Mahim
Mahim is also the name of a prominent Iranian family, whose members reside in both Iran and Canada. It is a
suburb of
Mumbai,
India.
Mahim was one of the seven islands that originally made up
Mumbai. Mahim, or Mahikawati as it was known, was the capital of
Raja Bhimdev, who reigned over the region in the 13th century. He built a palace and a court of justice in
Prabhadevi, as well as the first
Babulnath temple.
The original Mahim town is located near Palghar about 60 miles north of Bombay. The ancient temple of Mahim or Mahikawati still exists here. The epic
Ramayana mentions this temple when Ram and Laxman were captured by Ahiravan and Mahiravan and imprisoned in this temple. They were rescued by Hanuman from here. As it is known to the people who live in this beautiful village of Mahim; that after Raja Bhimdev lost his capital, i.e. Mahim, to another king, he established his new capital in the present Bombay region giving it the same name Mahim, which people now know. This fact is not known to most people.
In
1343, this island was possessed by the Mohammedans of Gujarat. It was in their reign that the old Mahim mosque was built. A dargah of Makhtum Fakir Ali Paru was built here in
1431.
In
1543, the Portuguese captured the islands of Mumbai. In
1662, these islands were given to the English King,
Charles the II, as a part of the wedding dowry for the Portuguese princess,
Catherine of Braganza. After British acquired Mumbai, they built the
Mahim Fort here in order to protect themselves from the Portuguese. The fort today stands in ruins.
The Causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra (corrupted from "Bunder" meaning port) was completed in
1845 at a total cost of Rs. 1,57,000 donated entirely by Lady
Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, wife of the first
baronet Sir
Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy with a stipulation that no toll would be charged to citizens for its use by the government.
In 1847, a small group of Scottish missionaries decided to start a new school, now one of the most high profile schools in Mumbai – the
Bombay Scottish High School.
Mahim is surrounded by
Bandra in North,
Arabian Sea in West. Towards the South lies the township of Mumabi starting with
Dadar which is one of the busiest Railway stations in Mumbai.
The fort which was once visible from the Mahim Causeway and
Bandra Reclamation, is barely visible now. The Mahim Fort is a part of the larger "Bombay Castle" or St. George's Castle. This castle was an important base during the time of the British Empire, but now all that remains are a few ramparts scattered about the city -
Sion,
Worli,
Sewri and
Mazgaon. The fort was built by in 1669, by the former Governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier.
Thomas Grantham then strengthened the fort's ramparts in 1684. In the year 1772, 111 years after Bombay was taken from them, the Portuguese attempted to attack this fort. The British replied fiercely with canon balls. In fact, the
Bandra church also bore the brunt of their fire. There were about 100 soldiers and 30 cannons in the Mahim Fort at that time.
Today the fort is almost ruined and encroachers and hutments occupy it.
*
Makhdoom Ali Mahimi*
Mithi River* http://www.mahim.com/
