There are some places that as a Mumbaikar you have heard about all your life, but haven't visited. Sassoon Docks is one of those
Sassoon Docks, Colaba (Outdoors)
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There are some places that as a Mumbaikar you have heard about all your life, but haven't visited. Sassoon Docks is one of those. And, the Sassoon Dock Art Project (SDAP) is a stimulant to take the kids along. But when I say Sassoon Docks, both my kids, my nearly 13-year-old daughter and my almost 11-year-old son, glare at me. Which is a good thing because I set them off to research the place. When one goes to off-beat places with kids, it is important to ready them for what they will potentially see.
My kids find out that Sassoon Docks were built in 1875, and is one of the oldest docks in the city. It is the only one open to the public. This dock is also one of Mumbai's largest fish markets. It was the first commercial wet dock in western India that helped establish the cotton trade, during the beginning of the industrial revolution. A wet dock (where ships can sail in regardless of the tide because the water level remains unaffected) was built by Sir Albert Abdulla David Sassoon, a Jewish merchant. About 1,500 trawlers operate here, bringing in around 20 tonnes of fish every day.
We can smell the docks way before we reach the fortress-like entrance. No one stops us as we drive in. We first head to SDAP [it wrapped up in December 2017] that is a wonderland of installations, murals and paintings, and make it a point to read aloud to the kids about the thought process behind the artwork. The SDAP, dedicated to the ocean, the oldest dock of Mumbai and the Kolis (in equal parts), highlights the lives of the fishing community.
The SDAP leads us through a series of warehouse-like spaces and culminates at the docks, where at least 500 people are packed on to a partially covered chunk of the jetty. There are handcarts loaded with giant fish being pushed by men, dripping fish-loaded head-baskets and fisherfolk with their wares. If your kids don't mind the strong fishy smell, this is a great place to teach them about fish of different sizes and colours.
We step out to see hundreds of boats, bobbing on the docks in an explosion of colour. The sky is busy too with hundreds of birds trying to fork off with fish, competing closely with cats. Out in the horizon we spot a stone structure. "That's Oyster Rock," my son guesses, while the daughter insists it is the Mumbai Port Trust Garden. Both my kids are wrong, but I can see that they did their research.
How can we be in the city when it feels as if someone plucked us away from Mumbai and set us back by 100 years? But we are and if the sun isn't overheard and searing, we would have stayed on to watch the bobbing boats longer.
Fact file
Where: Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Badhwar Park, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
Best for: Boys and girls aged seven and upwards
How to reach: The quickest way is via local train. Alight at Chruchgate or CST and hail a cab to Sassoon Docks, off Cuffe Parade, Colaba
Timings: Go early, 4 am to 11 am
Budget: Free, unless you plan to buy fish
Food: Carry along. There are vada pav stalls and small eateries once you get off the docks
Water: Carry along
Rest room facilities: Yes
Where else to go: Gateway of India, Port Trust Gardens, Sagar Upavan botanical gardens, CSMVS, RBI Monetary Museum
Parent Poll: Loved it, read up before you drop boy
Rating: ****
Kids' Poll: Fascinated with the city history and vibrance
Rating: ***
What's Good: You can wander around without anyone bothering you
What's Not So Good: This isn't a typical tourist spot
Safety Tip: Although safe, ensure your kids don't wander into the crowds
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