September 2020 / Me Mumbai
Dadar, a lively and bustling neighbourhood of the Island City of Mumbai, is synonymous with a place called home. Dadar which in the local dialect of Marathi means ‘a ladder’, a predominantly agricultural neighbourhood dating back to the 16th century. Dadar was located on the island of Mahim, which was one of the Seven Islands of Bombay. In order to decongest the city, Dadar became Mumbai’s first planned neighbourhood. The planned neighbourhood has largely three sub-localities – Shivaji Maharaj Park in Dadar West and Hindu Colony & Parsi Colony in Dadar East. The planned neighbourhood attracted, intellectuals, social activist, business class, traders, politicians, film celebrities and the white-collared working middle class and created a close-knit community of Dadarkars who embody the essence of the Indian Middle-Class values.