Expo to revive East Indian era

MUMBAI: If you enjoy revisiting old traditions of the city, then the annual MGP East Indian exhibition is the place to be.
In an attempt to revive the remarkable culture of gaothans in the city, the Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) is organizing an exhibition next week.
“We endeavour to bring the entire community together and inform coming generations about our culture and roots, which date back to the 1800s,” said MGP member Corina Misquitta.East Indian artefacts like utensils, equipment and coins will feature in the expo. “We have collected coins that were in use over a century ago. Some families will display crockery which has been passed on from one generation to another,” added Misquitta.
One of the contributors to the exhibition, the Misquittas of Vile Parle have been at the forefront of the community since the early 1800s. Francis Juran Misquitta owned a brick factory in the western suburbs and has donated bricks for several churches and schools in the city.
Last year, MGP proposed to set up an East Indian museum in Manori. While work is in progress, the organizers are requesting community members to showcase their artefacts at the expo or donate it to the museum. “It feels great to bring the entire community together, it gets quite nostalgic,” said MGP member Prem Moraes.
The exhibition will be held at the Irla Church veneration hall between 1.30pm and 8pm on April 14.