What were once tiny hamlets on the islands of Mumbai have now been completely engulfed by the city as the farmlands surrounding them have been replaced by a concrete jungle. The people inhabiting these hamlets five centuries ago had been converted to Christianity by the Portuguese, and these hamlets still retain their old Indo-Portuguese, Catholic character. But the city is fast encroaching on what’s left and the old-world charm of their cottages, crosses and winding bylanes will soon be lost to shiny new towers. But some areas of the city are holding out, like Asterix’s indomitable Gaulish village. On our brand-new walk #OldMansHamlet, we explore the hidden hamlet of Matharpakhady in Mazgaon to discover a slice of bygone life that is fighting to survive.
Winter mangoes
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