Girgaum Chowpatty

Chaupati in 1860s

Girgaon Chaupati' (Marathi:गिरगाव चौपाटी), commonly known as Chaupati (pronounced chow-patty), is one of the best known public beaches adjoining Marine Drive in the Girgaon area of Mumbai, India. The beach is noted for its Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations when thousands of people from all over Mumbai come to immerse the idols of Lord Ganapati in the Arabian Sea. It is also one of the many places in the city where the Ramlila is performed on a stage every year. An effigy of Ravan erected on the sand is burnt by the end of the 10-day performance. One can find several bhelpuri, panipuri, ragda patties and pav bhaji vendors on the beach.

On the road running along the beach, the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, Ajmal Kasab was caught and arrested. A bronze statue of Tukaram Omble, the policeman who helped arrest Kasab, was erected on 26 November 2011..

Etymology

Chowpatty is really Chau-pati (four channels or four creeks) as per (Bombay City Gazetteer, I. 27). This name is analogous to that of Satpaty, a village in the Mahim Taluka of the Thane District, which is approached through a Channel or Creek, containing seven divisions of water.

Images

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  Girgaum beach with Nariman Point skyline in the background

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  Girgaum beach with Malabar Hills in the background

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  Corn cob vendors on Girgaum chowpati

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  View of Girgaum Chowpatty from Malabar Hill

References

1. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2001-10-26/mumbai/27240157_1_stalls-bhel-plaza 2. http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/india/mumbai/33405/marine-drive-chowpatty-beach/attraction-detail.html 3. http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/Default.aspx?strpage=../MaharashtraTourism/CitiestoVisits/Mumbai/MumbaiAttractions.html