Mumbai: The large courtyard of Shantaram Chawl in Girgaum, where about 12,000 people gathered on June 16, 1918, for a protest against Bombay Presidency Governor Lord Willingdon, has disappeared beneath a later construction.
Gandhi-led protest against Governor Willingdon
The meeting, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi, was organised to protest Willingdon’s conduct at a War Conference held in Bombay on June 10. The Governor had criticised Home Rule League leaders and their political activities, prompting nationalists to organise an anti-Willingdon demonstration at Shantaram Chawl.
The War Conference was about Indian cooperation in the war, while Home Rule League leaders expected an opportunity to put forward their political views; Willingdon did not allow the discussion they had sought. June 16 was observed as “Home Rule Day”, according to the Maharashtra Gazetteer.
Historic courtyard erased by later construction
Residents say the courtyard was subsequently built over, effectively erasing the physical space that had hosted some of the most significant political meetings of the period. Historical accounts put the construction of the building over the courtyard in 1939. Residents have also said that the construction was encouraged as an act of retaliation against the freedom fighters who had used the space for political meetings.
While the courtyard has disappeared, the buildings — Bedekar Sadan, Shantaram Chawl and Malini Block — remain a reminder of the area’s role in Mumbai’s freedom movement. The annual Ganeshotsav celebrated by their residents keeps alive another link between the festival and the political mobilisation of the period.
Shantaram Chawl: A centre of Home Rule movement
The Indian Home Rule League, founded in 1916, sought self-government for India within the British Empire. Shantaram Chawl became one of its important meeting places in Bombay, with leaders including Lokmanya Tilak, Annie Besant, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Benjamin Horniman, Sarojini Naidu and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel associated with meetings at the site.
“This pandal is not just a Ganeshotsav venue, but the epicentre of the Home Rule League,” said Ameya Joshi, a member of the Bedekar Sadan, Shantaram Chawl and Malini Block Co-operative Housing Society’s Sarvajanik Shri Ganeshotsav Mandal.
According to residents, Tilak visited the venue between 10 and 12 times for meetings. The compound is also said to have hosted 40 to 50 political meetings. Historical accounts record large Home Rule meetings at Shantaram Chawl, including one in which Jinnah and Tilak shared the dais. A 1918 meeting at the site drew about 15,000 people for a send-off to Tilak before his visit to England to press the case for Indian self-government.
This year, the Ganeshotsav enters its 126th year. Despite its historical legacy, the celebration remains deliberately simple and environmentally conscious. The two-and-a-half-foot idol is made of biodegradable clay, while banners based on this year’s theme of Maharashtra’s saint tradition have been painted on natural textiles.
“The purpose of the festival is not a big idol, but to continue a devotional tradition,” said Joshi.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
