Where the sun meets the sea

The sun beats down as we stand on the edge of a weathered, moss-covered rock overlooking the Arabian Sea that changes from blue, to brown and then to grey. Raj Bhavan, popularly known as the Governor’s Bungalow, stands at the edge of the city – perched on top of the Malabar Hill. Rightly touted as the queen of other Raj Bhavans in the country, it’s also where the present Governor of the state C. Vidyasagar Rao resides. With a mile long thick forest and numerous lawns, Mumbai Raj Bhavan possesses a history of almost three centuries and is also a hotspot of biodiversity having 6000 trees of different varieties.

We meet Umesh Kashikar, the public relations officer to the Governor of Maharashtra as he takes us through the 47-acre complex. “‘    Raj Bhavan’, formerly known as ‘Government House’ has been the residence of the British Governors since 1885, the residence of Indian Governors of the Bombay State post-Independence and that of the Governor of Maharashtra from the year 1960,” he informs. Prior to 1885, the place served as the occasional summer residence of the British Governors and those appointed by the East India Company. Much earlier, it was also known as ‘Hunting Lodge’.

Quoting from the book ‘Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra’ authored by Sadashiv Gorakshkar, Umesh explained how Malabar Hill finally became the ‘Government House’ and how the Governor’s residences changed addresses in Bombay.

 It is known that the Portuguese were the first ones to sail to Bombay in the early 16th century. However, King Charles II of England was to wed Catherine Braganza, sister to the Portuguese King in 1662 and he demanded the islands of Bom Baim (as known earlier) as part of the dowry. In the 18th century, the English Governors made Bombay their home, which shifted from the Bombay Castle to New House at Apollo Street and lastly to Sans Pareil (which is now the Haffkine Institute in Parel). “The Governor’s house has routed the first citizen of the state to three different places,” says the officer.  In 1880, Sir Richard Temple initiated the formal transfer from Parel. The early residence and office was known as Marine Villa.

Surrounded by the sea, Raj Bhavan has places to watch the sunrise, a temple and a serene 'yoga by the bay' point among others. The 50-acre campus has more than eight attractions and cradles admirable architecture, flora, and fauna. It is also a home to more than a dozen peacocks and peahens. The present Governor has opened the Raj Bhavan for the general public. However, prior booking is mandatory.

Walking all the way from seven cottage-like complexes, we explore an outhouse for dignitaries. To the left side of the fountain and security barricade stands the majestic the banquet hall known as Jal Vihar. “The banquet hall is the oldest building in Raj Bhavan and is the only place with a colonial interior,” informs the officer. Next to that are the Jal Chintan (also known as Point Bungalow) that serve as the presidential suite for the Prime Minister, and Jal Lakshan —  the official residence of the visiting President of India. Ahead of the Yoga point is the Jal Sabhagraha, which is the official swearing-in ceremony hall adjoined by the staff quarters and green lawns that stretch endlessly.

Heading towards the Governor’s office, we explore the office of the Governor’s private secretary and visitors’ room. A French-styled wooden sofa placed at the left corner of his office transports us to the 16th century. And right outside stands the wrought iron stairs heading to the Governor’s room on the second floor. “They are cleaned very carefully to avoid any disturbance to the Governor,” smiles the officer. Umesh shows us a black wooden royal gate boasting gorgeous architecture near the walkway that he says was brought to the premise by the wife of former governor I H Latif, who served the state from 1982–85. Over the years, the place has been modified several times and Umesh attributes that to the wives of the former governors. “The wives of the governors were known to be interested in art, culture and architecture so they took great interest in updating the place,” he gushes.

In 2016, a thirteen-room underground bunker spread over an area of 15000 sq. ft was discovered by Vidyasagar Rao. It is believed to have been built ahead of the first World War. “On the instructions of the Governor, the bunker is being restored with all its heritage features. The Governor is keen to create a 3 D museum inside the bunker and open it for the general public,” he says.

The self-contained complex of Raj Bhawan has a swimming pool, badminton court, tennis court, gymnasium and a clubhouse. “The residence of more than 256 employees, the Raj Bhavan has a separate post office within the complex and has an exclusive PIN code ‘Mumbai 400035’,” concludes the officer.