Villages in Bandra, Mumbai are in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai, part of what has been called the Queen of Suburbs of Mumbai (once known as Bombay). Home to a number of personalities from the film industry as well as cricket, it is one of the most affluent suburbs of Mumbai. The old villages of Bandra are hidden behind the tall buildings and shopping malls of the area. The old villages pakhadis of Bandra, originally twenty-four of them, were one of the earliest of settlements in Bandra.
List of villages (hamlets) and their occupation
Portuguese period
The following were the hamlets pakhadis during Portuguese period, which ended approximately around year 1739, mentioned along with each is the occupation of these villages, and their designated area of influence:
Chuem (Chuim)- cultivators, Candely - cultivators - this settlement was near Chuim but got extinct after 1732. Xelalim (Sherly)- cultivators - Port. Sellaly, Rajana (Rajan)- cultivators - Port. Rajana, Mallan (Malla)- cultivators - Port. Mallem, Dandem Khar Danda, Parvar - cultivators - this settlement was located between (Dr.Ambedkar Road and Khar Gymkhana - current road names) but got extinct after 1853, Pall (Pali)- cultivators - Port. Pallem, Kantavari (Old Kantwadi) - cultivators - Port. Horta de Santo Andre - N.B. New Kantwadi was a similar hamlet of cultivators that came into existence in 1817, Ranuar (Ranwar) - cultivators - Port. Ranoar, Tank - cultivators - Port. Tanque, Dancavar (Boran) - cultivators - Port. Dandacarvar, Patarvar - cultivators - location of this hamlet (north of St. Joseph Convent - current name of a school) - extinct after 1817, Varoda (Waroda), Khar - Bois and "cavoqueiros" - Port. Salgado, Santa Cruz - toddy-tappers and cultivators, Catirvara - Bois - near Khar, Povoacao - Extending to the D'Monte Street, the Portuguese and their household staff lived in this area.
The following are some localities that existed near Povoacao
Rua Baixa (Lower Street), Bazar- location (Bandra Bazar - current name)- this area had mixed population, Rua do Bazar - (Bazar Street) - miscellaneous population, Horta do Bazar (Bazar Oart) - Faras - scavengers - located near (Chinchpokli Road - current road name), Rua dos Tintoreiros (Dyers Street)- miscellaneous population - this hamlet was located most probably near the Bazar.
Parish of Santa Anna had all the above-mentioned hamlets, Povoacao, and the other localities under it. The rough area under Santa Anna parish was ( Swami Vivekanand Road (current name)- extending to railway lines till the Old Slaughterhouse). The potters, weavers, mainatos (washermen), toddy-tappers, and other non Koli groups or castes which did not belong to any hamlets were also under Santa Anna parish.
Pertained by St. Andrew's parish
There were certain Hamlets that were under St. Andrew's parish. Most of them were Kolis fishermen settlements and they were called koliwadas. A few of them were as follows:
Colario de Igrezia (Chimbai), Colaria Naopara - Located near Old Ghodbunder Road (Current name of the Road), Colaria de Meio - located near Bazar area, Colaria Mora - located near Bandra Bunder, Colaria Grande - located near Chapel Road (Current name of the Road), Colaria Zaitucali - north of Mount Carmel church (Current name of the Church), Colai - located near Seaside Cemetery, Supali - located near Supali Talao ground.
These Koliwadas were under Santa Anna parish and there is mention of them in the baptismal register of Santa Anna since people in these hamlets were baptised over several years by the parish.
History
Only a few of them have survived the time, a few of them are on verge of extinction, and some of them are listed under heritage. Records suggest these villages date back 1534, were ruled by Bahadur Shah of Gujrat. Bandra area originally had 25 "pakhadis" villages. These villages were either fishing or farming villages. The original inhabitants of these "pakhadis" were mainly the Bombay East Indians and Hindu Kolis. The old Bandra was scenic, with stretches of green, bungalows, clusters of villages, villas surrounded by little gardens, and coastline. Home doors were kept open as a welcoming gesture and all the inhabitants were acquainted with everyone. From 1896 to 1906 Mumbai was struck by plague (Bombay plague epidemic) and the residents in Bandra villages suffered. Some were vacated.