An epitome of style and sophistication

My mother (center) Maya Shivdasani, with her parents, Dr Manghanmal Kripalani, and Sarsati Kripalani, Hyderabad, Sindh (now Pakistan). 1939

Image and Narrative contributed by Usha Bhandarkar

My mother Maya Shivdasani is now 90 year old of age. She was born in Hyderabad Sind in 1919 and came to Bombay after her marriage in 1937. After her marriage in 1937 Maya moved to Bombay but would visit her parents in Hyderabad Sind (Now Pakistan) at least twice a year. This photograph was taken on one of her visits to Hyderabad where she was the epitome of style and sophistication: sleeveless sari blouse, short hair, long, painted fingernails. Her father Manghanmal Kripalani was an eminent physician.

She has lived in Cuffe Parade all these 73 years, read the Times of India every single day and visits the Cricket Club of India once a week. One of her favourite haunts is the Sea Lounge at the Taj Mahal Hotel. She was truly saddened to see it damaged in the Mumbai attacks of 2008. On the day the Sea Lounge reopened she was there sitting at a window table, sipping their wonderful Viennoise Coffee.


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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Just my do-anna – may be you should keep all comments especially the personal ones. The photos are making these people come alive and every detail seems interesting. For a lot of blogs a well moderated (nothing offensive) but lively comments section is an asset. It would be nice to see people connecting across time and space through the pictures. Fantastic job by the way!

  2. She did get to read it. :) cheers. I do forward and then remove personal comments from this blog. cheers

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