My Heritage walk exploring the iconic C.S.M.T station building
C.S.M.T is also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is an iconic and historic building in Mumbai. One of the busiest train stations is today designated as a UNESCO heritage site for its unique style of architecture which is a fusion of Victorian Gothic and Indian style of architecture known as "Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture". Formerly known as Victoria Terminus or V.T station, It is one of the most photographed buildings in Mumbai. Most of us as train commuters would have boarded local trains or some long-distance train from here but have never bothered to look beyond the train ticket counter or even looked up to admire the star-shaped magnificent ceiling above.
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| (Only this pic sourced from the internet) |
In the last few years, CSMT has started organizing heritage walk to showcase the exemplary architecture of the building interiors and its heritage which is normally out of bounds for the normal public. It may sound a little ironic but this heritage walk is conducted "only" on working weekdays for two hours in the late afternoon.
CSMT was designed by British architect F.W.Stevens who is also credited with designing many other iconic buildings in Mumbai which are today termed masterpieces in Victorian Gothic architecture. Built over ten year period from 1878 - 88, It was the headquarters of erstwhile G.I.P.R (Greater Indian Peninsular Railway) which is the predecessor of today's Central Railway.
The heritage walk inside the building is a guided tour with an employee of Central Railway, The walk starts with a section in the building which houses the heritage museum. The museum holds the history of Indian railways, old photographs, miniature models of steam engines and coaches, and many more. But what is proudly displayed on the walls is a framed letter which was a letter written by Mr. J.Chapman to East India company to lay the foundation of G.I.P.R, Today this has become a lifeline of Mumbai.
Some old artifacts, mementos, old train route maps are also displayed which is explained in detail by the guide. It is interesting to see the original drawings and floor plans of the building and detailed information on the cost of construction of this monumental building at that time. A princely sum of $ 23000 or roughly 16 lacs of rupees !!!!
What further catches the eye is the stained glass windows inside the museum, such stained glass windows are also seen in other parts of the building as well.
The building has C shaped design with an east-west axis. All sides of the building are given equal value in the design. Walking behind our guide silently we listened to every detail about the building heritage which had left us in awe already.
The main central porch is ornately decorated with Italian marble, granite columns, and limestone arch, The arches have polychromatic stone pillars at the base. A massive wooden door welcomes us here.
Once Inside, what I saw was just beyond words, The grand staircase, underneath the giant dome. The walls adjacent to the staircase has latticed windows flanked by granite pillars,
A Lion holding the shield of arms stands at the base of the staircase, It signifies British rule.
Necks gets cranked as we try to get the dome and beautiful design it creates with a circular staircase leading to the top in different picture angles.
The stained glasses that one can see at the topmost floor are a beautiful spectacle in the sun glare but unfortunately, it is not allowed to reach the topmost level. The dome is said to be the first octagonal ribbed masonry dome that was built in Italian Gothic style.
Motifs on the wall show animals, birds, and foliage have been used freely in the designs across the entire building.
As we climb the stairs, not only we get a feel of royalty, but as pointed by our guide, we admire the sheer brilliance of the architectural design supporting the heavy dome right above our head and how artistically the rectangular base evolves into the octagonal dome.
It is amazing how Moguls, Hindu, and Gothic architecture amalgamation have been portrayed.
The cantilevered steps covered with red carpet lead us to the top floors, The balcony overlooks the bustling main road. The corridors adorn with Minton flooring's that leads us to another spectacle of this building for which it is very famous - the Star chamber.
The star chambers for those who are not aware is the massive hall which contains the booking office which is used by hundreds of commuters which you can see moving around in huge numbers from above. This hall contains a ceiling with carved vaults in geometric design and gold stars. From the level we are standing, it gives us eye to eye contact with the magnificent ceiling which is a spectacle and the most beautiful portion of this heritage station.
On the outside, our guide points to a tubular shape at the edge of the building with elongated glasses, What is the secret it holds ??
Those are the toilets which have been camouflaged artistically. The idea was to hide the drainage pipes from spoiling the architectural beauty of the building.
One also gets a perfect view of Oriel windows and beautiful gargoyles which are normally carved and installed near balconies and below the roofs at a strategic location on an exterior facade to spit out rainwater and stop it from seeping into the walls and spoil the masonry works.
This heritage walk takes you to that portion of the iconic building which is a private corner far cry from the chaotic C.S.M.T station that we all know about, It gives you a glimpse of vintage buildings from a different angle and also lets you know the secrets it holds.
Some portion of the top floors were closed for maintenance and repair, Back to the ground floor courtyard, On the outer portion of the building facing the courtyard, There are faces of the founders of G.I.P.R whose forethought and perseverance gave rise to Indian railways.
Our guide points to the bas relief structure which has 16 faces lined on the wall, On closer look one can find that each has a different type of turbans on the head. Each of these 16 faces represents different communities of Mumbai at that time.
Another interesting thing about the building was the terminus was initially named Victoria Terminus to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. A marble statue of Queen was installed in the main facade in a canopy under the clock. Today that place was empty. It is said that in 1950 under the directive from GOI, British figures from government buildings were removed. The Queen statue was moved to Victoria Gardens or present-day Rani Baug Zoo gardens from where it has been stolen or lost. Nobody has clue as to what happened to the statue.
There is a very beautiful latticed window on the first floor - A dancing peacock with two birds and a floral design adorn the huge window which is a masterpiece and a priceless treasure that this building holds.
As we bid goodbye to our guide on completion of our walk, He pointed at the entrance gate of the building which is flanked by a sitting Lion on one side and a Tiger on the other. The lion represents the British while Tiger represents India.
The heritage tour of the C.S.M.T building is definitely worth every penny and should be on everyone's to-do list. As we bid final adieu we cannot fail to think of the effort that went into making this truly wonderful world heritage site that it is today. It really makes you feel proud of having one of the prettiest railway stations in the world in your own city.
Once Inside, what I saw was just beyond words, The grand staircase, underneath the giant dome. The walls adjacent to the staircase has latticed windows flanked by granite pillars,
A Lion holding the shield of arms stands at the base of the staircase, It signifies British rule.
Necks gets cranked as we try to get the dome and beautiful design it creates with a circular staircase leading to the top in different picture angles.
The stained glasses that one can see at the topmost floor are a beautiful spectacle in the sun glare but unfortunately, it is not allowed to reach the topmost level. The dome is said to be the first octagonal ribbed masonry dome that was built in Italian Gothic style.
Motifs on the wall show animals, birds, and foliage have been used freely in the designs across the entire building.
As we climb the stairs, not only we get a feel of royalty, but as pointed by our guide, we admire the sheer brilliance of the architectural design supporting the heavy dome right above our head and how artistically the rectangular base evolves into the octagonal dome.
It is amazing how Moguls, Hindu, and Gothic architecture amalgamation have been portrayed.
The cantilevered steps covered with red carpet lead us to the top floors, The balcony overlooks the bustling main road. The corridors adorn with Minton flooring's that leads us to another spectacle of this building for which it is very famous - the Star chamber.
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| My Nephew standing on Minton tiles |
The star chambers for those who are not aware is the massive hall which contains the booking office which is used by hundreds of commuters which you can see moving around in huge numbers from above. This hall contains a ceiling with carved vaults in geometric design and gold stars. From the level we are standing, it gives us eye to eye contact with the magnificent ceiling which is a spectacle and the most beautiful portion of this heritage station.
On the outside, our guide points to a tubular shape at the edge of the building with elongated glasses, What is the secret it holds ??
Those are the toilets which have been camouflaged artistically. The idea was to hide the drainage pipes from spoiling the architectural beauty of the building.
One also gets a perfect view of Oriel windows and beautiful gargoyles which are normally carved and installed near balconies and below the roofs at a strategic location on an exterior facade to spit out rainwater and stop it from seeping into the walls and spoil the masonry works.
This heritage walk takes you to that portion of the iconic building which is a private corner far cry from the chaotic C.S.M.T station that we all know about, It gives you a glimpse of vintage buildings from a different angle and also lets you know the secrets it holds.
Some portion of the top floors were closed for maintenance and repair, Back to the ground floor courtyard, On the outer portion of the building facing the courtyard, There are faces of the founders of G.I.P.R whose forethought and perseverance gave rise to Indian railways.
Our guide points to the bas relief structure which has 16 faces lined on the wall, On closer look one can find that each has a different type of turbans on the head. Each of these 16 faces represents different communities of Mumbai at that time.
Another interesting thing about the building was the terminus was initially named Victoria Terminus to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. A marble statue of Queen was installed in the main facade in a canopy under the clock. Today that place was empty. It is said that in 1950 under the directive from GOI, British figures from government buildings were removed. The Queen statue was moved to Victoria Gardens or present-day Rani Baug Zoo gardens from where it has been stolen or lost. Nobody has clue as to what happened to the statue.
There is a very beautiful latticed window on the first floor - A dancing peacock with two birds and a floral design adorn the huge window which is a masterpiece and a priceless treasure that this building holds.
As we bid goodbye to our guide on completion of our walk, He pointed at the entrance gate of the building which is flanked by a sitting Lion on one side and a Tiger on the other. The lion represents the British while Tiger represents India.
The heritage tour of the C.S.M.T building is definitely worth every penny and should be on everyone's to-do list. As we bid final adieu we cannot fail to think of the effort that went into making this truly wonderful world heritage site that it is today. It really makes you feel proud of having one of the prettiest railway stations in the world in your own city.
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