A natural history museum that most Mumbaikars may not know exists in the city, runs across four floors of one of the city's oldest schools. Fiona Fernandez drops by at St Xavier's High School to take a look at late Brother Antonio Navarro SJ's one-man collection
A natural history museum that most Mumbaikars may not know exists in the city, runs across four floors of one of the city's oldest schools. Fiona Fernandez drops by at St Xavier's High School to take a look at late Brother Antonio Navarro SJ's one-man collection
Considering most city kids don't have a campus worth its jungle gym, the boys at 141 year-old St Xavier's High School at Dhobi Talao, must feel special. The lads have a school gigantic enough to house its own Natural History Museum, sprawled across four floors. 
This Giant-Sized Prawn is in the Marine Life section. Other species are
displayed alongside to give an idea of its comparative size
The Indian Sloth Bear was donated by the Maharajah of Bansda
Brother Navarro
Jennifer Dias, the school's first woman principal, calls it "our pride, a silent testimony to one individual's passion."
The 3,000-specimen museum at St Xavier's -- perhaps, the only school in Western India to boast of such a display -- is second only to that in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya. Arranged and catalogued, stored and displayed in wood and glass cases, the specimens range from bird to animal and marine life.
Brother Navarro (1903-1987), a Spanish Jesuit, is the man to thank for this one. He used his missionary zeal to almost single-handedly collect specimens to build his dream project, one that he worked on from 1945 until his death.
He began his research in Karjat-Talegaon in the Khandala belt. After five years, he had collected 250 bird species. Later, he shifted focus to the Konkan coast, from Virar to Alibaug, including Vaitarna, Bassein and Revdanda.
Along the corridors of the school stand giant glass cases featuring a Royal Bengal Tiger, a Sloth Bear, a Gorilla and even Wallaby and Black Swan, shipped all the way from Australia. The third floor houses a tiger who reached the school through an intriguing route.
Butterflies, birds, and bats (75 varieties) are the main exhibits in this wing. "The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) helps us maintain the museum," says Dias, throwing a glance at Brother Bruno, who as a schoolboy at the time of Navarro, remembers being regaled by the iconic naturalist. "He took us on expeditions during our summer holidays and introduced us to taxidermy."
The discovery of Indian fauna continue on the second floor, even as a Giant Black Turtle stares at you with abject dismay at being confined to a glass case.
The first floor is an avian wonderland -- bird tails, beaks, plumage and a fine collection of eggs (nearly 250 varieties) date back to 1935. Opposite these stands a giant wall display of imposing busts of deer species.
The graphic and informative backgrounds for most displays were painted by PV Joshi, who accompanied Brother Navarro on several expeditions.
We liked the fish exhibit, split into two sections -- a miniature view of the underwater world, and another littered with jars of fish preserved in formalin solution.
AT: St Xavier's High School, LT Marg, Dhobi Talao. Call: 2262113. Open for school visits.
Must-see
THE ROYAL TIGER, 1950s
Speaking from Navsari, octogenarian Maharaja Digveerendra Singh Solanki of Bansda tells us the story of the tiger who was part of the Nawab of Janjira's collection. It was stolen by thieves who got a local fishermen to ferry it to a ship. That's when Customs officials suspected it to be a smuggling operation. In fear, the fisherman dumped the tiger into the ocean, from where it was retrieved and taken to the Customs Warehouse in Mumbai. Brother Navarro learnt of the tiger and requested the Maharaja (an ex-Xavierite) to intervene, using his connections in the powerful corridors of Delhi. The tiger found a new home on the third floor at St Xavier's School.
BIRD CALLS ACROSS THE SEAS
In the 1960s, Brother Navarro started recording birdcalls in the forests of Khandala. He anchored a programme about birds on All India Radio. In 1977, the BBC announced an international competition for birdcalls. Brother Navarro's excerpts from his collection won him the first prize!
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THE FLYING SHIP WRECK
On the afternoon of April 14, 1944, a loud explosion was heard across most parts of south Mumbai. A 7,142-ton cargo vessel SS Fort Stikine that left England in February carrying ufffd2 million worth of gold bars, 1,400 tonnes explosives, sulphur, resin, oil, fish, and 8,700 bales of cotton, mysteriously caught fire when it anchored at Victoria Dock. Two explosions followed, spreading the fire and debris over two square miles. The twin blasts killed over 1,000 and left 3,000 injured. The blast was so powerful, a shred of a propeller from the ship landed on a section of the school building. It stands in proud display close to the main gate.
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