Bombay Bhendi Bazaar With Horse Tram, 1880 Photo
This rare 1880 glass slide photo of Bhendi Bazaar in Bombay (Mumbai), featuring a horse-drawn tram passing through the bustling street. Bhendi Bazaar, located in South Bombay just north of the old Fort area, was part of the Indian Quarter during the British era.
After the reclamation of the seven islands, Bombay evolved into a single landmass. An English Fort once stood on the ‘H’-shaped island of Bombay, a key landmark in the city’s early colonial history. The East India Company encouraged both skilled Indian and European traders, artisans, and workmen to settle around the Fort.
By the mid-1800s, however, Indian residents living inside the Fort were persuaded to relocate to the newly created Indian Quarter, also known as the Native Quarter. This quarter included important areas such as Bora Bazaar, Bhendi Bazaar, and Bhuleshwar. The highlight of this image is the horse-drawn tram, first introduced in Bombay in 1874 as part of the city’s pioneering public transport system. By 1907, the tramways were electrified, and for nearly 90 years they remained a beloved mode of transport. The charming Bombay trams finally ceased operations in 1964, marking the end of an era. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Did you know – Bhendi Bazaar has a mysterious name origin, with theories ranging from it being the colloquial British term “behind the bazaar” to it relating to the ladyfinger vegetable or potter’s utensils.
From the collection – 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#7)., King George V & Queen Mary At Delhi Durbar, 1911., Arrival Of Lord Mountbatten At Delhi – Old Print 1947., King George’s Car Delhi Durbar – Old Photo 1910.
Photo Details
he Bhendi Bazaar was a bustling commercial area of the city, crossed by narrow streets and lanes containing crowded tenements and dwellings.
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