Located along the western coastline of Mumbai’s northern suburbs, Madh Island is bound by the Arabian Sea to the west and Malad Creek to the east, which separates it from Versova. Commuters travelling between Madh and Versova use ferry services operating across Malad Creek. The first ferry starts at 5 am. Ferries run every 15 minutes, and the journey takes about five minutes. The ride fare is ₹3.00.
Koli women are actively involved in various economic activities related to fishing and maritime livelihoods and play a central role in maintaining the household in the absence of male family members who are away at sea. In addition to taking care of their household affairs, they run small businesses that add to the family income.
The Versova-Madh ferry service is used by a wide range of commuters, some even plying two-wheelers stacked on the flat decks. Daily commuters include students going to school, daily wage labourers, working professionals, and fisherwomen with their daily catch headed for the markets.
In the local Marathi dialect, tandula means rice, and bhakri means roti, resulting in the tandalachi bhakri, or rice roti. While the basic preparation method remains the same, there are variations of bhakri made with different flours. These include jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), and nachni (finger millet), which are common in different regions of India.
The 140-year-old Club of St. Anthony is a Goan club associated with Deussua village in South Goa district. These Goan clubs are called kudds (or coors), which provide affordable accommodation to migrants from Goa staying and working in Mumbai. Located close to Dockyard station on P. D’Mello Road, the Club of St. Anthony is among the few remaining kudds in Mumbai, most having closed due to a lack of patronage and occupancy.
The Koli community were mainly involved in fishing, though some Kolis were also cultivators. Typically, the Koli women take care of drying and selling fish, while the Koli men are engaged in fishing and distributing the day’s catch. Fish markets are dominated by Koli women, who handle the business operations.
Adjoining the docks, Mazagaon Koliwada is among the oldest Koli settlements in Mumbai, though nothing much of the historical village has survived in modern times. It is home to diverse communities, including Parsis, Muslims, East Indian Catholics, Jews, and others, who have lived here for generations. Mazagaon is dotted with architectural landmarks and heritage buildings, which reflect its cosmopolitan social fabric.
Shenaaz's tiny room at Bob Bungalow is where she feeds the local cats. Many cats live in Mazagon, where they patrol the fish markets and serve as useful pest deterrents. The residents look after the cats even if they are not domesticated. They become close friends with the locals and are regarded as family.
Koli fishermen are sorting the day’s catch at Bhaucha Dhakka jetty. Due to extensive land reclamations, Kolis had to shift their fishing activities further south of the Mazagon dockyards. For their use, the Bhaucha Dhakka jetty was constructed in 1979. The jetty handles ferry services and maritime operations related to the commercial fishing industry.