The legacy, lure, and future of the Hanging Gardens

Amid the urban sprawl of Mumbai, there exists an oasis of tranquillity that has, thus far, stood the test of time: Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, aka Hanging Gardens. Located on the western side of Mumbai’s prestigious Malabar Hill, these terraced gardens offer more than just a verdant escape; they stand as a testament to the city’s rich history and its spirit.

Designed in 1881 by Ulhas Ghapokar, the gardens shielded the Malabar Hill Reservoir (MHR) below, ensuring the water remained uncontaminated. Originally covered with wooden roofs, the terraces evolved over the decades into the fortified wonders we see today. The gardens earned their moniker, ‘Hanging Gardens’, evocative of the legendary Babylonian gardens, not only from their elevated position, but also due to their cascading design which, brilliantly, factored in the hilly landscape. Each tier teems with vibrant flowerbeds, while decorative hedges shaped into various animals serve as a showcase of the skill of generations of gardeners.

For over a hundred years, these gardens have acted as Mumbai’s lungs. However, modern-day challenges now cast shadows over this historic site. Plans are underway for phased closures over the next seven years. This is required, we’re told, to reconstruct the reservoir beneath. In the meantime, the gardens will be inaccessible.

The immediate threat

Functioning as the city’s silent lifeline, the reservoir has been a crucial water source for south Mumbai, dispensing water across the city scape by sheer force of gravity. However, a 2017 audit rang alarm bells, revealing that the structural integrity of the reservoir’s roof, which supports the weight of the garden, was compromised.

Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari notes, “The gardens once boasted unobstructed panoramic vistas, but with the rise of modern skyscrapers, this expansive view is gradually being eclipsed. Over 140 years ago, they devised ingenious solutions for the challenges of their time; now, it is up to us to ensure that our contemporary innovations don’t compromise this historic treasure.” Notably, despite advancements in water management technology, the MHR continues to be a crucial component of South Mumbai’s water infrastructure today.

Besides its one of few gardens that residents of this busy city can take advantage of, truly. Om Hemdev, a 16-year-old, who is rapidly turning into an F&B influencer with his conversations about home-grown produce and sustainability, resides a mere stone’s throw away from the gardens. Voicing the sentiment of many young residents, Hemdev says: “It’s heartbreaking to even think of our neighbourhood without these gardens. Those trees, they’ve seen it all – every football match I played with friends in our building’s compound, every sunset that ever took our breath away. They are not just trees; they’re guardians of our memories.”

To facilitate the construction of a new tank behind Hanging Garden, a staggering 384 trees are slated for removal. Of these only 180-odd trees will be transplanted.

Long-time Malabar Hill resident Naheed Divecha adds: “From the age of six, the gardens were my playground. Memories flood back every time I set foot there: whether of running around the animal-shaped hedges or accompanying my grandfather on his evening strolls. My mother still walks there every evening. There is a nostalgic charm here that’s hard to put into words. I can’t imagine the city scape without it.”

In Kamala Nehru Park, part of the Hanging Gardens complex, stands an iconic whimsy – the Boot House, affectionately known to locals as the Old Woman’s Shoe or ‘Mhataricha Boot’. Its design is reminiscent of a traditional English shoe, complete with laces and details that render it strangely lifelike. For many visitors, particularly families and children, the giant shoe serves as a backdrop for countless photographs and memories.“I remember many Sunday afternoons spent running around the giant shoe, and then lazing on our picnic mats in Hanging Gardens when we got tired,” says HR executive Puneet Raghavan, who lives in Mahim. For many others like him, the gardens are more than just an escape; they are a sanctuary that connects them to a time when the city was emerging as an economic powerhouse.

Stories and scandals:

In the gardens’ nascent years, during the late 19th century, these trees stood as young onlookers to pivotal moments in India’s cinematic timeline. In 1896, against the backdrop of these tranquil environs, Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatwadekar, popularly known as Save Dada, captured a wrestling bout on film, marking India’s cinematic debut. But Bhatwadekar’s legacy didn’t end there. He played a pivotal role in laying the foundations of India’s nascent film world, producing the nation’s inaugural full-length silent film.

Transitioning to the 1920s, the trees watched as Bombay underwent significant changes. Electric trains started operating across the city, and the legal community grew in prominence. It was a time that also witnessed a huge scandal, involving a Mumtaz Begum —a woman tied to Maharaja Holkar of Indore, who sought refuge and renewal in Mumbai with Abdul Qadir Bawla. Their sanctuary was to be violently shattered. A chilling ambush near the gardens culminated in Bawla’s tragic demise and Mumtaz’s harrowing escape. The city soon buzzed with hushed conversations and rampant rumours, some even pointing fingers at the Maharaja. The intrigue surrounding this incident, set against the garden’s peaceful aura, underscored Bombay’s complex societal fabric and even inspired the 1925 silent film, “Kulin Kanta.”

Even today, the gardens continue to silently chronicle histories. Once a haven for British high society, Malabar Hill’s tranquil embrace has turned it into the address of scores of Indian luminaries, magnates, and influential figures.

A walk through the Hanging Gardens is more than a mere stroll—it’s a voyage through epochs, a trip that makes one reflect on the narratives that shaped contemporary Mumbai. So as plans surface regarding the renovation of the garden’s reservoir, we really do have to ask ourselves: Can Mumbai find a way to embrace the future while treasuring its storied past?

By

Rayyan Salman Noorani,

Resident of our Hills.