Maharashtra: Choked by construction, Bhandup fights to preserve what it’s left with

Over a 100 years old, Bhandup village is home to at least 6,000 people of the Koli and Agri communities who were displaced from the Vihar lake area after construction commenced there.

Koli music, Bhandup village, koli music in Bhandup village, bhandup village koli music, Koli and Agri communities

As Bhandup grows vertically with the ongoing construction of buildings, its people have decided not to allow anyone from outside the community to settle down in the village. Express

Over a 100 years old, Bhandup village is home to at least 6,000 people of the Koli and Agri communities who were displaced from the Vihar lake area after construction commenced there. Spread over at least 50 acres of land, the village, lined with colorful houses, has managed to resist development to some extent. However, with the population surging, vertical growth of the village has begun, much to the angst of fisherman and environmental activist Nandakumar Pawar.

“The village used to have small wooden houses with a few people who knew each other. We celebrated festivals like Diwali and Holi together, the villagers would get together for marriages and festivities would go on for months. However, with the population surging and the increased restrictions by the police, these traditions have died. The village is also growing vertically, along with the highrises hovering on the periphery. The villagers have gotten together and made a decision to not allow anyone from outside the community to settle here to preserve our culture,” he said.

[related-post]

The traditional occupations of these communities were farming and fishing. Fishing was done both for sustenance and for trade. However, with issues like silting and water pollution, most fish species are now extinct and the villagers have been reduced to mere middlemen. The development of highrises and reclamation of the mangroves and wetlands has also led to a loss of livelihood for many. The villagers now work as autorickshaw drivers or perform menial jobs.

Story continues below this ad

Pushpa Bhadve (66), a resident, said, “The village used to be very quiet. There were trees everywhere and no roads connecting the village to the railways. Now there is so much development here that we feel suffocated. In earlier times, water from the creek used to come till behind the village. Within 10-15 minutes, one could find fish for sale. We never even had to buy salt. One had to only go to the backyard to collect it. All of that is now gone with construction in all the open spaces.”

After the floods in 2005, where Bhandup was relatively less affected due to the presence of thick cover of mangroves, the villagers have become conscious about environmental conservation. “The people here are now striving to keep urbanisation from taking over the village. We have taken up mangrove protection through Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, an NGO that I started to promote the same. What has changed cannot be undone. All we can do is to preserve whatever is left,” said Pawar.

Have a comment or suggestion for Postcard From a

Mumbai Village? Write to mumbai.newsline

@expressindia.com
with subjectline: Postcard From a Mumbai Village

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram