Due to its cast iron composition, it is difficult to pull out the structure from the earth. The stump of one spotted at Lalbaug bearing the company name Garliow & Co Bombay is nestled in a parking spot. Sometimes, the imported lamps and glass were stolen, leaving behind just the pole M umbai is a city of migrants and thus, Aatreya says that connecting people to these little histories helps them relate to its spirit. u201c We hope to move this project to Facebook or Instagram so that if someone happens to spot a gas lamp around their neighbourhood, regardless of whether it has been documented or not, they can share an image.u201d Variations can be observed in the design of the lamps. While some boast of geometric elements, the ones at Currey Road are more ornate Gas lamps, like this one at Hindmata Junction, stood at over 17 feet. The top portion can be spotted in the opening credits of RK Films and Nav Ketan Films O n a cab ride to Dadar, where we head to spot seven gas lamps, Joshi and Aatreya mention that thereu2019s a paucity of academic research around this subject. In the absence of research material, they had to scour through newspaper articles. u201c We need to encourage public- private partnership, like they have done at Gateway with the Taj Mahal Palace & Towers helping to restore the gas lamps that dot the promenade. Most lamps are situated around homes or shops. Why not recreate the structure using electric bulbs?u201d Joshi asks, while Aatreya adds, u201c These are markers of industrialisation and urbanisation. Lighting offered employment and changed the city. It became a safer place to live in because you could venture out at night.u201d O meet the duo at Lalbaug; itu2019s where they set out to hunt for the gas lamps on one Republic Day, after Mahaluxmiwalau2019s book proved to be the primary source. Across the famous Chivda Galli, is the Gas Co. Lane marked by a road sign. The Bombay Gas Company was formed in 1862 to power Bombayu2019s street lights and its headquarters was set up in Lalbaug in 1866 and continued operations for over a century. In order to distribute coal gas, a 400- kilometre pipeline was laid and by 1875, Queens Road alone had 72 lamps. Since these lamps had to be manually lit, police historian Deepak Rao, who has helped with this student project, recalls how the municipal gas lamp- lighter drew eyeballs. u201c In the mid- 1950s, when I was a resident of Churchgate, children would rush to see the lighter climb up the pole, swiftly like a monkey, every day at dusk. It was a thrilling sight. We missed replaced these,u201d he shares. Although you donu2019t see remains of the headquarters, the students believe that they could be in Gundecha Gardens, where they were refused entry. As you walk straight up the road, opposite a store named Stone Source, thereu2019s a small basalt slab hidden by a peepal tree which reads, u201c B. G. Co. Ltd. B. 1912u201d. Joshi and Aatreya also met an old resident of the area, who described the days of gas lamps as u201c good, but dangerousu201d. u201c There would be these occasional blasts that would affect her door. Her relatives requested her to move but she told them, u2018 hum ko aadat haiu2019,u201d Aatreya shares. O full- length lamps dot the busy stretch. As we head to Khodadad Circle, we spot another broken lamp pole. But this one looks like itu2019s of indigenous make. Joshi and Aatreya guess that the gas company gravitated towards local manufacturers since importing over 2,000 street lamps would prove to be unfeasible. We walked on to spot an amusing sight at Dadar TTu2014 a towering gas lamp pole with a halogen attached to it. u201c So, itu2019s technically still serving its purpose,u201d Aatreya remarks. The non- functional structure of the gas lamp near Khodadad Circle has the name of an Indian company inscribed on it: Vithalpurshotum and Son. It is the only indigenous make that the students have spotted

Due to its cast iron composition, it is difficult to pull out the structure from the earth. The stump of one spotted at Lalbaug bearing the company name Garliow & Co Bombay is nestled in a parking spot. Sometimes, the imported lamps and glass were stolen, leaving behind just the pole M umbai is a city of migrants and thus, Aatreya says that connecting people to these little histories helps them relate to its spirit. u201c We hope to move this project to Facebook or Instagram so that if someone happens to spot a gas lamp around their neighbourhood, regardless of whether it has been documented or not, they can share an image.u201d Variations can be observed in the design of the lamps. While some boast of geometric elements, the ones at Currey Road are more ornate Gas lamps, like this one at Hindmata Junction, stood at over 17 feet.