Origins & Architecture
Built in 1934 by Dewji Dharsi & Son, Tara Baug chawl in Girgaum comprises seven blocks (A–G) with some 350 rooms. Designed with communal ‘chowks’, wash areas, shared toilets and terraces, it combined functional living with Art Deco elegance — featuring an early Marryat & Scott lift, private family quarters, and ground-floor shops and services.
Community Tapestry & Cultural Unity
From its early days, residents from Gujarati, Marathi, Parsi and other backgrounds coexisted harmoniously. Stories of Ganesha pandals, Navratri garba, football on terraces, and shared kitchens embody a deeply multicultural ethos. Octogenarian Jatin Mehta recalls the chawl’s reputation in the 1930s–40s as “the best chawl in Bombay,” while 82-year-old Saryu Thorat continues calling it home with pride 0.
Generational Bonds & Everyday Life
Sharing meals in neighbour Saryu Fai’s kitchen, playing marbles and gilli-danda in narrow lanes, and watching Parsi wedding bands float through corridors formed the social fabric. Children’s initiatives like the 1950s Balkan-Ji-Bari youth group — with cricket, badminton, picnics and debates — cultivated leadership and camaraderie. One floor often had its own doctor until the 1970s exodus drove many to emigrant careers 1.
Evolution & Challenges
While Tara Baug once symbolized pride, it began deteriorating as original families moved away in the 1960s–70s. Littered wash areas, stolen fixtures, and reduced civic care marked its decline. Yet frequent visits from expatriates like Mehta and regular bridge games with friend Dr Hasmukh Shah maintain enduring connections 2.
Legacy of Builder Dynasty
Dewji Dharsi, a Kutch migrant who arrived in Bombay in 1884, rose to become Rao Saheb and built the chawl and other Art Deco landmarks. After his death in 1938, his son Kalyanji expanded the firm. His four sons lived a privileged life — Jaguars, Cadillacs and terrace kite festivals. Notable residents included poet Umashankar Joshi and actor Jeetendra 3.
Continuity in Commerce & Culture
Tara Baug’s ground-floor shops persisted: Sanjay Vitlani’s farsaan mart (since 1960), Touch of Class parlor (from 1945), tailoring by Ashok Solanki, ration, tea stalls, and more. These institutions supported festivals — Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi — through modest donations and daily presence 4.
Trivia & Timelines
- The Balkan-Ji-Bari youth group began in the 1920s, with Tara Baug’s branch in the 1950s.
- Dewji Dharsi started in 1884; Tara Baug was completed in 1934.
- The chawl hosted live cricket, badminton & kids’ leagues, even forming inter-collegiate players.
- Cultural icons like Jivraj Mehta, George Fernandes and Naval Tata gave speeches in its chowks.
- Actors like Jeetendra used its terraces for cricket as children.
Source: Mid-day