Voted as the second best railway station in the world—the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) stands tall and proud over South Mumbai
Why do I love CST? Let me count the reasons.
Perhaps I love it because as one of Mumbai's most iconic structures, it was a true labour of love, taking 10 long years for completion. Frederick William Stevens, the architect, wrestled to the ground all engineering problems, drawing painstakingly by hand all the plans for the monument, including its most minor details—a job usually set aside for minions. By the time it was finally constructed in 1888, it cost 2,60,000 pounds, which was stupendous for any project of that time.
Maybe I love it because even before it was built, the plans for CST won many prizes, both in Mumbai and at London's influential Royal Academy, where even elderly Englishmen tottering in their ivory castles believed it worthy of a medal.
Or maybe it is because Stevens helped fuse two worlds, plucking elements from Gothic styles of architecture as well as Indian motifs, thus forging a brand new idiom for Mumbai.
Perhaps I love it for its gargoyles that seem to crawl, leer and leap off the facade of the building. Look even closer and you will see a cluster of peacocks, monkeys, cobras, mongoose, owls, pangolins and other Indian animals dancing around the walls. A more observant eye will spot bas relief heads representing the various castes of India.
Perhaps it is because of its resplendent Star Chamber, the blue ceiling of which sparkles with ruddy stars lined with real gold; while immediately below, trudges a snaking line of commuters slowly shuffling forward to buy their tickets.
But maybe I only love it because it forged the way for Mumbai to become a commercial powerhouse. And because even after all these years, it remains the pulsing, throbbing heart of South Mumbai, rising majestically above the crossroads.
Some of the design elements such as grills for the ticket offices, balustrades and wood carvings on the façade of CST were done by then students of Sir JJ School of Art.
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