Flora Fountain
This is the very heart of Mumbai,
circumscribed by stately colonial buildings that stand like proud old
sentinels of a bygone era. Flora is the Roman Goddess of Flowers, her
pretty alabaster face continually assaulted by grime and pollution. Next
to her are a pair of torch bearing stone patriots that rise from the
Martyrs Memorial nearby. Flora Fountain is now called Hutatma Chowk or
Martyr's Square to honour those who died in the tumultuous birth of
Maharashtra State. All around the square sit Mumbai's infamous vendors
selling just about everything under the blazing tropical sun -- from cheap
nylon saris and ballpoint pens to herbal remedies and sexshop gewgaws.
Tooting horns and traffic complete the chaotic picture, but through it all
Flora manages to retain her serene composure. |