Unnoticed jewel in Mumbai’s crown

It is strange how this city makes you oblivious to your surroundings. Then be it the beautifultree that was once a tiny sapling struggling to survive or the 65 million-year-old Gilbert Hill.
All of these are, well, just there. Recently when I was asked to go do a photo feature on any natural formation in Mumbai, I picked Gilbert hill.

If you are from the ‘burbs, then chances are you have spotted this hill near The Club in Andheri and wondered what that mountain-like structure was. At least that was the case with me. My research revealed that Gilbert Hill is a 197 foot monolithic column of black basalt rock. This meant that this hill was naturally created when molten lava was squeezed out ofthe earth during the Mesozoic era, the same time when the dinosaurs went extinct. I have to admit, reading all this had me awestruck. Could it be possible for such an old structure to exist? It was time to find out.

But finding out how to get up the hill was an uphill task in itself. My autorickshaw kept going through tiny slum lanes, each looking no different from the other. Exasperated, two of myfriends (who had decided to come along) and I caught hold of a few locals who guided us tothe foothill.

At the bottom of the hill we saw what looked like a resume of Gilbert Hill. The most shocking information given on this resume was the ‘Job Experience’ that stated that this hillwas featured in the all-time hit film Sholay! We quickly climbed the rather steep, uneven staircase to take a closer look. And viola! We had made it.
The view from the top was mesmerising. We could see the hangar with planes peacefully parked, we could see the sea, we could see Pawan Hans, well, we could see the city of dreams at its best. Soon tranquillity took over and we entered the 500-year-old temple of goddess Gaondevi and Durgamata. We prayed and got back to soaking in the view. Heading back, I simply could not believe that I had visited a place that was so old. Shouldn’t places like these get their due respect? Shouldn’t Gilbert Hill be a jewel in Mumbai’s crown? I did not have answers to these questions that had crept into my head. But I felt great contentment for having done my bit by stopping to say hello to perhaps Mumbai’s oldest friend!