Mahratta's Showcase: Vasai, India

Mahratta · January 2nd, 2009, 04:02 AM

Greetings all, I have just returned from a visit to my hometown of Vasai, near Mumbai, India. This thread will include all my pictures from the trip, including both vernacular and historical architectural works of Vasai and the general atmosphere of modern Vasai. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them

The first batch are of St. Michael's Church, a Portuguese-built church in Manickpur village of Vasai that celebrated its 400th birthday in 2006. This church has been kept in relatively good condition, although there has been some modification (glass and steel additions, which I'm personally not particularly fond of).

image hosted on flickr

A much newer neighbouring school
image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

New pictures daily!

***Taller, Better*** · January 2nd, 2009, 04:30 AM

I love Colonial architecture. In fact, it was a "Colonial Architecture of Mumbai" type thread that got me started doing my photothread.
The heat looks so therapeutic as we sit here in a cold winter snap!

Mahratta · January 2nd, 2009, 03:59 PM

TB, the heat was a welcome break from the snow

I'll post some pictures of Vasai street life later today. For now, let's enjoy some paan:

This
image hosted on flickr

Plated.
image hosted on flickr

***Taller, Better*** · January 2nd, 2009, 04:40 PM

What a pretty dish.... was it very spicy?

iMike · January 2nd, 2009, 05:29 PM

Nice pics, keep posting. How long did you stay there?

Mahratta · January 2nd, 2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

What a pretty dish.... was it very spicy?

Nah, it's a mouthfreshener of sorts that's consumed after a meal. Over the centuries the making of paan has developed into quite an art form, and aficianados choose specific types of leaf and a myriad of garnishes for the dish

Quote:

Originally Posted by iMike

Nice pics, keep posting. How long did you stay there?

Just a tad under two weeks. Two weeks exact if you include everything from takeoff in Toronto to landing back in Toronto.

Here's a street scene from Vasai, as promised. This is in a shopping street in Panchalnagar, in Manickpur village of Vasai. It was taken on a somewhat flimsy tripod that was pretty short, but it still held up pretty well

The star in focus in the second picture is typical Christmas decoration all across Mumbai.

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

***christos-greece*** · January 2nd, 2009, 09:57 PM

Interesting place

Mahratta · January 3rd, 2009, 03:51 AM

Here's some pictures of Bassein Fort, erected by the Portuguese and captured by the Marathas in the 1730s. It stands as a very visible testament to the legacy of the importance of Portugal's Indian empire (Bassein was built to protect Portuguese trading interests). Much of it is in ruins now, but the magnitude of the fort and the still evident architectural brilliance still stands out.

An entrance:

image hosted on flickr

and the next:

image hosted on flickr

Cheers,

-Mahratta

Mahratta · January 4th, 2009, 05:12 PM

More Bassein:

image hosted on flickr

Mahratta · January 6th, 2009, 03:28 AM

+ more Bassein

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

carlosbe · January 6th, 2009, 05:07 AM

Nice photos. I love the Bassein Fort.

***christos-greece*** · January 6th, 2009, 10:29 AM

Very nice pics, especially Bassein Fort ones

Mahratta · January 8th, 2009, 12:19 AM

more Bassein:

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

Mahratta · January 14th, 2009, 03:05 AM

Bazaar

image hosted on flickr

bassein

image hosted on flickr

Comfortably Numb · January 14th, 2009, 04:18 AM

Very interesting shots!

How many Indians (roughly) are of Portuguese descent?

Mahratta · January 14th, 2009, 10:38 PM

Depends on what you consider 'of Portuguese descent.' After Portugal took control of part of the Konkan following the Vijayanagara-Bijapur war (they allied with Vijayanagar against Bijapur and Goa was their 'spoil of war'), rapid settlement led to an Inquisition. In this, a large number of Hindus and Muslims were converted to Catholicism by force and forced into taking a Portuguese last name (like my family). The majority of Mangalorean Catholics received their situations in this manner.
Then, through the 400-odd years of Portuguese occupation, a proportion of the population that was not Catholic or may have simply been resident converts married into a certain social class of Portuguese-descendants in Goa. These are the Indians with Portuguese descent. Those of purely Portuguese descent (the most favoured under the Portuguese apartheid-esque system prior to Goan liberation) left for Portugal after India liberated Goa from Salazarian rule in the 60s.

Hope that answers your question well enough.

Luis80 · January 15th, 2009, 07:47 AM

Great pics mahratta. India is fascinating!

***Svartmetall*** · January 15th, 2009, 08:30 AM

Brilliant shots! These compliment the Mumbai photos very well.

Mahratta · January 22nd, 2009, 02:41 AM

Thank you folks

I love the "walls" above the arches - almost like a watercolour

image hosted on flickr

No doubts about the Portuguese being here

image hosted on flickr

Mahratta · July 16th, 2009, 02:51 AM

Wow, there's so many pictures I haven't posted...sorry about the delay, folks.

Lots of pictures - 56kers beware!

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

Bassein

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

pani puri wallah!

image hosted on flickr

more Bassein

image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

Thanks for joining me!

January 2nd, 2009, 04:02 AM	#1
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Mahratta's Showcase: Vasai, India Greetings all, I have just returned from a visit to my hometown of Vasai, near Mumbai, India. This thread will include all my pictures from the trip, including both vernacular and historical architectural works of Vasai and the general atmosphere of modern Vasai. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them The first batch are of St. Michael's Church, a Portuguese-built church in Manickpur village of Vasai that celebrated its 400th birthday in 2006. This church has been kept in relatively good condition, although there has been some modification (glass and steel additions, which I'm personally not particularly fond of). image hosted on flickr A much newer neighbouring school image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr New pictures daily! __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi Last edited by Mahratta; July 28th, 2010 at 04:22 AM.

January 2nd, 2009, 04:30 AM	#2
*Taller, Better* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 52,742 Likes (Received): 277	I love Colonial architecture. In fact, it was a "Colonial Architecture of Mumbai" type thread that got me started doing my photothread. The heat looks so therapeutic as we sit here in a cold winter snap! __________________ Please visit my photoblog! Montréal \| Mexico \| Niagara-on-the-Lake \| Brazil \| Hamilton aka "The Hammer"! "Fine words butter no parsnips"-17th Century proverb.

January 2nd, 2009, 03:59 PM	#3
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	TB, the heat was a welcome break from the snow I'll post some pictures of Vasai street life later today. For now, let's enjoy some paan: This image hosted on flickr Plated. image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 2nd, 2009, 04:40 PM	#4
*Taller, Better* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 52,742 Likes (Received): 277	What a pretty dish.... was it very spicy? __________________ Please visit my photoblog! Montréal \| Mexico \| Niagara-on-the-Lake \| Brazil \| Hamilton aka "The Hammer"! "Fine words butter no parsnips"-17th Century proverb.

January 2nd, 2009, 05:29 PM	#5
iMike zobbi.m@gmail.com Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York City Posts: 231 Likes (Received): 0	Nice pics, keep posting. How long did you stay there? __________________ View my Flickr account: Flickr View my Youtube account: Youtube New York-Boston-Los Angeles-Las Vegas-Montreal-Vienna- DUBAI-Miami - DAMASCUS-Jeddah- AMMAN-Cairo- BUKHAREST-Amsterdam-Cancun-Washington D.C.-San Diego

January 2nd, 2009, 09:57 PM	#7
*christos-greece* Moderator! Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 73,648 Likes (Received): 3281	Interesting place __________________ Urban Showcase: Athens Kalamata Trikala Thessaloniki Cityscapes: Paris Barcelona Dubai, U.A.E. Monte Carlo, Monaco General photography: Castles of France - Chateau de France and, since May of '08: Greece!

January 3rd, 2009, 03:51 AM	#8
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Here's some pictures of Bassein Fort, erected by the Portuguese and captured by the Marathas in the 1730s. It stands as a very visible testament to the legacy of the importance of Portugal's Indian empire (Bassein was built to protect Portuguese trading interests). Much of it is in ruins now, but the magnitude of the fort and the still evident architectural brilliance still stands out. An entrance: image hosted on flickr and the next: image hosted on flickr Cheers, -Mahratta __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 4th, 2009, 05:12 PM	#9
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	More Bassein: image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 6th, 2009, 03:28 AM	#10
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	+ more Bassein image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 6th, 2009, 05:07 AM	#11
carlosbe Jean Zay Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Lambaré Posts: 5,572 Likes (Received): 0	Nice photos. I love the Bassein Fort.

January 6th, 2009, 10:29 AM	#12
*christos-greece* Moderator! Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 73,648 Likes (Received): 3281	Very nice pics, especially Bassein Fort ones __________________ Urban Showcase: Athens Kalamata Trikala Thessaloniki Cityscapes: Paris Barcelona Dubai, U.A.E. Monte Carlo, Monaco General photography: Castles of France - Chateau de France and, since May of '08: Greece!

January 8th, 2009, 12:19 AM	#13
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	more Bassein: image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 14th, 2009, 03:05 AM	#14
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Bazaar image hosted on flickr bassein image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

January 14th, 2009, 04:18 AM	#15
Comfortably Numb FÖRBJUDEN Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,394 Likes (Received): 129	Very interesting shots! How many Indians (roughly) are of Portuguese descent? __________________ There is no pain, you are receding A distant ship smoke on the horizon You are only coming through in waves Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying My Panoramio

January 14th, 2009, 10:38 PM	#16
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Depends on what you consider 'of Portuguese descent.' After Portugal took control of part of the Konkan following the Vijayanagara-Bijapur war (they allied with Vijayanagar against Bijapur and Goa was their 'spoil of war'), rapid settlement led to an Inquisition. In this, a large number of Hindus and Muslims were converted to Catholicism by force and forced into taking a Portuguese last name (like my family). The majority of Mangalorean Catholics received their situations in this manner. Then, through the 400-odd years of Portuguese occupation, a proportion of the population that was not Catholic or may have simply been resident converts married into a certain social class of Portuguese-descendants in Goa. These are the Indians with Portuguese descent. Those of purely Portuguese descent (the most favoured under the Portuguese apartheid-esque system prior to Goan liberation) left for Portugal after India liberated Goa from Salazarian rule in the 60s. Hope that answers your question well enough. __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi Last edited by Mahratta; January 22nd, 2009 at 02:42 AM.

January 15th, 2009, 07:47 AM	#17
Luis80 The peoples champ! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,425 Likes (Received): 67	Great pics mahratta. India is fascinating!

January 15th, 2009, 08:30 AM	#18
*Svartmetall* Ordo Ab Chao Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Past: Northampton, UK (19 years), Auckland NZ (7 years), Now: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 9,165 Likes (Received): 204	Brilliant shots! These compliment the Mumbai photos very well. __________________ "Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist." Paracelsus 1493-1541

January 22nd, 2009, 02:41 AM	#19
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Thank you folks I love the "walls" above the arches - almost like a watercolour image hosted on flickr No doubts about the Portuguese being here image hosted on flickr __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

July 16th, 2009, 02:51 AM	#20
Mahratta Ayatollah Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,131 Likes (Received): 2	Wow, there's so many pictures I haven't posted...sorry about the delay, folks. Lots of pictures - 56kers beware! image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Bassein image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr pani puri wallah! image hosted on flickr more Bassein image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr image hosted on flickr Thanks for joining me! __________________ Leuven \| Antwerp \| Amsterdam \| Bruges \| Gent \| Brussels \| Chicago \| Costa Rica \| Vasai \| Bombay "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems" - Alfréd Rényi

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