South Mumbai landmark Kinnari Cultural Centre gets eviction notice

The gymnastics class

Summer is here, but the Breach Candy landmark, Kinnari Cultural Centre, is facing the heat for another reason altogether. The fate of this 45-year-old centre, with various classes for children and yoga classes for adults, is hanging by a thread. Asmi Shah, director of the institute, is battling an eviction order slapped on Kinnari Centre by the Mumbai Collector, for "encroachment of land and conducting illegal activities," amongst other charges.

Shah said, "We got the land in 1972 and the centre started in 1974. It was run by my mother, Kusum Chatrapati, who was involved with the Indian freedom struggle as a freedom fighter. At that time, it was known as Kinnari Congress and the centre used to sell handicrafts, clothing, saris and handloom products. Proceeds of the sale would go to the economically underprivileged. This cultural centre is not for profit."

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Asmi Shah

Labour of love

Kinnari, which is next to Breach Candy's Tata Garden, "is a labour of love. My mother nurtured it till 2000, and after her death, I took over. We conduct classes for gymnastics, taekwondo, Bharatanatyam, storytelling, phonics, art and craft, handwriting improvement, etc, for children and yoga for adults. The fees from these classes are channelled towards helping the economically underprivileged in the field of education.

"I pay salary to my staff for conducting the classes. There is basic for maintenance and the rest goes towards charity. Of late, I have been disbursing close to R50 lakh a year for charity, I have all my papers in order," said Shah, adding, "at least, 2,000 poor children are helped every year through Kinnari."

The Kinnari Cultural Centre

Nirmala Makhwana of Bhayander, a housemaid said, "Kinnari Centre has helped me pay my son Umang's school fees. After Umang's father died, I took up house jobs to support my son. This has been a boon." Shah said, "At the beginning of the academic year, there is a queue of at least 1,000 people standing at Kinnari's door for help. Word has spread about our work and the help we impart."

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Influential harasser

Shah said it has been, "an enervating fight for existence. Kinnari continues to pay the lease fees to the Collector at Rs 30 per month. We are paying water and property tax since 1974 to the BMC. If we are encroachers like we are falsely accused of being, and are involved in illegal activities, why are our taxes being collected through the years? Kinnari is fighting this order legally; we have to now apply to the Divisional Commissioner. Somebody influential is harassing us. We contribute towards society and it has been a desperate, time consuming fight for me to continue a legacy that has been borne out of love for this nation and its people."

The Kinnari Cultural Centre

The Collector says…

Excerpts from the Collector's eviction order dated February 21 say, 'The said land of Kinnari Cultural Centre is being used for play school of children and hobby gymnasium and yoga classes. Land is being used for commercial purpose."

Collector Shivaji Jondhale said, "We have sent a notice to take back the land on which Kinnari Cultural Centre is located. This is a case of land grabbing. We have not renewed the lease for the centre. They are also holding illegal activities on the land. We will see that the land comes back to us."

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