After a long time, we managed to sneak in fleeting darshans around the delightfully diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods of Dadar and Matunga (Central). Some pockets of these areas remain largely unchanged; others are shockingly unrecognisable. One of the best places to watch this uneasy contrast is around Hindu Colony. One-time sleepy residential colony for Maharashtrians who came to the city from across the length and breadth of the state, its tree-lined lanes brought more than just shade for passers-by.

Dadar Hindu Colony. File pic