Bombay Coast Before The Taj Hotel & Gateway of India, 1900 Postcard
A 1900 postcard with a rare view of the Bombay coast before the Taj Mahal Hotel and Gateway of India was built. This unique postcard shows the Bombay coastline before the construction of the Taj Palace Mahal Hotel and the Gateway of India. On the extreme left is the space where the famous Hotel would be built in 1903. Just before this space is the ‘L’ shaped Greens Hotel.
The Greens was acquired by the Taj Mahal Hotel, it was demolished, and in its place the Taj Tower was erected in 1973. Adjacent to the Greens is the Royal Bombay Yacht Club’s multistoried residential annexe. The Royal Bombay Yacht Club is on the right. Directly in front is the Apollo Bunder with the Japanese pavilion, the Gateway of India was not built until 1924.
It was on Apollo Bunder that the King-Emperor George V and Queen Mary landed to attend the Delhi Durbar of 1911. The Durbar was to mark King George’s ascendency to the throne after the death of his father King Edward VII. Besides the Delhi Durbar ceremony, both had a hectic tour covering the Indian Sub-continent including Nepal.
Read more Meher Marfatia: On the waterfront.
Did you know – the Apollo Bunder land is owned by the Bombay Port Trust which has leased it out to several occupants.
From the collection – Rural Life Watercolour Painting By N. Mukherjee., British Polo Team Madras, Old Photo 1888., Rolls Royce Cars Of The Wealthy Maharajas, Postcard.
