Bylanes of Chembur: A Neighbourhood Crawl

Mumbai’s “Garden Suburb" is full of lesser-known histories and local legends.

On this guided walk, I will trace Chembur's evolution from a coastal village on Trombay Island to the rapidly changing suburb of today. We'll visit a 200-year-old temple, examine disappearing architectural styles, stroll through a beautiful urban village, and map the neighbourhood’s physical and cultural nodes.

Along the way, we will learn about the people, spaces, memories and politics that give the neighbourhood its character.

About myself: I am Prayag Arora-Desai, a champion loiterer, journalist and climate communications professional. My job used to involve a lot of poking around in random corners of the city.

This walk is an attempt to return to some kind of tangible engagement with my surroundings and share what I learn with others.

My work has appeared in Hindustan Times, Scroll, Landscape, The Hindu, Firstpost and Youth ki Awaaz.