Bhiwandi Family’s Ganpati Decoration Revives Chawl Memories, Showcasing Lost Community Bonds In High-Rise Era

Bhiwandi: The homes may have become bigger, but the spaces for relationships appear to have become smaller. This changing social landscape has been brought alive by the Dnyaneshwar Chintewar family of Manasarovar in Bhiwandi through a distinctive Ganpati decoration that takes visitors on a nostalgic journey from the close-knit chawls of the past to today's high-rise towers.

‘Aapli Athvaninchi Chawl’ recreates old neighbourhood life

At the centre of their Ganeshotsav presentation is a visual display titled Aapli Athvaninchi Chawl (Our Chawl Memories) which uses photographs and carefully created scenes to portray the changing nature of community life.

The presentation recreates everyday moments from the chawl era  women exchanging light-hearted arguments at the common water tap, residents gathering together to watch films on a screen, neighbours celebrating festivals collectively and people rushing to help a neighbour during difficult times.

Chawl life remembered for strong community bonds

Through these scenes, the Chintewar family has attempted to capture a period when people living in small homes often shared a strong sense of community and treated their neighbours almost like an extended family.

One of the central messages of the display reads The chawl was small, but hearts were big. The relationships were not by blood, but by humanity. 

The second part of the presentation shifts to the present day, depicting the transition from chawls to apartments and high-rise buildings. As education, employment opportunities and changing family requirements led people to move into larger homes, living conditions and amenities improved.

High-rise living and changing relationships

But the display poses a simple question: has the sense of neighbourhood and togetherness kept pace with that physical transformation?

The presentation contrasts the collective life of the chawls with the increasingly private nature of life in high-rise buildings. In the old neighbourhoods, a problem in one household often drew the attention of the entire community, while a family's celebration became an occasion for everyone to participate.

In contrast, residents living on the same floor of a modern building can sometimes remain strangers to one another.

Rather than presenting the message through speeches or written explanations alone, the Chintewar family has chosen visual storytelling to allow visitors to draw their own connections between the two eras.

Created as part of the family's Ganpati celebration the display goes beyond conventional festive decoration. It serves as a visual reflection on the transformation of residential life and the social relationships that accompany it.

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