Past continuous

Residents of Khotachiwadi heritage precinct hold a festival to garner funds.

I was born in this house, and so were my father and grandfather," points out Marie Misquita to the crowd following her down the winding lanes off Mumbai's busy Girgaum area.

They wind their way through the intricate labyrinth of narrow yellow brick and dust dotted by oriental lanterns, walking in and out of the 28 homes that encompass Khotachiwadi.

Embarking on this "heritage walk" is a different experience altogether. Colonial style wooden structures dot this village, dominated by the East Indian community and the Maharashtrian sect of Pathare Prabhus.

Declared a heritage precinct in 1995, this charming village is fighting to keep its old world charm alive.

Ten days ago, with little or no help from the state government, the Khotachiwadi Welfare and Heritage Trust (set up by the residents last year) held a festival, Khotachiwadi Forever Young, the first Khotachiwadi festival displaying home-cooked food, arts and handicrafts, all churned out by residents to generate funds to renovate the Portugese-style architecture as well as initiate a cleanliness drive.

For the first time, the homes were thrown open to the public, as inhabitants pointed out artifacts, antiques and fixtures that were almost 150 years old.

Charles Correa, renowned conservation architect, considers Khotachiwadi a wonderful example of an organic habitat. "The architecture has grown through the community itself. It is an example of a low rise-high density place," he says.

There are plans to hold the festival every quarter, but with an outlay of Rs 3 lakh, the festival was able to garner only Rs 1.25 lakh.

Just what is ailing Khotachiwadi? It once comprised 65 houses. By 1995, when it was declared a heritage site, the old-style houses were down to 28., and the others in a state of disrepair.

"What's unique about Khotachiwadi is that it is a residential heritage site, not a monument," says conservationist Abha Narain Lamba.

Today, with the Heritage Committee claiming empty coffers, the renovation onus is on the Khotachiwadi residents. Says Harold Sylvester, a committee member of the trust, "Renovating the exterior of each house will cost Rs 5 lakh, thereby putting the total amount that we need at more than 1.25 crore."

While residents are willing to shell out money for ordinary materials like steel girders and tiles, heritage regulations stipulate that the exteriors must use the original materials used in building the homes.

Adds Sylvester: "These regulations put us under an unfair monetary disadvantage. We cannot pay for old-style material which will cost us around Rs 8 lakh."

They also feel that their hands are tied. The Rent Control & Tenancy Acts prohibit them from earning any income from rent. Most of the residents are fifth-generation renters who are paying the landlords Rs 10-20 per month, fixed over a hundred years ago.

Shyam Dandekar, chairperson of the trust, is emphatic: "If they want us to renovate using our own money, they need to remove the rent control provisions, since we have no income to renovate."

Already, builders have come knocking on Khotachiwadi doors, but so far, none of the residents have relented.

As fashion designer James Ferreira, a resident, says, "This festival was designed to instill a certain community spirit, which if lacking, could result in members selling out to the builder lobby."