Versova Koliwada Walk, Mumbai
On a bright Saturday morning in early October, our group of 11 gathered outside the Masan Devi temple in Versova Koliwada. We were here for a guided walk through the Koliwada as part of The Locavore’s Mumbai Koli Project (MKP). The MKP is an impact campaign inspired by the documentary film Against the Tide that aims to spotlight the city’s original fisherfolk, the Koli community, and their evolving relationship with the sea, while encouraging Mumbaikars to make more sustainable, seasonal, and inclusive seafood choices.
Facilitated by Mumbai-based walking collective Go Hallu Hallu, the walk explored the rich heritage of Versova’s Koli fisherfolk, observed everyday fishing and market activities, engaged with community members, and reflected on the ecological and cultural transformations of Mumbai’s coastline. Two young boys in our group clutched their parents’ hands, wide-eyed with curiosity. It felt symbolic: a community’s stories being shared with not just visitors like us, but also passed onto the next generation. The walk, hosted by community leader Rajhans Tapke, unfolded less like a tour and more like an intimate act of remembering.
Rajhans Tapke, a Koli community leader from Versova, guiding us on the walk.
Aslam Saiyad, co-founder of Go Hallu Hallu, an initiative that aims to re-introduce Mumbai to its residents.
Rajhans began with the story of Masan Devi, the goddess who rose to protect the shamshan ghat—the cremation grounds—located about 500 metres from the temple. She is the Gav Devi, the guardian of the village, born from the community’s need for protection and resilience.
We then stepped into Devachi Vadi, an open ground where rituals and festivals like Khandoba Utsav and Ekvira Utsav knit the spiritual and social fabric of the Koli people.
Then came a moment of pride: 11 November 1945, when Jawaharlal Nehru had arrived in Mumbai (then Bombay) and the largest, women-led freedom rally in the country took place in Versova. It was Balasaheb Kher, lawyer and politician, who served as the first chief minister of Bombay state from 1947-1952, that first referred to Nehru as “the future Prime Minister of India,” Rajhans told us, adding that “114 freedom fighters were from this very Koliwada, with an entire page in the Gazette.” The past didn’t feel too distant—it breathed through the lanes.
Versova has always held strategic power. In 1770, during the Portuguese–Maratha conflicts,the military leader Chimaji Appa landed here from Manori, marching to reclaim the west coast. Even the name “Versova,” Rajhans explained, comes from the Marathi word “visava”—a place of rest and refuge. The calm khadi (backwaters of the sea), made it the ideal pause for boats coming from the south to refuel, repair, and recover.
The name “Versova” comes from “visava”—a place of rest and refuge.
By the time we reached the seaface, the landscape itself became a lesson. Rajhans pointed to the waterline, higher than ever. Reclamation and broken river systems like that of the Mithi River, he explained, have forced the sea into the land. Climate change was no abstraction; it lived in the shrinking shore, in the fewer boats leaving the dock, in the rough winds that kept fishermen home.
Inside the gullies of the Koliwada, history turned intimate. From Tere Galli to Budha Galli, each lane held a memory, a person, a legacy. In Budha Galli, we learned how a Bhagat (family priest) is marked by a Mothadev, a tall wooden pillar outside the house, representing Khandoba, the deity of the Koli community. Rituals followed Amavasya (new moon) and Purnima (full moon), binding time to faith.
Then came the legend of Poshar Nakhwa, the “Tiger of Versova,” named so by Kasturba Gandhi herself. Jailed with Barrister Vandrekar and Balasaheb Kher for a bombing during the freedom struggle, he alone was put in Class C jail—used for what was considered the lowest tier of convicts during British rule, discriminated against on the basis of caste. When he managed to escape, the community hid him in the sea. The sea, once again, became both ally and shelter.
Everyday life in Versova Koliwada: Fish drying, Koli women selling wares, birds waiting to make off with discards, and visits to the Hingala Devi Mandir.
As we entered the docks, the scent of drying fish thickened the air. Stingray (bolar) dried in April, turned into kheema, was offered as naivedya (food offerings made after religious rituals) to the goddess Gauri. Ribbon fish—or vakti—became tangy kadhi. Bones were tools—used to pull out splinters. Nothing was wasted.
Towards the end of our walk, the most powerful question came from Aslam, “Why are Koli women so outgoing?”
As we walked, the answer revealed itself. We watched women conduct auctions, negotiate prices, manage household finances. “As children,” Rajhans smiled, “we asked our mothers for money, not our fathers.” While men battled the sea, women mastered the shore. Commerce made them powerful. Responsibility made them visible.
Our final stop was the Hingala Devi Mandir, the Gram Devi. The priest was a woman. The circle was complete. A village where goddesses rise from cremation grounds, where women lead revolutions, where history hides in tides—and still speaks, if you walk slowly enough.
Rujuta Kumbhojkar is a design researcher who applies behavioural science and human-centred design to challenges in the public and private sectors. She is passionate about exploring how food shapes collective memory, identity, and livelihoods—and how local food cultures can inform more sustainable and resilient systems. Through the Mumbai Koli project, Rujuta is engaging with the Koli community’s evolving relationship with the sea, their food practices, and the socio-cultural ecologies that sustain them.
Sarthak Chand is a Mumbai-based documentary photographer and filmmaker. He is the founder of The Gonzo Studio, and has worked across industries as a writer, director, and researcher. He is currently a volunteer with the Mumbai Koli Project. Follow his work here, and here.
Learn more about the Mumbai Koli Project.
Learn more about Go Hallu Hallu.
At The Locavore, we love planning and executing events that highlight India’s diverse local foods, celebrating community, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Our events feature engaging workshops, discussions, immersive experiences and other formats that connect you to India’s rich food culture. Interested in collaborating or having us organise an event? Reach out at connect@thelocavore.in.
Login with Google