Welcome to a brand new episode of ILF Radio!

Today, we’re stepping into Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, the official residence of the Governor of Maharashtra. Situated at the southern tip of Malabar Hill, surrounded by the Arabian Sea and enveloped in dense greenery, this 160-year-old estate is as much a place of reflection as it is of governance. Beyond its ornate banquet halls and ceremonial rooms lies a space alive with memories, layered histories, and quiet corners that still hold the rhythm of ritual and routine.

Joining us is Mr. Umesh Kashikar, Public Relations Officer at Raj Bhavan for over 26 years. A passionate historian and former Research Officer in the Governor's Secretariat, Mr. Kashikar has guided countless visitors through this estate, offering insights not only into its architecture and legacy but also the lived-in nuances that never make it to official records.

In this episode, we talk about everything from the transformation of the British-era bunker into a museum of revolutionaries, to the understated presence of the Sri Gundi Devi temple and the challenges of balancing modern infrastructure with heritage preservation. With Mr. Kashikar as our guide, we experience Raj Bhavan not just as a political address, but as a living archive – one that blends protocol with pause, and history with heartbeat.

Explore visuals from today’s episode:

Raj Bhavan aerial view: https://us.images.westend61.de/0001985783pw/aerial-view-of-rajbhavan-back-bay-malabar-point-mumbai-india-AAEF30827.jpg

Official site: https://rajbhavan-maharashtra.gov.in

Follow India Lost and Found on Instagram @indialostandfound, X (formerly Twitter) @IndiaLostFound, and Facebook @IndiaLostFound for more stories from India’s layered past. You can also visit our website at https://www.indialostandfound.com/ to explore more such journeys.

Welcome back to ILF Radio! Every once in a while, at ILF, we would like to turn our attention from the famed monumental, religious and political legacies to the common citizen’s vernacular heritage. Today we visit the singular, stunning streets of Sidhpur in Gujarat lined with the Vohrawads of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The architecture of these mansions is a truly masterful blend of various European styles adapted to the traditional Bohra lifestyle through the hands of Gujarati craftsmen. A style which in every way is the best of everything West of the subcontinent, which makes Sidhpur a place beyond belief!ILF is delighted to have architect Zoyab Alihussain Kadi, here to deliver us the story from the horse’s mouth. Born a Dawoodi Bohra, trained as an architect who also turned academician, he has been instrumental in documenting the neighbourhoods of Sidhpur and has written three books dedicated to the cause of the conservation of these vohrawads. His prolific writing and talks continue to stir interest in the region’s fading heritage. He has also received a UNESCO Sahapedia fellowship to document the cultural and architectural heritage of Sidhpur. Along with three other concerned architects, he has set up the “SIDHPUR HERITAGE COLLECTIVE”; an initiative with an ambitious and diverse agenda to stir interest in the region’s fading heritage.Links to key heritage sites from today’s episode:

- Sidhpur from the lens of ILF founder Amit Pasricha: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwZkPq7v9Ae/?igsh=bmxrcHBxcmRocXdyhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CwabLUjvUqI/?igsh=bTF0ZXh5NG1oNWVrhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CwaE2QjPeAi/?igsh=cWJ4MjVwNWNpZWNi- From the Sidhpur Heritage Collective: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6PKSKqSfFz/https://www.instagram.com/p/C6PKsN8SLpR/https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gQIs2Sptt/https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gQTZ4yy8o/https://www.instagram.com/p/C-2q2pryw50/?img_index=1- Information of the Sidhpur Heritage collective’s upcoming heritage walkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DAnzVOhSzTe/?img_index=1

Welcome back to ILF Radio! In today’s episode, we set sail to “the gateway of South India”, to the shores of Madras, presently known as Chennai, where in 1639, a small strip of land on the Coromandel coast was given to the British East India company to set up a warehouse for traded goods. On this unremarkable strip of land was eventually established Fort St. George – the seat of British colonial power in South India!

The establishment of Fort St. George was the cornerstone that laid the foundation for the city of Madras which grew into one of India’s very first metropolitan cities. The story of its development from an obscure fishing hamlet into the first British Presidency in India is quite puzzling yet most remarkable. We’re most delighted to have with us Ashmitha Athreya, operations head and lead story teller at Madras Inherited to walk us through this opening chapter of the history of Madras!

Links to key heritage sites from today’s episode:

- Plan of Fort St. George: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/FortStGeorgePophamColonyJohnHuntMap.gif

- Artistic representations of the early fort on the Coromandel Coast: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/South_East_View_of_Fort_St_George%2C_Madras_-_British_Library_P942.jpg

-Tamil Nadu Legislative assembly building

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Fort_St._George%2C_Chennai_2.jpg

- Clive House

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Clive_House.jpg

- St Mary’s Church

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/St._Mary%27s_Church%2C_Chennai_%281%29.jpg

- View of the fort from the beach showing St. Mary’s steeple (date unknown)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fort_St._George.jpg Follow India Lost and Found on Instagram @indialostandfound, X (formerly Twitter) @IndiaLostFound, and Facebook @IndiaLostFound for more captivating stories of heritage sites. Let's ensure that the essence of our civilizational history is preserved for generations to come. You can also visit our website at https://www.indialostandfound.com/ to explore additional content and join our mission to uncover India's lost treasures.