Comments for airoots/eirut

Comment on Mumbai’s Boom and Bust by Prasoon

Prasoon — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 03:30:59 +0000

I am very concerned when I see these housing projects in Mumbai. In addition to the points mentioned above, I would consider this unconstitutional in many ways because our right to quality of life cant differ because of economic status. How can ‘regular’ housing and slum rehabilitation housing have different standards for light, ventilation and minimum space. Isn’t that inhuman? I have been in between some of these buildings as it is dark during the most sunniest times in Mumbai.
I live in Singapore which is considered one of the model cities and success stories for public housing. Even with considerably good quality public housing, there are negatives associated with living in those shoe boxes which lack variety or access to open space. There are social implications of keeping more than 85% of people in such housing which Singapore is slowly recognizing and facing. Mumbai being 4 times the size, wants to house 2 times the Singapore population in these housing blocks, without realising the future consequences.

Comment on Is India Already Urbanized? by Mumbai Paused (@mumbaipaused)

Mumbai Paused (@mumbaipaused) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:59:34 +0000

Most of Kerala and Goa is almost completely urban and has been for some time,

Comment on Is India Already Urbanized? by rahul

rahul — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:20:47 +0000

Thanks for your very thoughtful comments Tarun. The examples you give of your home town and its connections with Delhi resonate with so many others as well. Look forward to continued conversations

Comment on Is India Already Urbanized? by Tarun Sharma

Tarun Sharma — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:09:43 +0000

Dear both,
It is a very interesting take on the notion of urbanization that is perpetuated by speeches of our leaders, academicians and various such fora. The same numbers keep getting repeated and requote dover and over again without dwelling any deeper into their meaning and implications. A very reasonable way of doing that through this post.
The numbers, as the Dilnot/Blastland’s book correctly says, make the tiger that isn’t. Small towns and villages are much more intricately linked to urban areas than they were ever before and hence the watertight rural and urban classification seems intutitive but not realistic. Most villages actually are similar to many of the small towns other than the differential shares of different sectors to local economy.

The local market in my hometown is closed on every Thursday. Every Wednesday night, the buses that go to Delhi are full of the local traders who go to Delhi for bulk shopping or selling and then they take the bus back on Thursday night.
The quantum of money flows that happen on one such Thursday in a distant economy as Delhi through traders of my hometown, ultimately get balanced during a week or month in the local economy. Thus from purely an economic perspective, the towns villages and cities have very strong inter-linkages.

Though the railway network connecting Delhi to my hometown has not been developed in many years and there is only one express train (and no express trains to Delhi), the road network has evolved in past two decades and road connectivity to Delhi has grown manifold. And the flow of goods, services, people, vehicles is continuous and ever increasing and integrating.

Not trying to do a cliched comparison with the urban centers of the developed world, but the urban in India is mostly associated with chaos and that of the developed world is still very scenic and even has enough of nature’s bounty capsuled neatly within itself that it is as beautiful as our some of our scenic country sides. This disconnect that your post talks about- the one sided view of hyper-urbanization surely can be bridged by revisiting administration, infrastructure, revenue generation and our natural resources but most importantly it requires the change in the mindset of those who live in the city and who want to build the city as our notions of cities for long have stayed as the places of economic activity and opportunity.

Comment on The Itinerants of Mumbai by Sagar Arora

Sagar Arora — Sat, 05 May 2012 12:07:13 +0000

Amazing research, hats off to Mr. David.
he’s an amazing photographer…
Mr. David I lost your number it would be great if I get that again. please contact me if possible. I’m the guy who you hired at the launch of this book in New Delhi. remember I’m Sagar.
please contact of on 9891052561. thank you.

Comment on Neighbourhoods in Bubbledom by Ravi

Ravi — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 09:09:26 +0000

Nice work! Art deoc homes are perfect for mumbai’s hot and humid weather. Ofcourse, nothing to beat the portuguese style bunglows… they are heavenly. For the island of mumbai, going up into air space is possible just being practical, at the cost of quality of life and materials. They could do it better though…. take a cue out from cities like Hong kong…:)

Comment on Artist Village in Mumbabylon by Abhijit

Abhijit — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:52:59 +0000

I completely agree with Tushar and partly with Aditi. I too have been lining in Artists’ Village for more than 17 years now and though I agree with most of Aditi’s experiences, living here has been by and large a very painful thing. What I’ve realised is that there has been a chaotic confusion of concepts among the architect, the developers (CIDCO) and people who are residing here. That is why you hardly can find any of the original structures still standing here. Its true that this was designed as mini studios. But, then it was marketed as an artistic housing complex and people who started staying here for the love of nature, were cheated by the authorities by allowing growth of concrete jungle all around the village.

Comment on Art, the City and Collective Action by JosÃ© AbÃ¡solo

JosÃ© AbÃ¡solo — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:41:24 +0000

Great Work….!!!!!

Comment on Art, the City and Collective Action by Melissa Turner

Melissa Turner — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:48:56 +0000

HÃ©lio Oiticica is a great example of an artist inspired by a neighborhood.

Comment on Artist Village in Mumbabylon by aditi

aditi — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:05:08 +0000

hey ,
Thanks for the drawings . They are really informative.
Being a resident of artist village and being a 2nd year student of architecture ,I think ITS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
How many people get to enjoy mangoes from the mango tree in your courtyard or run for it when you hear it falling from the tree. The way Mr.Correa integrates the outside with the inside is really commendable.
Those who criticize it for its functionality and its poor services ,must know that it was designed for artists and works beautifully as a mini- studio. I have too many memories that I can share having been a resident of artist village for 19 years.

Comment on Goa’s urban network by Mumbai Paused

Mumbai Paused — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:07:37 +0000

And then there’s corruption…

Comment on One Worker, Many Faces by JD

JD — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 11:57:35 +0000

Very Well written. These small scale industries do contribute a lot..

Good Capture

Comment on Khotachiwadi Graphic by vidhi

vidhi — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:46:49 +0000

hi ..
i m a final year student from school of interior designing,C.E.P.T. university .
i m doing the thesis on interior of khotchiwadi’s houses .
for that i need the email ID or any contact no. of Devashree to get her help .
it is a kind request to help me.and waiting for your positive , immediate and supportive reply.
thanks.
Regards,
Vidhi Gandhi.

Comment on Why Mumbaiâ€™s Slums are Villages by Luke

Luke — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:12:24 +0000

Remember I mean KOKNI and Not KONKANI. Konkani is the language studied by the Portuguese and altered for lack of elements brought in by them. Example Pagar = Pay in konkani and not Kokni. Earlier people worked for exchange – Barter, Hence the word pay does not exist. The Portuguese created this word since they brought in a system with them.

They studied Kokni and additions made by them to the language was called Konkani. They did this – calling this added on words to the original Kokni as Konkani only to preserve the original Kokni and not dissolve it. They Proselytized in the native tongue. Hence the churches. The british didnt build churches they were here on business. Or else the whole of the GUlf would have Churches. The British were there too.
Most villages have been given last names of clergy men who converted villages here. These last names are of Portuguese and not British. Ferreira, Mendes, Fernandes. The British surnames were DIFFERENT mc Donald, John, Mac Millan etc.

Bottom line – Kokni is the mother of all languages. In coastal Karnataka a rock was found with Kokni inscriptions dated some 2000 years ago. If you read above that Konkani is portuguese additions to KOKNI what would you tell those who say that the rock has inscription in Konkani. Well Its Kokni. Study will only help you. not surfing the net.

Comment on Why Mumbaiâ€™s Slums are Villages by Luke

Luke — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:01:06 +0000

Its unfortunate this article was written in lieu of material available for public consumption by the authorities.
Here is a fact.
The Bhim raja had surveyed 15,000 villages in the salsette and the upper Mobai = Mob [People] Aai [Mother] in Kokni. Today political parties want to assert a religious historical existence by altering history. Hence its called Mumbai today after a Goddess Mumba devi. What is interesting is that this temple around Crawford market is maintained by Gujrathis – High class hindus [So called / or they claim to be]. The premise of this temple being built was that its a Hindu Temple. Why is this an irony? Well, the fisher class and the Pathare Prabhu’s were included in the Hindu fold since they had the land and had lower classes or poorer classes [in hinduism are the lower class] working for them. Most Pathare Prabhu’s converted to Christianity. If the temple was built for the fishermen then why are they not maintaining or let alone, allowed inside.

The Kokni tribe being indigenous have been always sidelined for their meek ways. The Portuguese saw this and saw that their rights were protected by forming these Gaothans. Remember a village has a church next to it. That shows that the Portuguese converted villages that were already in existence prior to their arrival. The natives followed the Buddhist faith, since they rejected or evolved from the Hindu faith to this new dynamic philosophy. RULERS HAVE CHANGES HANDS OF THIS CITY ANd ITS VILLAGES. It does not mean this land was without children. This land had its children in the form of Kunbis, Kolis and the Kumbhars. This land had its saitns prior to the Aryan invasion / or the onslaught of Hinduism. The rock carvings on mountains are places of meditation and not for cave men. This land created the script “Dev nagri”. The land of Saints. This Script Dev nagri has given shape to all languages today. But sadly, politics of money, religion and power have wiped out truth from a nation whose philosophy depends on it – Satyame Vijayate”. Here again an IRONY.
The old Moguls too have surveys of this island. They have their Kuran read in Kokni language. Which is far older than URDU and Sanskrit. Mobai has been raped by the Greedy thats all. All the information provided in this well written essay is a sham with regard to truth. If truth be depended on books only, then all wars would break hell on the world, they all tell different truths.
Have fun finding the truth. Its really difficult.