A Portuguese village in Mumbai

A Portuguese village in Mumbai
Khotachiwadi is a quaint, 200-year-old heritage village in the Girgaum area of South Mumbai, famous for its colorful, Portuguese-style wooden bungalows. Tucked away amidst the modern metropolis, this tight-knit, predominantly East Indian Christian enclave offers a peaceful, old-world "mini Goa" vibe right in the heart of the city.
The narrow, winding lanes are dotted with vibrant street art, a small oratory (chapel), the 47-A design gallery, and the famous 70-year-old Ideal Wafers Company.
Long before the British invaded Bombay (Bom Bahiya), little Portuguese communities thrived on the Arabian Ocean’s coastlines. There were formerly dozens of such Gaothans (shore villages), but only a few remain in their original condition.
The community’s cultural aesthetics, influenced by Portuguese colonial sensibilities, were combined with European designs in Burmese timber and Mangalore tiles. The area defied urban planning conventions, creating winding byways. Mumbai Gallery 47-A, in collaboration with archaeologist André Baptista, is showcasing the complex history and contentious future of the latest exhibition.
--Architecture: The homes feature a distinct mix of Portuguese and Konkani design, characterized by external staircases, overhanging balconies, tiled roofs, and pastel color palettes.
--History: Founded in the late 18th century by Waman Hari 'Khot' (a local supervisor who sold land parcels to local East Indian families), the village originally had around 65 bungalows. Today, about 24 heritage homes remain as the rest have succumbed to urbanization.