21 March,2009 10:05 AM IST | | Anjana Vaswani
Sharada Dwivedi and Rahul Mehrotra's new coffee table book, Bombay Deco, will make you regret enclosing your balcony
That historian Sharada Dwivedi is surrounded by architectural-heritage-related issues, is a lot truer than one may imagine. Even her home is steeped in architectural history. The Churchgate building that houses her apartment was constructed by the Raja of Bilkha, when he felt the need for a residence in Mumbai. "I actually managed to find some of the original lights a few years ago, and I've retained this gorgeous Bharat tiling," she says showing us the Art-Deco wall lights and details around her home.
"Buildings are more than brick and mortar," says Dwivedi, unable to decide why or how a building acquires significance. "They may have been touched by history, or witnessed historic movements. Historical figures are associated with some structures; hopes and aspirations with others."
Leading us through Bombay Deco, her new book, Dwivedi shows us pictures of buildings we pass by every day, and then stuns us with Photoshoped images without extensions and modifications that have been so callously allowed. It's ironic that though "per square foot" may just be the very first thing Mumbai-bred babies utter, somehow, the city doesn't seem to recognise the premium that elegance commands.
Why Art Deco?
"When Rahul and I were working on Bombay: The Cities Within, we realised that there are no comprehensive publications on the subject of Art Deco architecture in Mumbai," Dwivedi shares. It was a huge task since computerised archives weren't available on the subject, and research meant going through stacks of books and volumes of articles. "We even found old advertisements depicting several original structures. They've been incorporated in the book."
Offering an example of how other countries would employ such wealth, Dwivedi shares, "Buildings in Napier, a town in New Zealand, were reconstructed in Art Deco style after an earthquake destroyed much of the town in the 1930s. It drums up tourism by hosting annual Art Deco events."
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Why Oval Maidan is special
As she flips through the pages, Dwivedi's eyes light up when she encounters a giant photograph of Oval Maidan. Running her fingers over the dated picture that offers an aerial view of the grounds, Dwivedi says, "Oval Maidan is sandwiched between a row of Art Deco structures on one side, and Neo-Gothic buildings on the other. It's unique to have two markedly distinct architectural styles facing each other as they do here, separated by a Grade I Heritage structure. We're trying to push for it to be labelled a World Heritage Site."
Art Deco revival and maintenance: Practical?
It can be successfully managed, assures Dwivedi, telling us about two Churchgate buildings, Rajesh Mansion and Sunshine, praising the efforts of gynaecologist Anahita Pandole who she credits with the restoration of the latter. "She formed a group with some of the tenants and managed to persuade the others to remove their air-conditioners from the facade. Drain pipes and cables were shifted and tenants agreed to forfeit the extra space that enclosed balconies afforded them."
Sharada's favourite building in Mumbai
Professing her affection for The Taj Mahal Hotel, Dwivedi says there are a host of reasons why that edifice intrigues her. Urging everyone to consider its historical relevance, Dwivedi points out, "The reason they have the Princes Room is because royalty used to conduct their meetings within. So much of the Freedom Movement was planned inside those walls. The structure has survived crisis after crisis, perhaps because it was built
during the plague!"
Bombay Deco by Sharada Dwivedi and Rahul Mehrotra, published by Eminence Designs Pvt. Ltd. is available at bookstore for Rs 3,000
