View of Back Bay & Malabar Hill Bombay, 1880 Photo
This 1880 photo shows the view of Back Bay & Malabar Hill in Bombay (Mumbai). The important promontory on the western side of Bombay is the curve of the Back Bay. Malabar Hill and its smaller neighbour Cumballa Hill consisting of the Promontory. The large fishing boats seem to be resting on keel in low tide. The wooded hillock beyond is the Malabar Hill.
The gravelly shore would later become the famous Chowpatty Beach. The beach was formed by way of reclamation by the British under the Back Bay Reclamation Scheme during the 1920-30s. Malabar Hill, which was later to become covered in rather grand bungalows. Malabar Point at the tip was the location of the British Government House, today it is the Raj Bhavan.
Marine Drive is a 3.6 km long Promenade along the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Road. The road and promenade were constructed by the well-known Pallonji Mistry. At its northern end is the Girgaon Chowpatty, and at the southern end is the business district of Nariman Point.
Read also Insider’s guide to… Girgaum Chowpatty.
Did you know – that near Chowpatty Beach is Girgaum which is one of the oldest districts of Bombay.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Wife Bhageerathi Bayi, Rare 1870 Photo., Parade At Mysore Palace – Old Postcard 1900., Founding of Fort St George Madras, 1903 Print., British India General Insurance Company Car Policy 1936.
