Re-negotiating lost edge of Mumbai's Mithi River

Abstract

The inception of a thesis starts with contemporary issues of city and its ecology, Human survival depends upon adapting themselves and their settlements in life sustaining ways with connection to natural forms; designed places that reflects the interconnections of air, earth, water, life, and culture helps us to feel and understand these connections. In Indian context, historically water was at utmost significance for communities as their religious, social & economical activates were truly dependent on banks of a river. Settlements were also formed along the edges of the river, considering river as a great resource of potable water, place of religious activity or just as a fertile soil for agriculture. People used to practice their traditional or religious beliefs at edges of the river, Ghats along the river were expressions of both social and cultural richness of cities. whereas in some cities, instead of river Ghats ;Palaces, forts and capital cities were dominant part of river banks ; most of these cities could develop distinct identity with river; guided by their geography, climate, local resources & history ultimately describing form of Indian city Through time and transformation, the traditional river scape and its inherent Indian ness has gradually faded away. Identity of theses once vibrant cities is lost to misplaced aspiration and imported perceptions, as a result of this cities lost their socio –cultural and physical connection with water/ river. Today, once respectful riverscape has replaced by polluted riverscape and with that, identity of great Indian cities and their connection with water was lost, which resulted into loss of traditional systemic networks and identity (legibility +imagibility) along with tangible issues like urban flooding and destruction of ecology. Thus thesis aims to understand social and physical connection of riverine system with city through people’s perception and memories while highlighting both tangible and intangible issues by taking case of Mumbai’s Mithi River.