Mazagaon Koliwada, one of Mumbai’s oldest Koli settlements, existed as a fishing village since long before Europeans arrived. While the original fishing village no longer exists, descendants of the Koli fishermen still reside in the same neighborhood.
Yashoda Nakhva, seventy years old, spent most of her life in this house. Recently, she moved to a new place, just a short distance away. Yashoda laments how the dockyard has obstructed the view of the sea from the balcony of the Nakhva house and blocked the cool sea breeze.
Saraswati Nakhva received her education at the Nawab Tank Upper Primary Municipal Marathi School, located inside the Kamgar Sadan building. This building was established by the Port Trust of India in 1937, and it is located in the Railway Colony at Mazagaon Koliwada.
After her father’s demise, Saraswati’s brother, Om Prakash Nakhva, did not continue her father’s legacy in the fishing business. Instead, he made his career in the service industry, working at the Colaba docks. He married Meena, who now lives with Saraswati.