#SecretMumbai: Mumbai's Chime From Persia's Prime

Thursday June 27,2019 by Team Khaki

In 1881, two French travellers published detailed images of the ruins of Persepolis, the ancient ceremonial capital of the Persian empire. The images made their way to India and the parsis of Mumbai began adopting the sculptural details as symbols of Zoroastrianism. "Lamassus" (winged bulls) and "faravahars" (winged discs) were added to the designs of fire temples as well as buildings made by parsis. One such structure is a drinking water fountain and clock tower built on Bazargate street in 1882 in the memory of Bomanjee Hormarjee Wadia, a parsi merchant-prince and philanthropist, who died in 1862. The tower still stands today and was recently restored by architect Vikas Dilawari.

Published in The Mint on 27th June, 2019.