Old Woman’s Shoe, Malabar Hill, Mumbai – Kamla Nehru Park
The Gateway of India might be the most prominent landmark of Mumbai but when it comes to school kids, It is the Old Woman’s Shoe. It is there on the picnic itinerary of every school. The most common name in local language is “Mhatari Cha Boot”. Other name is “Joota Ghar”.
There are a number of ways to reach Old Woman’s Shoe but the best one is BEST Bus no 103 which takes you around the most scenic places in South Mumbai.
History of Old Woman’s Shoe
Prof Soli Arceivala passed away on 12 Nov 2017 at the age of 91. He was the Vice-Principal of the prestigious VJTI, Mumbai. In the same year somewhere in Feb, the Old Woman’s Shoe suffered extensive damage by a lightning strike. BMC officials were running against time to get the revamped structure ready as early as possible. They had plans to bring in Prof Soli in person to inaugurate the renovated building along with the joy of happiness of the scores of children who would have been present there. However fate had other things in mind. The park was finally thrown open on 22 Feb 2018, a little under one year.
The connection? It was Prof Soli who designed the Old Woman’s Shoe as a BMC Environmental officer. It was opened to public for the first time in 1952. Since then it has been the fascinating moment and memory of each resident of Mumbai as a kid.
This is the Mother Goose rhyme which inspired Prof Soli.
“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe
She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do
She gave them some broth without any bread
And whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.
Later Prof Soli completed his Masters in Environmental Engineering and moved to VJTI as Prof and Vice Principal. He also served as Director of NEERI in Nagpur and later with WHO in Ankara.
The revamped park along with the shoe is now well maintained with security guards and maintenance crew at work round the clock. The shoe remains the main attraction at the park, next comes the view of marine drive and chowpatty and finally the newly created attractions in the park.
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