To a child from the neighbouring, sleepy suburb of Mulund, Thane, and not SoBo, was the big city. From its cinema halls and markets to its khau gallis and lakes, it was the family's go-to destination. This included the "bada" church, as some autowallahs would refer to it. And St John the Baptist church was truly "bada". Growing up in a god-fearing Catholic household meant regular visits to St John's for Sunday mass. During service, the high ceiling, murals and life-like statues would grab our attention even during the most interesting of sermons. And, each time the choir would sing a hymn, its lilting notes would waft through the walls of the Baroque church. With time, Mulund got its own church, and as it metamorphosed into a lively suburb; our trips to Thane ceased to be.

"Members of the editorial and research team - (from left) Fleur D'Souza,âu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Bishop Allwyn D'Silva, Roshni D'Souza, Sanjay Dighe, Francis Fernandes, Ian D'Almeida and Bernadette Mascarenhas (not in pic). While discussing titles for the book, Etienne Coutinho suggested 'witness' since Thane was witness to incredible histories. Five months later, the team discovered that the word did have a coincidental connect - 'witness' is derived from the Greek word 'martyr' (martus)