How the Parsis Shaped Theatre in Colonial Bombay

Flops, frauds or community disapproval did not prove obstacles to the growth of the theatre enterprise. Elphinstone Circle in Bombay in the 1870s. Photo: Lee-Warner Collection/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA When one thinks of Horniman Circle – the ring of elegant old buildings in south Mumbai – today, several associations spring to mind: the glossy storefronts of Starbucks and Hermes – the temples of neoliberal globalism; men snoozing on the garden’s shaded benches – a respite from...
Tags: Life, China, Wikipedia, India, Turkey, Iran, Starbucks, Victoria, Theater, Hermès, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bombay, Madras, Town Hall

Going the extra milestone: Mumbai preserves remnants of colonial past

Over the decades many of the city’s stone markers have been submerged in concrete, but a plan is underway to restore themBuried for years under Mumbai’s new roads and ever-increasing layers of development, the British passion for cartography is set to rise up on the city’s streets again thanks to a project to preserve its colonial milestones.When workers from Mumbai municipal corporation (BMC) were demolishing unauthorised buildings three years ago, they unearthed a basalt stone marker with a py...
Tags: India, World news, South and Central Asia, Global development, Mumbai, Bmc, Sion, Horniman Circle

Is this India’s best Mercedes owners club? : An interview with Rayomand J. Patell

Shivaum Punjabi at DriveTribe India does a wonderful interview with our dear friend and leading Parsi petrolhead Rayomand J. Patell a.k.a Rayo. Indians are obsessed with Mercedes Benz. For the longest time, it has been the go-to luxury car brand for anyone in India who wants to let the world know they have arrived. This Dhanteras Mercedes Benz India delivered 600 cars to customers across the country. I sit down with Rayomand J. Patell better known as Rayo, who runs one of Mumbai’s most passion...
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Marespand Dadachanji’s Restored Cars Win at Pebble Beach Concourse D’Elegance

Our dearest friend Marespand Aspandiar Dadachanji, ace vintage car restorer wins 1st and 3rd positions at the Pebble Beach Concourse D’Elegance. Top Indian automotive journalist and good friend of Parsi Khabar Adil Jal Darukhanawala writes… “Crowning glory for one of India’s most respected & capable restorer of vintage & classic cars Marespand A. Dadachanji. “His” cars took first & 3rd in class plus also won the Lucius Beebe Trophy for most impressive Rolls-Royce at Pebble Beach yesterday. First...
Tags: Europe, UK, London, News, California, France, Life, India, Fiat, Mumbai, Bentley, Pacific Ocean, Pebble Beach, Continental, Maharaja, Gujarat

17 Best Things to Do in Mumbai

By Adam Groffman Cities like Mumbai may seem chaotic at first, and even if the first reaction of many travelers is to flee to the relatively peaceful beaches of Goa, Mumbai is a diverse, cosmopolitan, noisy city, and one of the most interesting places in India. India, as a subcontinent, is huge and traveling around it is both refreshing and challenging. Mumbai is that type of place that you’ll either love or hate because it’s just so damn big (19 million people and growing). Microcosms of differ...
Tags: Travel, Hollywood, India, Things To Do, Mumbai, New Delhi, Walk, Kitchen Garden, Gandhi, Adam Groffman, Bademiya, Nicobar, India India, South Mumbai, Marine Drive, Colaba