A virtual treasure hunt will reveal hidden stories about the city
Asiatic Society
There is a story that surrounds Fryer's Map of Bombay from 1672 — one of the earliest documents depicting the city as a single island — which illustrates the deviousness with which the British went about spreading their vast footprint across the Indian Subcontinent.
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Most people know that this region was once a conglomeration of seven separate islands — Worli, Mahim, Sion, Mazagaon, Bombay, Colaba and Little Colaba (Old Woman's Island). Of these, the Portuguese handed over only Bombay as dowry to the British when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II of England in May 1662. Their own map showed all seven islands as separate entities, since they were divided by water during high tide. But this demarcation disappeared during low tide when all the islands were connected as one after the water went down.
Raamesh Gowri Raghavan
The British saw this as an opportunity and drew up a map that showed all of Bombay as one island (as it looked like during low tide), claiming control over all seven land masses as part of the treaty that was signed. The Portuguese were aghast. "But we meant only the single island of Bombay as it is during high tide," they protested. The British said, "Tough luck," or something else to that effect, and brought in the navy from the Old Blighty to quell any further objection from their hapless victims, shaping the course of history for almost the next three centuries.
These are the sort of hidden gems from Bombay's history that will be revealed at a virtual treasure hunt that academician Shehernaz Nalwalla and writer Raamesh Gowri Raghavan of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai are organising this weekend. They have roped in prominent collector Mrinal Kapadia, who will present photographs, lithographs, sketches and maps of old Bombay from his archives, while handing out an associated clue over a Zoom meeting. Participants then have to send their answers over a private message, and those who get it right will be given the subsequent clue, till one person finishes solving the series of questions.
Fryer's Map showing Bombay as a single island. Picture courtesy/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
They will, in the process, get a window into the past of a city that has evolved from being a prominent port to a glitzy, urban metropolis. But Raghavan adds, "Only people who know enough about Bombay's culture and heritage will be able to pull it off," meaning you should sign up if your level of expertise about the city's history matches the level of deviousness that the British displayed while duping the Portuguese of the land they claimed.
On December 18
Log on to Asiatic Library's social media handles to register for the treasure hunt
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