Versova | |
|---|---|
 Versova beach | |
  Versova Location in Mumbai, India | |
| Coordinates:19°07′N72°49′E / 19.12°N 72.82°E /19.12; 72.82 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Mumbai Suburban |
| City | Mumbai |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (MCGM) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 400061 |
| Area code | 022 |
Versova (ISO:Varsovā,pronounced[ʋəɾsoːʋaː]) is an upmarket neighborhood in north-westernMumbai. It is known for its beach and theVersova Fort. The beach of Versova underwent a massive clean-up effort in 2016, labeled as the largest-ever beach clean-up.[1]
Versova, originally named Vesave, is a small fishing village of theKolis, situated to the north of the old Mumbai city.[2] Britain used to call this vis-a-vis, and locals gave it the name Visava.
The original name of the village is "Visava", which derives from the Marathi word for "rest" (as in resting place).[citation needed] Later, it was pronounced as "Vesava". The village is mentioned in the writings ofGemelli Careri in 1695.
Versova came under the Portuguese rule in the late medieval period. The Portuguese constructed the Our Lady of Health Church in Versova, and a number of Kolis were converted to Christianity during this period. By 1720, it had emerged as a small town, with asmall fort and a growing trade in dry fish. In 1739, the Portuguese lost the area to theMarathas, who strengthened the fort. ABritish force led by Lieutenant-ColonelHenry Keating defeated theMarathas in 1774.[2]
In 1800, the British established a training facility for artillery and engineering cadets. However, the facility was moved to the old Bombay city after a fever epidemic affected nearly all the cadets, and killed many of them. The military establishment was completely removed in 1818.[2] In 1875–86, the exports from the trade amounted to£34,403 and the imports in 1876–77 were worth£14,784.[2]
Administratively, Versova (as "Varsova") is still a village in theAndheri taluka of theMumbai Suburban district.[3][4] Much of the Versova is now an urban locality, but the original settlement of the fishing community still exists at its north-west corner along the Versova creek, facing the formerMadh Island. The creek has now almost turned into a sewagenullah.[5]
The indigenous population are theKolis people. Shores of the Versova creek area are surrounded by flourishing Mangroves which support different kinds ofmarine life, especially molluscs, crabs and fish.[6] The native population sells fish at Versova jetty at wholesale prices. They have their owncooperative society of Versova fishermen, wherein they manage all the fishing activities.[7] Kolis are believed to be the oldest and original inhabitants of the land that is now Mumbai.
The Versova Koli Seafood Festival was started in 2006 to help the Koli fishing community with extra income.[8]
By 2015, Versova beach had become choked with up to 1.7 metres (5.5 ft) of rotting refuse and trash—most of it plastic.[9]
In October 2015,Afroz Shah, a young lawyer and environmentalist in Mumbai moved into the area and along with Harbansh Mathur, an 84-year-old who has since died, began efforts to clean up the beach. Eventually Shah started a volunteer organization, Versova Residents Volunteers, and encouraged volunteers to show up for weekly "dates with the ocean" – so called because of how arduous the work was.[10] Each Sunday the volunteers would gather to remove as much trash as possible. Over the course of 21 months, volunteers removed close to 5,300,000 kilograms (11,684,500 lb) of trash, most of it plastic.[11]
The volunteers also cleaned up 52 public toilets and planted over 50 coconut trees.[11]
In 2016, Shah was honoured with the "Champion of the Earth" award by theUnited Nations Environment Programme in recognition of his vision and hard work.[10]
In early 2018,Olive Ridley sea turtles returned to the beach for the first time in 20 years to nest and hatchlings were observed heading toward the sea on 22 March 2018.[12]
Recently, Afroz Shah has appeared on several platforms as a champion of the cause toban plastics and has travelled across the country to several schools in a pledge to refuse, reduce and reuse plastic.[13]
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