Oval Maidan

This lawn was once part of the Esplanade, the great open space around the walls of the Fort. It was kept clear so the cannons had a field of fire. When the walls came down in the 1860s, the city put it to far more peaceful use: today, every afternoon, dozens of cricket matches are played on the grass at the same time.

1Two centuries face to face

What is extraordinary is what surrounds the lawn. To the east stand the buildings of the 1870s: the High Court, the University of Mumbai and the Rajabai Tower, with their pointed arches and coloured stone. To the west, on land reclaimed from the sea in the 1930s, runs a line of Art Deco apartment blocks, with names painted above the doors, rounded corners and geometric details. It is often said that Mumbai has one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco in the world.

In June 2018 UNESCO inscribed this ensemble, the 'Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai', on the World Heritage list. It protects 94 buildings.

2Carrying on

Close by are the Eros Cinema, another Art Deco gem, and Churchgate station, the terminus of the Western line local trains. If you still have the energy, walk a few minutes west to Marine Drive to watch the sun set over the sea.

On one side, the Bombay that wanted to look like London; on the other, the one that dreamed of New York and Miami.

3What to look for

• The Rajabai Tower and the High Court, to the east.
• The Art Deco buildings and their painted names, to the west.
• The cricket matches on the grass.