A stroll in the city's cool area: Colaba

Walking tours have now become an inevitable part of my life. Since 2017, I've been going on walks about history, heritage, and the environment. Whenever I am planning to visit any new place, the initial thought that comes to my mind is of exploring the area by foot. Wait a minute, that idea even generates while I am in my own city. In the past, I've published posts on Mumba's lesser-known locations. Now that I think about it, I didn't write anything down on the city's tourism hotspots.

When I told Mukul (my husband) that I will be going to Colaba on the weekend, he was like yeah finally my wife will do some shopping. I just smiled at him. I didn’t go completely against him, as I did some window shopping by craning to look at the exquisite windows around me.

For those who haven't figured it out yet, I went on a walking tour of Mumbai's upscale Colaba retail district. One of the seven islands of Mumbai. I will be posting blogs on the other parts as well (Do read my blog on Mazgoan’s Matharpacady village here - https://www.eeshasexperience.com/post/mumbai-s-beautiful-colours )

This time, I went on a walk with a firm called Beyond Heritage, which is operated by a lovely lady named Mallika. I discovered the organization’s page through Instagram, and I just fell in love with their cinematic videos supported by a southing background score. So, I simply went on one of their walks.

This stroll begins at Mumbai's most recognisable landmark, The Gateway of India. Since we were at Gateway, the area was bustling with people along with private cars, taxis, tourist vehicles. In between, a blue double-decker bus with a tour leader went by.

One of the initial stops was the Bhikha Behram Well. Despite being on such a proximity to the sea, the well’s water is sweet. A place of worship for the Parsi Community. The well premises look stunning from the outside, I so wished to go in and peek a bit. (Non-Parsis are not allowed to go inside.)

Dhanraj Mahal

After that, Mallika walked us to a residential complex, known as Dhanraj Mahal. An art deco marvel. I just kept on looking at its red façade with bougainvillea complementing the entrance. During the introduction, Mallika had told us to look around and observe the structures on either side. Must say, the best advice ever.

Bowen Memorial Methodist Church

Slowly and steady the walk group started moving towards the less crowded and more undiscovered streets. A stunning corner church painted in skin with maroon borders and cross caught my attention from afar. I am always fascinated by buildings built at corners. At that moment, I was looking at Bowen Memorial Methodist church. One of the area's oldest churches. Apparently, back in the 19th century, this church used to be the tallest structure in the area. Now its beauty remains hidden.

Slowly the walk proceeded towards the Wellington Estate. Ofcourse, the group halted at a junction, where the flow of traffic was continuous. Each edifice has a distinct architectural style. They had so many stories to tell but no one bothered to listen. I just couldn’t stop taking photos and videos.

YMVCA Hostel (Lady Wellington Hostel)

We then crossed across to the opposite side. The alley led to a beautiful, blue-colored building with white window grills. Would you believe it if I told you that this is actually a Women’s Hostel (YWCA)? After a while, the group started walking further and passed through more stunning structures. Then we stopped in front of a dilapidated yet splendid structure. Our group was even fortunate enough to meet the house's owner. Another building that my camera captured whilst walking was the Stephen Hall. The structure’s simplicity just stood out perfectly from the rest.

Cathedral of The Holy Name

Just a bit further, all of us stopped in front of a massive black stone Cathedral. Magnificent, is the only word that came to my mind when my eyes saw Cathedral of The Holy Name. I was awestruck by its interiors.

Schoen House

After walking out and taking a few steps ahead, one can see an old, wrecked building. The building is known as Schoen House. As I had seen the same structure previously on reels and vlogs, it didn’t seem that daunting to me. The most unexpected thing was learning that the location was utilised by a school just a few years ago. Isn't that fascinating?

The walking trip was both exhausting and invigorating in equal measure. Another aspect worth mentioning is the price point. This walk by Beyond Heritage was an easy one on the pockets for sure. That photo frame as a souvenir at the end, truly aced the experience.