Sweeping Views Of Bombay From Malabar Hill, 2 Photos 1880
Two spectacular photographs of British-era Bombay (Mumbai), taken from Malabar Hill in 1880. The photos offer a remarkable glimpse of the city’s waterfront before the reclamation projects that transformed its landscape. The first photograph captures the southern stretch of Back Bay, with the outline of prominent colonial-era landmarks visible in the distance. Including the Bombay High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, and Government Secretariat.
The buildings stand remarkably close to the original shoreline, but after the reclamation, the sea was pushed further back. The lush, wooded slopes of Malabar Hill dominate the foreground, creating a striking contrast with the growing urban settlement beyond. The second photograph presents an equally intriguing scene, showing the waterfront around the future site of Chowpatty Beach and the northern end of Marine Drive.
In the foreground lies Lakdi Bandar, a timber depot with neatly stacked logs. The landscape would change dramatically in the decades that followed. The Back Bay reclamation schemes, particularly those undertaken during the 1920s, created new stretches of land between the existing shoreline and the city’s prominent public buildings. Paving the way for further urban development and the creation of the celebrated Marine Drive promenade. Chowpatty Beach, too, bears witness to the transformation of Bombay’s shoreline through reclamation projects.
Did you know – Lakdi Bandar means timber depot. Historical descriptions of this waterfront mention stacks of wood used for purposes including cremation rites and cooking, making the depot an intriguing reminder of everyday life along old Bombay’s shore.
