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| Malabari hall, Mumbai 1924 alamy.com |
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| Malabari hall, Mumbai. mid-day.com |
Founded by two social activists and philanthropists, Shri Behramji Malabari and Diwan Dayaram Gidumal, the campus provides home, education and skill development to unprivileged girls. Unlike other social organizations, Seva Sadan paid particular care about the girls and women from the lower strata of the society and made them acquire the needed skill and education to move upward in a competitive society .
Women's empowerment which has grained importance in the past one and half decades had its early roots in the beginning of the 20th century. The there was necessity to equip and allow women to cross the social barriers and taboos prevailing then and make life-determining decisions through the different problems in society. they were taught to use their discretionary power to take firm decisions This would provide them an opportunity to redefine gender roles or other such roles, which in turn would give them confidence and self-determination to pursue set goals with freedom and without any inhibition. .
The factors that determine Women's empowerment are 01. Their sense self-worth, 02. Their fundamental rights to choose choices that suit them. 03 Making available opportunities and resources and give access. 04. Their ability to chose the right direction in the society with out compromising on their self-esteem. 05 Ability to have control over their precious lives at home as well as outside. 06. Determination not to let other control their lives; no overstepping on their freedom and privacy.
The Seva Sadan acted as a beacon to put the women then on the right path in the social cauldron of Mumbai city. The society has been active since 1908, finding reasonable solutions for their social need and deprivation.
This 100 year old house on the premises od Seva sadan society was designed by Bombay-based KP Davar & Co Architects, and was inaugurated in 1924 by the then Governor Sir Leslie Wilson and Lady during the Raj. It is a rare coincidence that this old building was repaired and restored back to old charm and glory by a woman architect and her associate Kalappa . The architects' magic touch and toil never failed and this structure got the UNESCO' Asia-pacific award in 2000. The initial cost of construction then was INR 88,475. The restoration project was done in in two phases - the Structural, Civil Repairs and Restoration work was carried out during I Phase and Phase II focused on interior refurbishment. Decorative lighting fixtures were done to improve the ambiance inside. the other work included external signage redone in steel finish and the addition of a pelmet to the stage to house Seva Sadan Society’s logo - a lotus in brass finish.
For paltering work lime was widely used. As for the roof work, it was waterproofed and repaired with meticulous care, because leaky roof might spell disaster subsequently. The cracks in the exterior and interior building were also taken care of. The external façade painting carried out to match the old design and style.
But for the timely financial help from Jones Day Foundation. Seva Sadan Society would not have restored the old structure back to old charm.
https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/gamdevi-golden-heritage-moment-23148348
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