The statue of the ‘Oldest Parsi in the city’ – the khada parsi at Byculla has been looking over the city perched atop a Corinthian pillar for over 150 years even as its location has been a topic of constant discussion. Having undergone renovation, the heritage structure still awaits inauguration of the lamps that will be powered by gas supply.
The 40-feet tall cast-iron monument located in between the two arms of the Byculla flyover was erected in the memory of Shet Cursetjee Manockjee, an illustrious Parsi of the 19th Century who found one of the first schools for girls in the city – the Alexandra Girls English Institution.
Initially, he had started the girl’s school from his own house and had his own daughters at the staff. Later, the initiative grew and after getting funding, he set up the Alexandra Native Girl’s English Institution. Later, the term ‘Native’ was dropped from the name.
Sometime after that, his youngest son spent Rs 20,000 – a large sum in those days – to build the statue whose parts were made in London and assembled in Mumbai. Initially, the structure came up at the Nagpada junction where it remained for nearly a century. Later, the structure had to be moved to the more prominent Byculla junction where it currently stands.
While the lamps had been restored, the process of getting the gas supply to light up the lamps has been a tedious one.
Even though the Manockjee family had handed over the structure to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on condition that it would look over the structure, it fell into neglect after being moved to Byculla junction. At the spot where the structure stood, flyovers came up and the structure ended up being covered by the two arms of a flyover. Eventually in 2012, it was decided to renovate it.
According to Rais Shaikh, an MLA and the corporator of the area who had played a part in its restoration said, “The first part of the renovation was its design structure. It was made of cast iron and stone. Initially it was a struggle to source the stone and hence it took over two years to complete the renovation of the first part.” The process included restoration of the 400 odd pieces lost from the original structure due to corrosion.
The four feel lamps on the structure had also been stolen. While the lamps had been restored, the process of getting the gas supply to light up the lamps has been a tedious one. “We have managed to get the gas supply now. The lamps will soon be glowing and await inauguration,” Shaikh said.
Shaikh, however, claimed that while ‘khada Parsi’ in popular imagination is standing parsi, the actual term refers to ‘khara Parsi’ which means a true Parsi.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/art-street-the-oldest-parsi-in-mumbai-who-has-been-overseeing-the-city-for-over-150-years-7826790/
