Khotachiwadi, Girgaum, Mumbai

Khotachiwadi ( कोथाचीवाड़ी ) was previously a coastal fishing locality of the Koli and the Pathare community in the 18th Century Girgaum, Bombay. Majority of the land was owned by Waman Hari Khot, who sold it to the members of the East Indian Community who settled here by building their houses in their traditional Portuguese style of architecture, blue coloured verandas, arched doorways,a backyard, an open staircase leading to the upper floor of bedrooms, rustic wooden furniture, knick knacks showcasing their culture, a chapel with a mural of the Mother Mary and Son. 

East Indians Catholics are an ethnic group belonging to the Christian Community based in Bombay for centuries. They are much similar to the Portuguese of Goa in their cuisine, culture and architecture. Hence Khotachiwadi is also referred to as Mini Goa. The alleys of Khotachiwadi are narrow, colourful due to the murals and the colour scheme of the bungalows giving off a feeling of a close knight village. All the families settled here since generations are inter - related via families and marriages. Today it is a part of the rich cultural heritage of the city of Mumbai ( Bombay ) and transports one back in time to the good old days of a simple, slow-paced yet fulfilling life where everyone knew everyone, kids would play together for hours on end in each other's houses, ladies would gossip and the men folk would hang around talking of both important and mundane matters. Unfortunately the Wadi is on a steady decline due to the growing commercialization of Mumbai where land is at a premium and quite a few residents have given in to the lure of money by selling off their places. The dwindled population still retains its roots and clings faithfully to its culture and traditions. Christmas carols are sung, Christmas celebrated with pomp and prayers, guitars humming old time konkani / Portuguese tunes. Yet there is a feeling of melancholy among the residents of all that is being lost to the expanding city all around it. There is an urgent need to get it declared as a Heritage Site that can add to the tourist attractions of Mumbai and the revenue generated can help to retain and restore its past glory. 

Established By - Waman Hari Khot, belonging to the Pathare Prabhu community who were the original settlers in the then Mumbai. Hence the name Khot - achiwadi. Wadi in Marathi refers to a gated huge residence. 

Founded In - The early 18th Century 

*Original Number Of Bungalows - 65

Present Number of Bungalows - 26

Location and Address -

47/G Khotachiwadi Trail, 

1st Ln,

 Khotachi Wadi, 

Ambewadi, 

Girgaon, Mumbai,

Maharashtra 400004

*Originally there were 65 bungalows which have dwindled down to 26 due to rapid growth of the city with quite a few families having immigrated out of India. 

Rising population in Mumbai has contributed to land grabbing by developers at huge amounts  due to which individual houses often end up selling to them. This has led to such severe decline in the number of bungalows in this quaint corner of the bustling metropolis. 

Images - Youtube