The sole of a city: A walking tour in South Mumbai on Republic Day

Why is Churchgate station known as Churchgate Or why is the business district of Mumbai known as Fort Even though Mumbaikars visit these places almost every day barely do they have the time to stop and ask these questions With a riot of colours smells sounds and tastes surrounding Mumbaikars at every juncture the beauty of this multicultural city isnrsquot appreciatedRaconteur Walks a walking tour company was started two and a half years ago by then 21yearold Viraat Kasliwal after he was tired of hearing his father say ldquoMumbai mein dekhne laayak kuch nahin hairdquo There is nothing to see in Mumbai To celebrate Republic Day the company has organized a special Republic Day themed tour on January 26 to rediscover the cityPreserving cultureAccording to assistant manager of client acquisition at Raconteur Walks Amishi Shah 23 the idea behind the Republic Day walking tour was to not only remember the day we signed the Constitution but also celebrate a new and free IndiaCST was lit up on April 15 2013 to mark its 125th anniversary PicShadab KhanShe says ldquoWe know our past and our heritage but at the same time we are trying to move forward Originally we were going to show the artdeco buildings along Marine Drive as well but due to the Republic Day parade which is being held there the tour will end at Oval Maidan But we will highlight the newage buildings on our route which will be in tune with our themerdquoThe BMC headquarters was completed in 1893 and designed by FW StevensThe tourEach walking group for the Republic Day tour will have a maximum of 10 guests and entries are open till the 100 slots are filled The walks will be conducted by fresh graduates but according to Kasliwal what they lack in age they make up for with their enthusiasm Kasliwal says that the main aim behind the Republic Day walk is to get as many Mumbaikars walking on the road as they canRaconteur CEO Viraat Kasliwal during one of his tours at Flora Fountain FortldquoWhen you come and walk once you see the Chhatrapati Shivaji Station CST Mumbai University Campus or Kala Ghoda you realize the value of these heritage structures These are not buildings that have come up in the last 2030 years These are buildings that are now 150 years oldA vintage photo of the Bombay High Court and Mumbai University taken in 1880ldquoPeople feel that these buildings are British but most of these buildings would not have been constructed had it not been for the Indian funds provided by the rich Marwadi Gujarati and Parsi businessmen Itrsquos only when you get out on the road you can appreciate the buildingsrdquo says KasliwalRaconteur team member Amishi Shah PicPradeep DhivarUsually priced at Rs 1500 the walk is offered at a discounted price of Rs 700 per person on Republic Day Kasliwal says ldquoRepublic Day is that one day when you can cherish your heritage with your entire family We hope to provide a fullday family outing to our guestsrdquoThe routeThe walk will start at CST following Flora Fountain to Kala Ghoda and Mumbai University ending at Oval Maidan According to Kasliwal the walk will take minimum two hours to complete but depending on the pace of the walkers the duration of the walk is flexible Kasliwal says ldquoThe walk is very interactive Instead of a professional tour it will be like friends hanging out together The walk goes on as long as people are inquisitive We pace our walks for senior citizens and children accordinglyrdquoThe healthy wayAccording to Raconteurrsquos website wwwmumbaiwalkingtourscom lsquoWalking tours are the oldest and best way to tour a city They give you the walker a more indepth view of the city and allow you to get the best feel of the cityrsquo To this Shah adds ldquoWalking is not only fun itrsquos also very ecofriendly and a healthy option to see the cityOne can soak in every monument building and anecdote which neither a car nor bus tourism can offer The walk is going to be a mix of history stories and of course the buildings The focus will not be on any one of them but all of them together and that makes the walk interestingrdquoThe company mainly functioning in SoBo and Bandra is offering five other tours around the city as well and hopes to expand in other areas focusing on art culture and sports Though the company receives a lot of nonIndian visitors Kasliwal has observed that since its beginning the numbers of locals opting for these walking tours has increased Apart from providing information about the heritage sites the walk also tells people about life in Mumbai