Mumbai bids adieu to Bandra's Gazebo House

Rubble remains at the site where Gazebo House stood. PIC/Shadab Khan ; (right)The earlier façade of Gazebo House. Pic/Debasish Chakraverty

Hill Road's critical junction is wearing a different look these days. A gaping hole with debris and a JCB stands where once Gazebo House took pride of place. The 70-year-old structure was a bustling hub of popular eateries and a few residences until it was demolished on August 8 for a road widening project. The old Bandra landmark blended the charm of a bygone era with modern commerce.

Owned by the late Harash Kumar Saigal and Gajanan Tervankar, its caretaker, Gazebo House was most recently home to six establishments, including popular eateries Ray's Pizzeria, Jamjar Diner, and Mamagoto, along with gift shops, Nice Collection and Sona Gift Shop. The clothing store Cherry Fig was also housed here. Two families that resided in the building, and four of the six establishments have been moved to an alternate accommodation in Kandivali.

Gajanan Tervankar; Meher Marfatia; Brian Tellis

Media veteran and Bandra resident Brian Tellis remembers Gazebo House for MacRonell's confectioners, a restaurant-cum-pastry shop that was a local institution in in the 1980s. "MacRonell's was one of those hipster places where you could pick up deli-style food, a rarity back then. It was a popular spot, especially because there weren't too many places offering what they did," he recalls.

Local history enthusiast Debashish Chakraverty, who has been chronicling Bandra's evolution, notes, "Gazebo House, with its 1930s-style architecture, was a prominent landmark on the main road, occupying prime real estate. Though not a [certified] heritage structure, the building did sport vintage architecture elements. The wooden staircase was one such relic.

The building was in fairly good condition, given how old it was. Perhaps it was this charm that attracted modern establishments like Jamjar to set up shop there."

Chakraverty adds that Hill Road itself holds historical significance. Named after Pali Hill and Mount Mary Hill, it's now called Ramdas Nayak Road, and begins at the intersection of Bandra Station and SV Road and leads via Mehboob Studio to Bandra Bandstand.

Sunday mid-day columnist and author Meher Marfatia, who grew up in the neighbourhood, wrote in her fortnightly column that the road was once the hub of cold storages and bakeries. She speaks to this writer, reminiscing about Gazebo Restaurant, which once occupied prime spot in Gazebo House. "It was one of the more popular restaurants in Bandra. My parents rarely took us out for meals, but Gazebo was for those special occasions. Seeing the building demolished was a shock. Jamjar was a new addition, but now, even Gazebo is gone," she reflects. Today, only Ray's Pizzeria remains at its original spot, just beyond the demarcation line.