Take a trip to the Gaothan world today

MUMBAI: Mumbaikars can today go back in time and take a peek into the half-forgotten world of Gaothans in Mobai, as the city was once called by the East Indians.
The Mumbai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) has organized an exhibition where people from the East Indian Catholic community will showcase old artefacts that once were an integral part of the everyday life in the villages.Through this exhibition, the small community of East Indian Catholics, scattered in tiny pockets of Andheri, Vile Parle, Bandra, Colaba and other areas in and around Mumbai, are trying to create awareness among the current generation about their long-forgotten culture and heritage. Terencia Kinny, one of the volunteers, said, "The purpose of the event is to teach people about our community and its ethnicity."
Once rather mundane articles used by the community every day, the relics have been collected and maintained over the years by family members and now, the pots and pans have assumed a historical significance. Remaining a witness to the past life, the articles comment upon the lifestyle and tastes of the users.
"With the community slowly dwindling, there is a need to spread awareness about the people and their cultural roots. Hopefully, this exhibition will help," said Kinny, adding that many staying in and around Manori, Gorai and Bhayander still follow the traditional ways of the Gaothans.
The Misquittas from Vile Parle are one of the families that have agreed to put their family "treasures" on display. Back in the late 1800s, Francis Juran Misquitta was known for his brick factory in the current western suburbs. "He always contributed towards our community and on various occasions, he donated bricks to build various churches and schools," said Corina Misquitta Kudalkar, his great-granddaughter. Examples of the family's generosity has been immortalized in St Francis Xavier Church in Vile Parle (W), St Peter's Church and St Teresa's Convent High School in Santa Cruz and Stanislaus High School in Bandra, to name a few.
The Misquittas will also showcase the mould in which the bricks were made at their factory, along with various vessels like tizal (used for cooking curries) and thala (used for kneading Bhakri). "We still have some old receipts that my great-grandfather used in the late 1930s as well as the emblem of the BMW that he owned till 1944," added Corina.
It has taken the organizers more than a month to put together all the articles that they plan to display.
The organizers also plan to have some of the famous East Indian delicacies on platter for their guests on Saturday. After the exhibition, some of the families may even donate some of their artefacts to the Mumbai Gaothan Panchayat so that they could be put up at the Mobai Bhavan, to be inaugurated at Manori this May.
The exhibition will be held at Veneration Hall opposite Irla Church between 2 and 8 pm on Saturday. Entry is free.