February 08, 2006

Where in a city

Where in Bombay ...

... would you find the Kamalabai N Brahmandkar Hall? Extra points: what famous institution of middle-class Maharashtrian Mumbai is across the road?

... would you find the words "Boyce Dhanapatel" on a plaque, and why? Extra points: almost directly across the road is a gate into a colony. The bust of a remarkable man is on the left if you walk in. What's his name and why is he remarkable?

... would you find the name "Raggoonathdass Ramlal" on a plaque, and why? Extra points: immediately behind this name is a grand entrance to a building. It's used all the time, but I'm almost certain that you can't use it. Why?

2 comments:

Yazad Jal said...

Boyce Dhanpatel Agiary is at Tardeo, a bit further on from Swati Snacks. Opposite it is Talmakiwadi. And the bust is of the founder of Saraswat Bank (forget the name).

The other two stump me.

Dilip D'Souza said...

Very good, Yaz! Exactly right, but for one detail. The bust is of Rao Bahadur Shripad Subbarao Talmaki (for whom Talmakiwadi is named too) -- the guru of the cooperative movement in India. The bank he founded is not Saraswat Bank, but the Shamrao Vithal Cooperative Bank, which has just entered its 100th year.

The other two -- let me give it just a little longer, to see if anyone comes up with answers.

Krishnan, please don't be ashamed! These are tiny details from a gigantic city, I only offer them here because they caught my eye in recent times. A month ago I wouldn't have known the answer to any of these.