ,2-3 pieces of chicken , a spoon of some brown sauce ,2-3 balls of chicken cutlet and a sprinkling of super tiny reddish berries which cannot be really tasted in the food .
Recommended dishes
- Chicken Berry Palao (a version of the Iranian zereshk polow)
Berry pulao, a deliciously complex chicken and rice pilaf made with crunchy fried onions, sliced almonds and deep-red barberries—tart berries imported from Iran.
- Patra-ni-Macchi
Patra ni machchi is pomfret fish coated in chutney made with cilantro, coconut, and assorted spices; wrapped in a banana leaf; and steamed — always moist and flaky with flavors all the way down to the bone. www.frommers.com
- Sali Chicken and Chicken Farcha
- Caramel Custard
If you are a veggie you will be disappointed .The Veg Berry Palav is pretty ok (not worth the price though)
The philosophy of the place is: ‘There is no love greater than the love of eating’
Mr Boman Rashid Kohinoor,Mr Afshin Kohinoor
+(91)-(22)-30225264 (updated 2009),22615264
Address
Wakefield House 11,
Opp New Custom House Ballard Estate, Google MapSprott Road 16,
Fort, Mumbai – 400001
Timings 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM (Closed on Sunday )
Britannia in Ballard Estate became famous for its Berry Pulao; Sassanian Boulangerie at Dhobi Talao for its Parsi food. Kyani & Co for its bakery products; New Excelsior café for its kheema-pau. But, two things remained common to all of them — distinct watery, milky tea, and a leisurely sense of time.www.telegraphindia.com
The Royal Bombay Seamans Society
022-22612260, 022-22624960, 22624961
Behind Bombay Port Trust, Ramjibai Kamani Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai – 400038
The Heritage Buildings of Bombay
Behind Bombay Port Trust, Ramjibai Kamani Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai – 400038
The Heritage Buildings of Bombay
Capt. Shahabuddin Ahmad, once told me that egg sandwiches at the Prince of Wales Royal Seaman`s Society Club at Ballard Estate were the best he tasted anywhere.chowk.com
The Royal Bombay Seamans Society
Prince of Wales Seamen’s Club
18 R Kamani Marg,
Ballard Estate,
Bombay 400038,
India
Telephone : (91) 22 261 3731
Facsimile : (91) 22 612260
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