Tuesday, February 24, 2009

That's my world



Crawford Market (officially Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Market) is one of South Mumbai's most famous markets. It is named after Arthur Crawford, the first Municipal Commissioner of the city. The market is situated opposite the Mumbai Police headquarters, just north of Victoria Terminus railway station and west of the J.J.flyover at a busy intersection. The market houses a wholesale fruit, vegetable and poultry market. One end of the market is a pet store. Most of the sellers inside the market nowadays sell imported items such as foods, cosmetics, household and gift items. It was the main wholesale market for fruits in Mumbai until March 1996, when the wholesale traders were relocated to Navi Mumbai (New Bombay). The building, completed in 1869, was donated to the city by Cowasji Jehangir. After India's independence, the market was renamed after Maharashtrian social reformer, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. In 1882, the building was the first in India to be lit up by electricity. The edifice is a blend of Norman and Gothic architectural styles. The friezes on the outside entrance depicting Indian farmers, and the stone fountains inside, were designed by Lockwood Kipling, father of novelist Rudyard Kipling. The market covers an area of 22,471 sq m (24,000 sq ft) which 5,515 sq m (6,000 sq ft) is occupied by the building itself. The structure was built using coarse buff coloured Kurla stone, with redstone from Bassein. It has a 15 m high skylight awning designed to allow the sunlight light up the marketplace.

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34 comments:

  1. What a unique building.
    CONGRATS to the great people of Mumbai for the world's best film!!!!!!
    Aloha & Namaste

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  2. Oh, that is unique! and beautiful! thank you for the history! And also, for the world's best film! That was exciting for me!!!
    namaste!

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  3. That is a very impressive building. You caught the light just right.

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  4. THAT IS A FANTASTIC PICTURE !! FABULOUS....

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  5. The Crawford Market has seen me haggling to my heart's content several times over the past few years... love the variety of stuff you can get there at cheap bargains. and the taste of happus mangoes at the vegetable/fruits market nearby is etched in my tongue.

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  6. What an interesting post and beautiful pic!

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  7. A wonderful place to do your shopping in. I would love to be able to go there.

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  8. la lumière sur le bâtiment est très belle. superbe immeuble.
    the light on the building is very nice. superb building.

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  9. Those old colonial names that stick around. How we carry our history! That is a grand building.

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  10. That little tower would not be amiss on a German building! So strange.

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  11. What a magnificent building. It is so large. I would love to see the inside.

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  12. Now that looks like the train station in Mani Ratnam's Bombay! Or the place where they go to the judge to get married at least.

    Beautiful shot!

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  13. I view both Myworld & monochrome entry by you.Nice place to visit and both pictures are beautiful.Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Wonderful post. Fabulous building and potted history. I hope the Oscar winning film brings fortune to the city of Mumbai and not just to th Western World.

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  15. Looks like a wonderful place to shop! The architecture of the building is beautiful.

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  16. I really don't like to shop... at all... but I think I might be intrigued by that market!

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  17. Grand building, and loved all the history you included!

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  18. The building has very beautiful designs on them. Must be nice to have a market that sells so much stuff.

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  19. First with electricity? It must have been an important place then.

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  20. Fantastic history and photo. Have a wonderful day in Mumbai.

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  21. A great building and a interesting history! I enlarged the photo, and the building has so beautiful detailes!

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  22. Very, very interesting post. It was necessary knowing all these details, after having watched the previous post in Monochrome. This building in B&W got an history, thanks to share today.

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  23. Beautiful building and lots of interesting info...thanks!

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  24. i havent been to the cinema in years (children's movies do not count). but i think i will not rest if i dont go to see slumdog millionaire

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  25. The building seems to glow in the warm light..lovely shot.

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  26. Very nice done post. The images are top as usual.

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  27. I look forward to your post every week, always fascinating

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  28. Beautiful architecture, a must visit!

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  29. What a beautiful and interesting building. I love it! :-)

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  30. What a beautiful building! It reminds me of the Jefferson Market in New York City. Now you've given me an idea for tomorrows post - Thanks!
    And as said in a few comments above, it was magical to get a glimpse into your city and culture through Slumdog Millionaire, one of the best films I've seen in a long time!

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  31. What a beautiful building! It reminds me of the Jefferson Market in New York City. Now you've given me an idea for tomorrows post - Thanks!
    And as said in a few comments above, it was magical to get a glimpse into your city and culture through Slumdog Millionaire, one of the best films I've seen in a long time!

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  32. Now that looks like the train station in Mani Ratnam's Bombay! Or the place where they go to the judge to get married at least.

    Beautiful shot!

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