Hutatma Chowk

Hutatma Chowk

Hutatma Chowk (Marathi: हुतात्मा चौक) ("Martyrs' Square") is the official name of a square in South Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

The square hosts Flora Fountain and was known by that name until 1960. It was officially renamed in 1960 in memory of the members of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, who lost their lives when police fired upon their peaceful demonstration. A statue of 'Martyr with a Flame' stands next to Flora Fountain.

History

Hutatma Chowk is located in the busy financial district of South Mumbai. It derives its present name from an incident in 1960 when a peaceful demonstration by the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti (United Maharashtra Committee) was fired upon by the police resulting in 105 deaths. The incident was part of ongoing struggles of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, amongst others, for the creation of the State of Maharashtra. The shooting proved to be a major impetus for the creation of Maharashtra on May 1, 1960.

The Hutatma Chowk square is lined on all sides by buildings constructed during the British Raj. An ornate fountain surrounded by delicately carved figures forms the center of the huge square. This was the Flora Fountain.

The fountain itself was built in 1864 and represents the Roman Goddess Flora, the Goddess of Abundance. Today it is a heritage structure. It cost Rs. 47,000 to build, a princely sum at the time and was constructed by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India. Cursetjee Fardoonjee Parekh donated Rs.20,000 towards the construction of this fountain. The fountain was carved from stone that was imported from Portland. It was built in honour of Sir Bartle Frere, who was the Governor of Bombay at the time. Sir Frere was responsible for dismantling Bombay Fort and shaping much of modern Mumbai. Initially it was to be named after the Governor but the name was changed before the fountain was unveiled. When it was constructed it was in the middle of the city. Flora fountain stands in exactly the same place where the original Church Gate of Bombay Fort stood. The area around Flora Fountain is the business center of Mumbai and is surrounded by offices, banks, colleges and shops.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chowk — In Hindi Urdu, a chowk (Urdu: چوک) is a Town square, an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings, Market square or simply traffic intersection: Ashram Chowk Delhi Banaras Chowk, Karachi Bismillah… …   Wikipedia

  • Mumbai — Bombay redirects here. For other uses, see Bombay (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • National Gallery of Modern Art — This article is about the institution in India. For other uses, see National Gallery of Modern Art (disambiguation). Three Girls, by Amrita Sher Gil, 1935, now at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, where most of her works are… …   Wikipedia

  • Mumbai Metro — मुंबई मेट्रो Info Locale …   Wikipedia

  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus — The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी टर्मिनस), (formerly Victoria Terminus) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and historic railway station in Mumbai which serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways. Situated in the Bori …   Wikipedia

  • Malabar Hill — For other uses, see Malabar (disambiguation). Malabar Hill   neighbourhood   …   Wikipedia

  • Kamala Nehru Park — For the park in Pune, see Kamala Nehru Park, Pune. Old Woman s Shoe Kamala Nehru Park is a park in India covering an area of 4,000 square feet (370 m2).[1] Located at the top of Mumbai s Malabar Hill, it is named after …   Wikipedia

  • Nariman Point —   neighbourhood   …   Wikipedia

  • Mount Mary Church, Bandra — Mount Mary Church Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount …   Wikipedia

  • Marine Drive — This article is about a boulevard in Mumbai. For other uses, see Marine Drive (disambiguation). Marine Drive   neighbourhood   …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”