Can you guess the name of this bungalow and the road in Bandra where it once stood?…
The charming heritage bungalow served as the longtime residence of Dr. Salim Ali, the world-renowned ornithologist and naturalist famously known as the "Birdman of India". The original colonial-style building has since been demolished and replaced by a modern multi-story residential high-rise.
The bungalow at 46 Pali Hill (originally numbered 33 Pali Hill) was actually a shared family home owned by Salim Ali’s extended family long before he permanently moved back into it. [1, 2]
The primary residents who stayed there before and alongside him include:
- Hasan Ali and his wife (Salim Ali’s sister and brother-in-law): The spacious bungalow was originally owned and occupied by Salim Ali’s elder sister and her husband, Hasan Ali. After Salim Ali’s wife, Tehmina, passed away in 1939, they invited the grieving ornithologist to come live with them. [1, 2]
- Saad Ali: Salim Ali's brother also resided in this sprawling family house. [1, 2]
- His "Nani and Nana" (Grandparents to the extended family): The home functioned like a bustling joint-family estate. Family descendants, including his grandniece and noted conservationist Zai Whitaker, recall it being a "veritable Downton Abbey" filled with an endless rotation of cousins, aunts, uncles, and a devoted house cook named Shamsoo. [1]
It was a quintessential example of colonial-style Indian residential architecture constructed during the late 19th or early 20th century. While the design heavily borrowed Western features popular under the British Raj—such as the deep wraparound verandas, high Mangalore-tiled roofing, and an octagonal structural facade—the house was constructed and commissioned by prominent local elites. [1, 2, 3]
During that era, Bandra's Pali Hill transformed from a forested area into a peaceful retreat where wealthy Indian communities (specifically Parsi, Muslim, and East Indian Christian families) built grand estates. This specific property belonged to Salim Ali's extended family (the Tyabji / Ali clan), who were affluent, highly educated Indian merchants and professionals. They adopted the trendy, climate-friendly "colonial bungalow" blueprint of the time, combining British design sensibilities with traditional Indian living layouts. [1, 2, 3]
Dr. Salim Ali died on June 20, 1987, at the age of 90. He passed away in Mumbai after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer.
If you're interested, I can share more about:
The tributes and memorials established in his honor after his passingThe history of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which he helped shapeHow his legendary legacy continues to influence wildlife conservation in India today
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He stayed there long ago - when everybody were considered equal
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