Borivali

Borivali बोरिवली / बोरीवली
—  suburb  —
View of Borivali skyline from Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Borivali Location of Borivali in Mumbai
Coordinates	19°14′N 72°52′E
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District(s)	Mumbai Suburban
Population	600,000 (1991)
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Distance(s) • From Churchgate • 33.4 kilometres (20.8 mi) south (Mumbai suburban railway) • From Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport • 18 kilometres (11 mi) south (Road)

Borivali or Borivli (Marathi: बोरिवली) a suburban area located in the north-west section of Mumbai island. Borivali is approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi) from Mumbai Airport and 33.4 kilometres (20.8 mi) from Churchgate Railway Station. The estimated population of Borivali in 1991 was over 6 lakhs.

History

Borivali town was developed in areas of what once used to be the small villages called Eksar, Poisar, Kandivali, Shimpoli, Mandpeshwar, Kanheri, Tulsi, Magathane and others which were situated on and around Mount Poinsur, between two rivers Tulsi and Poinsur. It is believed that the name "Borivali" comes from existence of lot of bushes of sweet fruit named "bor" in local language. The existence of Portuguese churches and the Mandpeshwar and Kanheri caves is testament to the rich history of this place. Borivali was spelt 'Berewlee' by the British and is also known as Borivli.

The original residents in Borivali can be referred in two groups but are local Maharashtrians: the tribals and the East Indians. These groups owned almost all the land and lived here with agriculture being the only occupation, other than occasional fishing. There was a huge influx of people in the 19th century when the price of land began rising between Bandra and Churchgate. There is still a very small population of the originals, but they have all changed their occupation with the times.

Landmarks

Borivali is at the tip of western Mumbai. Its one of the major suburbs of Mumbai; social amenities include hospitals, schools, colleges, lovely cafes, good restaurants, shopping malls. Borivali is famed as the "suburb of gardens" — its a lovely green suburb with gardens at almost every block.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park lies in the eastern section of Borivali near the Western Express Highway (NH 8). It has a few lions, leopards, and panthers and a 4th century BCE archaeological site called Kanheri Caves.

It has three huge statues of Jain tirthankar Lord Adinath and his two sons Bharat and Bahubali. Borivali is home to the Mandapeshwar Caves which are in its west. There was a tunnel to Vasai Fort passing through Borivali; it is said to be touching these caves. The entry to the tunnels from the caves are sealed due to untoward incidents. These caves have a rich history and are proved to be built by the same people as the Kanheri caves.

Gorai Creek is on the western coast of Borivali. This place is famous as a crossover point for Essel World, Water Kingdom, the Global Pagoda (Vippasana) and a quick way to reach Gorai village.

One of the many gardens that Borivali boasts of is the Veer Savarkar Udayan on Lokmanya Tilak Road. It has four entrances from T.P.S. road, Factory lane, and Babhai is an idle place for all which have facilities like jogging track, boating area, kids play garden, skating etc., Gorai Udyan is at Gorai Sector-1.

Borivali has a garden named Jhansi Ki Rani on Link road adjacent to the famous Eskay Resort. Borivali is a melting pot of different ages as the large number of gardens in the western part of this suburb makes this an ideal residential option for kids, senior citizens, the middle aged, and college goers.

Festivals are celebrated with equal enthusiasm and joy be it Hindu, Muslim or Christian as all faiths have blended very beautifully here in this lovely suburb.

Prominent personalities

• Shri Sanjay Nirupam, member of Parliament, North Mumbai and secretary, Indian National Congress (AICC)
• Gopal Shetty, (M.L.A.) former deputy Mayor of Mumbai and BJP's Mumbai president
• Vinod Ghedia, deputy mayor of Mumbai
• Late Jaywant Dalvi, Marathi author
• Rupak Kulkarni, Hindustani classical flutist
• Dhondutai Kulkarni, Hindustani classical singer
• Late Pt. Ratnakar Pai, Hindustani classical singer
• Rohit Sharma, member, Indian Cricket Team
• Arun Nalawade, actor
• Manish Naidu, educationalist and founder Maginot
• Sheetal Mhatre, longest serving municipal councillor
• Shubha Raul, mayor of Mumbai for 33 months (March 2007)
• Pt. Ramjas Upadhyay, social worker, president of Uttar Bhartiya Hindi Samaj

Railway station

Main article: Borivali railway station

Demographics

The majority population residing in Borivali is Marathi and Gujarati. It would be fair to say that Borivali has a very cosmopolitan crowd and a lovely modern air to its community, as it has Marwaris, Sindhis, Catholics, Punjabis, South Indians, Bengalis as well in equally good numbers.

Hospitals and health care

There are number of small hospitals and nursing homes which take care of health needs of the population.

• Bhagwati hospital is a prominent municipal hospital on SVP Road
• Vivek Pathology Laboratory
• Dr. Jariwala Laboratory
• Vibha, Kora kendra, near McDonalds, Borivli West
• Suvarna General Hospital, Kastur Park, Shimpoli Road, Borivali (West)
• Mandpeshwar Hospital, Rokadia cross lane, Borivali (West)
• Apex Hospital, Chandawakar Road, Borivali (West)
• Mangal Murti Hospital, Gorai, Borivali (West)
• Bhargav Hospital, Babhai Naka, Borivali (West)
• Arihant Heart Clinic (Dr. Ajmera)
• N. M. Medical
• Karuna Hospital, LIC Colony, Borivali (West)

Education

Schools

• Seth M. K. High School
• Jeevan Bhima Nagar High School
• St. Xavier's High School, Ratan Nagar, Borivali (E)
• S.E. International School (Borivali West)
• St. John's High School (Siddharth Nagar)
• St. John's High School (Tata Power House)
• Our Lady of Remedy High School
• Acharya Narendra Deo Vidya Mandir
• Srimati Damyanti Devi Tilakdhari Jha Prathmik Vidyalaya
• MKVV International Vidyalaya
• Suvidya Prasarak Sanghache Shree Mangubhai Dattani Vidyalaya (Tata Power House)
• Suvidya Prasarak Sanghache Suvidyalaya, Vazira
• St. Francis D'Assisi High School (Borivali West)
• Ajmera Global School
• Don Bosco High School
• Namdar Gopal krishna Gokhale High school
• Himalaya High School
• St. Lawrence High School, Borivali (W)
• St. Anne's High School
• Our Lady of Vailankanni High School
• R. C. Patel High School
• BES International Vidlaya
• Swami Vivekananda International School
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vidyalaya
• Sheth Gopalji Hemraj High School
• J B Khot High School 1, Borivali East
• J.B.Khot High School 2, Borivali West
• Sheth D.M. High School
• S. Radhakrishnan High School
• Chogale High School
• Bimanagar Education Society
• Sharad Pawar International School
• Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalay
• Gokhale College
• Anandibai Kale College
• M.K. College
• Vidya Vikas Sabha Highschool, Govind Nagar
• St. Francis Jr. College
• St. Francis Institute of Technology
• St. Francis Institute of Management
• St. Francis ITI
• Mary Immaculate Girls Primary School
• Mary Immaculate Girls secondary school
• St. Francis Institute of Interior Design
• Holy Angels College of Alternative Medicines

Of these educational institutions St. Francis is the largest and the oldest institution managed successfully by the Franciscan brothers since 1908. St. Francis D'Assisi high school has more than 8000 students and has been known for its quality education and all round development.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Page_history