Place and Street Names in Mumbai

 

Bombay Place Names and Street Names 

contains a compilation of placeand street names in the Bombay (Mumbai)of a century ago, with fascinating explanations of their origins. Some of these have been traced to local families, legends, historical/official figures, and urban myths or are based simply on anecdotal and etymological accounts from the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Some streets are named after trees and temples while others are named after princes and commoners, mills and agiaris, professions and markets.

This engrossing bookby Samuel Townsend Sheppard is a noteworthy historical documentation of one of India’s premier cities. It promises an enticing journey into a Bombay that has transformed beyond recognition. This updated edition is annotated with the changes to street names and is a must-read for everyone interested in history and etymology, and especially for those who call Mumbai home.

Modern religion is responding to the need for practical and user-friendly places of worship to attract worshippers. In the US, many churches are being managed on corporate models, providing techno-savvy amenities and services that include contemporary music, banks, pharmacies, martial arts, help with tax forms and even real-estate agents. The emphasis is on providing a high quality of service that will see members return on a regular basis. In India too, the concept of temples is changing, with huge complexes that include theatres, gardens, fast-food and child-friendly facilities. The results are encouraging, attracting more worshippers, especially young people.

Modern places of worship are packaging religion according to demand and reaching out to those who would otherwise have remained beyond their pale. Critics however question the content wrapped in the attractive exterior. The essence of religion is to guide a person towards spiritual development. It is for the individual to decide what he seeks and where he should seek it, for every one of us is responsible for our own inner growth or lack of it.