Stroll into the 1850s Bombay with this curated travel guide

We donrsquot ever need a reason to explore the heritage of this city but we have one with the recent release of period drama Maharaj which while academics argue has not captured historical facts accurately is still inspiration to explore the memories of Bombay of the 1800s Centred around the life of social reformer and journalist Karsandas Mulji the film portrays figures who contributed to the cityrsquos infrastructure institutions and shaped its social and political fabric Use our guide for pointers strap on your walking shoes and get set on this trailGokuldas Tejpal Hospital Marine LinesThe Great Western Building opposite the naval dockyard PICSASHISH RAJEMerchant and philanthropist Gokuldas Tejpal is believed to have stood by Karsandas Mulji during his legal travails according to the film Tejpal passed away early at 45 leaving behind funds to run charitable institutions including a boarding school One of the institutions named after him is Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital near CSMT The state governmentrun hospital built in 1874 was designed by Colonel Fuller in early English Gothic style Its colonial architecture with high ceilings and large windows designed for better ventilation speak of the healthcare design principles of the era1874The year the hospital was builtGokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College TardeoAnother famous institution named after Tejpal is the Sanskrit College Established in 1866 it was one of the first institutions dedicated to the study of Sanskrit and classical Indian literature This institution is also located near CSMT The college has significantly contributed to the preservation and promotion of Sanskrit nurturing generations of scholars and educators On December 28 1885 the Indian National Congress was founded on its premises In 1985 the centenary of the Indian National Congress a plaque was put up at the collegersquos Mathuradas Vissanji Memorial Hall where the delegates gathered for the meeting to form the party a century ago The plaque reads ldquoOn the 28th December 1885 a band of gallant patriots laid the foundation of the Indian National Congress which has built up stone by stone as the pledge and symbol of the invincible purpose to secure to India their motherland their legitimate birthright of Swarajrdquo1885The year the Congress was founded on the premises of Sanskrit CollegeMota Mandir BhuleshwarWhen midday got in touch with veteran writer Saurabh Shah whose book Maharaj Libel Case inspired Maharaj he clarified that his docu novel traces a legal case between Karsandas Mulji and Jadunath Maharaj the religious head of the Vallabhacharyaestablished Pustimarga Vaishnav sect headquartered in a ldquohavelirdquo or temple in Surat While the filmrsquos narrator locates the haveli in the neighbourhood of Kalbadevi in preindependent India and it looks like it cannot be anywhere else but on a set at Film City we think thatrsquos creative liberty a screenwriter can be allowed For you the heritage enthusiast itching to walk the trail that traces landmark moments and personalities from the film there is Mota Mandir Haveli in Bhuleshwar Dedicated to Lord Balkrishnalalji and Lord Shree Daujidayalji among other deities Mota or Vada Mandir ldquothe big templerdquo had a wooden structure that dated back more than 200 years It is now spiffy and Makarana marbleforward It continues to be an important site for the Vaishnav sect of Hinduism associated with the trading communities in Mumbai200No of years since original wooden structure was built in MumbaiGreat Western Building Shahid Bhagat Singh RoadThe case Mulji fought against the spiritual leader was heard at the court housed in the Great Western Building at Lion Gate Originally known as Admiralty House itrsquos a colonial landmark Built in the early 1764 it was initially the residence of the Admiral and later went on to serve as the seat for various administrative functions In the 1800s it served as the High Court of Bombay Later it was also home to the Governor of Bombay Then it served as a hotel and later the rooms were split into rental commercial spaces Yoursquoll spot it from a distance thanks to Rajesh Pratap Singh designer store at the ground level Take a closer look at the coat of arms under the arched sign that bears the buildingrsquos name1764The year the monument was built as Admiralty HouseDr Bhau Daji Lad Museum BycullaThe film identifies Ramchandra Vitthal Lad fondly called Dr Bhau Daji Lad as Jadunath Maharajrsquos personal physician and someone who testified against the latter in court alleging that he had contracted syphilis a sexually transmitted disease thatrsquos the result of unsafe sex with multiple partners in this case the scores of women that the guru exploitedPhilanthropist historian and surgeon Dr Ladrsquos contribution to the city is immense and one of its most iconic symbols is the cityrsquos oldest public museum located in Victoria Gardens now Rani Baug Formerly called Victoria and Albert Museum it was renamed in Dr Ladrsquos honour in 1975 Established in 1872 the museum showcases an enviable collection of decorative and industrial arts photographs and cultural artefactsUnlike the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghralaya which focuses on commercial and modern art the BDL museum displays antiques and artefacts which highlight Mumbairsquos historical and cultural evolution The museum is unfortunately shut for renovation and history enthusiasts have long been waiting for its doors to open so for now we suggest you walk its gardens and courtyard and take in the majestic faccedilade which is an example of the Renaissance Revival architecture1975The year the museum was renamed after the philanthropistDadabhai Naoroji Hutatma ChowkDadabhai Naoroji or the Grand Old Man of India watches over the iconic South Mumbai landmark of Flora Fountain from his seat near Oriental Building The arterial road stretching from CST to Kala Ghoda is named after the leading reformer of the 19th century scholar and the first IndianAsian to be a member of the British parliamentHistory buffs and we are sure even the Parsis are miffed at his portrayal in the film as the founder of the AngloGujarati newspaper Rast Goftar hesitant to publish incriminating articles against Jadunath Maharaj because he fears that the publication could lose its Vaishnav readership Dinyar Patel the author of Naorojirsquos biography Naoroji Pioneer of Indian Nationalism says ldquoFirst of all therersquos no surviving evidence for this Secondly Naoroji had already attracted controversy and vituperative opposition for his progressive religious views within the Parsi community it is a complete misreading of history to cast him as a cautious figure when dealing with a fellow reformerrsquos views Thirdly by 1861 Naoroji was settled in London and his association with Rast Goftar was obviously quite limitedAlso I donrsquot think Rast Goftar wouldrsquove had particularly wide circulation amongst Vaishnavitesmdashits target audience would have remained Parsismdashand it had already established a reputation for attacking religious dogma and orthodoxy whether Zoroastrian Hindu or Muslim A devout Vaishnavite would be reading something else and the Rast Goftar wouldnrsquot have compromised its reputation for social and religious reformist viewsrdquo A selfie with one of the foundational figures of Indiarsquos modern political history at this iconic location will be worth your while we thinkWith inputs from Nimesh Dave