Nana Chowk's Historical Legacy

     Photo credit Chandana Shetye

Nana Chowk is located at Grant Road, South Mumbai. It is a confluence of five major roads. It is named after Jagannath Shankarsheth  also called as Nana Shankarsheth .  

Jagannath Shankarsheth Murkute MLC (10 February 1803 – 31 July 1865) popularly known as Nana Shankarsheth was an Indian Philanthropist and Educationalist. He was born in the wealthy Murkute family in Murbad,Thane. In 1861 he was a member of Bombay presidency assembly. In 1862 he became the adviser of governor of Bombay presidency. Nana Donated Huge Acres of land for Formation of Mumbai city and for development of Port areas in Mumbai. He died in Mumbai on 31 July 1865. A year after his death a marble statue was erected at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. Erstwhile Girgaon Road and Nana Chowk ( Jagannath Sunkerseth Chowk) at Grant Road are named after him in South Mumbai.

The sprawling Victoria Gardens, housing a zoo, botanical gardens and the Bhau Daji Lad Museum, was the product of his vision and efforts.

The Bhavani-Shankar Mandir and The Ram Mandir near Nana Chowk were built by Shankarsheth Babulsheth in the early-19th century and are currently in the possession of the Shankarsheth family. The statue in the photographs above is of Nana Shankarsheth in Nana Chowk and every year his descendants gather on 31st July to pay homage to him and his great philanthropic work .