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Flora Fountain, Mumbai, India
The Flora Fountain was built in 1864, located in the “Hutatma Chowk”, or “Martyrs’ Square” of South Mumbai. It is a grand fountain topped with a statue of the Roman goddess “Flora”, hence its name.
Description
This elegant Victorian-era Mumbai landmark was the result of a donation of Rs 20,000 by Cursetjee Fardoonjee Parekh to the Agri–Horticultural Society of Western India [1]. It was designed by architect Norman Shaw, and carved from Portland Stone by engineer James Forsythe [2]. It is colored with white oil paint. The Flora Fountain was originally to be named after the Governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle Frere; yet, right before the fountain’s inauguration in 1864, the name 'Flora' was given, for the beautiful carved statue of the Roman goddess [3]. Some sources also claim that the fountain is named after Flora Sasson, a daughter-in-law of the Sassoon family [4][5]. The Sasssons were known to be generous patrons of the arts, religion and city beautification projects, including the Flora Fountain. The Flora Fountain is located in the busy square Hutatma Chowk. It gained status as one of India’s heritage structures in the 1960’s [6].
Sources
Notes:
[1] “Flora Fountain”, Mumbai: Flora Fountain. Mumbai: Commercial Capital of India, Accessed July 24, 2022, https://www.mumbai.org.uk/flora-fountain.html.
[2] “Flora Fountain”, Flora Fountain in Mumbai (Bombay) - Flora Fountain - Hutatma Chowk in Mumbai - Mumbai, ClickIndia, Accessed July 24, 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20090208222134/http://mumbai.clickindia.com/travel/florafountainhtml.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Naresh Fernandes, “The Philanthropists Who Built Mumbai”, Forbes India: Dec 9, 2013, https://www.forbesindia.com/printcontent/36657.
[5] Joan G. Rolan, The Jewish Communities of India: Identity in a Colonial Era, (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England 1989), 18.
[6] “Flora Fountain”, Mumbai: Flora Fountain. Mumbai: Commercial Capital of India, Accessed July 24, 2022, https://www.mumbai.org.uk/flora-fountain.html.
Works Cited:
“Flora Fountain.” Flora Fountain in Mumbai (Bombay) - Flora Fountain - Hutatma Chowk in Mumbai - Mumbai. ClickIndia. Accessed July 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20090208222134/http://mumbai.clickindia.com/travel/florafountainhtml.
“Flora Fountain.” Mumbai: Flora Fountain. Mumbai: Commercial Capital of India. Accessed July 24, 2022. https://www.mumbai.org.uk/flora-fountain.html .
Fernandes, Naresh. “The Philanthropists Who Built Mumbai”. Forbes India: Dec 9, 2013, Accessed July 30, 2022. https://www.forbesindia.com/printcontent/36657.
Rolan, Joan G., The Jewish Communities of India: Identity in a Colonial Era. (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England 1989).