Felt hats, Chiffons and Pearls

Felt hats, Chiffons and Pearls
My parents Maya and Lachu Shivdasani (center) with friends, at the Turf Club, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Bombay, Maharashtra.1941

My parents Maya and Lachu Shivdasani (center) with friends, at the Turf Club, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Bombay, Maharashtra.1941 Image and Narrative Contributed by Usha Bhandarkar Men and women were always very smartly turned out for the races..."you never repeated a sari!" Men wore full suits and felt hats; women wore Chiffons and Pearls. My mother Maya is appalled at the current dress code at the Races which she finds positively sloppy.

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An epitome of style and sophistication

An epitome of style and sophistication
My mother (center) Maya Shivdasani, with her parents, Dr Manghanmal Kripalani, an eminent physician and Sarsati Kripalani, Hyderabad Sind, 1939

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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Fresh emigrants to Bombay

Fresh emigrants to Bombay
My great-grandfather Tavadappa Talwar with his wife Laxmibai Talwar. Bombay, Maharashtra. Circa 1900's

My great-grandparents Tavadappa Talwar and Laxmibai Talwar. Bombay, Bombay Presidency, (now Maharashtra) Circa 1900 Image and Narrative Contributed by Manorath Palan, Mumbai My great-grand parents Tavadappa Talwar and Laxmibai Talwar migrated to Bombay from Mangalore, Karnataka in the early 1900's. Cultures like the Marathas were unheard of for a native of Mangalore, yet my great-grandparents adopted the native Maharashtrian attire and culture without any compulsion or threat from the locals, as opposed to the present situation in India. This picture was taken weeks into their moving to Bombay, sometime in the early 1900s.

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Later they heard, their home and assets were all burnt down

Later they heard, their home and assets were all burnt down
Hand painted in New York (in 2000), my maternal grandparents, Lahore, (Now Pakistan). 1923

My maternal grandparents, Lahore, (Now Pakistan). 1923 . Hand painted in New York, 2000 Image and Narrative contributed by Dinesh Khanna, Gurgaon My grandparents, Balwant Goindi, a Sikh and Ram Pyari, a Hindu were married in 1923. She was re-named Mohinder Kaur after her marriage . They went on to have eight daughters and two sons, one of the daughters happens to be my mother. Balwant Goindi owned a whiskey Shop in Lahore. He was a wealthy man and owned a Rolls Royce. During Indo-Pak Partition, he and his family migrated to Simla, without any of his precious belongings; assuming he would return after the situation had calmed down, however, that never happened. After moving around, and attempting to restart his business with other Indian trader friends, they finally settled down in Karol Bagh. The area was primarily residential with a large Muslim population until the exodus of many to Pakistan and an influx of refugees from West Punjab after partition in 1947, many of whom were traders. It must have been a very sad day when he heard that his home and his shops in Lahore were burnt down.

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They went to receive the groom, but returned empty handed

They went to receive the groom, but returned empty handed
Mr & Mrs H.E Chowfin on their wedding day. Lahore, (Now Pakistan). December 28, 1938.

Mr & Mrs H.E Chowfin on their wedding day. Lahore, (Now Pakistan). December 28, 1938. Image and Narrative contributed by Madhypriya Sinha Mr Chowfin was part Chinese and part Indian. When the strapping Pathans from the bride's family went to the station to receive the groom, they returned empty handed claiming that the groom's family never arrived, there were however, many Chinese people hanging about at the station.

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