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| Bombay Gymkhana, Mumbai. news18.com |
Soon after Bombay and the adjacent islands had become part of the British settlement, Bombay city in the 1870s became an important and prosperous port and commercial hub. The population of Europeans and the natives also grew up with the establishment of many industries and trades. Particularly, the Europeans needed some kind of respite during holidays and on weekends to spend time with their friends and families and be free from official morass. Out of necessity, there came into existence various sports clubs such as cricket, polo, football,golf clubs, etc. These clubs provided a fine opportunity by way of offering membership to any person desirous of further improving his skills in sports. The purpose was: “to offer young sportsmen of small means the opportunity of indulging their proclivities at a minimum cost to themselves and at a maximum production of enjoyment to the general public”
On 09 June, 1875, the Bombay Gymkhana. was formed by sports enthusiasts, clubbing all the existing sports clubs, cricket, polo, football and gun under one roof. This historical decision was taken in the office of Wm. Nicol and Co., Bombay. In the wake of it the Bombay Golf Club had a separate entity and was independent of Gymkhana. Captain Ernest Lindsay Marryat and Lieutenant Carmichael Light Young were the forces behind the Bombay Gymkhana club which was incorporated in 1876.
Located in the Fort area, South Bombay, after restructuring of the fort in the 1860s with the demolition of ramparts, foreshore beaches, and maidans, the Green Space and Esplanade became the core of city's social and spoting life. It was initially built as a British-only club (exclusively for the lily white people of European decent) and the architect was Claude Batley, an Englishman.
To construct a suitable spacious pavilion, permission was obtained from the city authorities to erect it on the Parade Ground (now Azad Maidan) close to the site where the Cricket club tent was formerly pitched. A fascinating Swiss Chalet style Club House along with Pavilion was designed by John Adams at the southern end of the maidan close to the junction of Waudby road with Esplanade (Mahatma Gandhi Road). The cost of construction of Rs.18625 was met by public subscription and funds from the members. The membership was restricted to Whites only. No natives were allowed to enter the portals of the club that had separate grounds for Tennis, Skating, etc. Many social clubs in the colonial era openly practised racial discrimination. The Bengal Club, Madras Club, etc were in the forefront.
Considered one of the first social club in the world, the Bengal club was opened in 1827 as the Calcutta United Service Club. The clubhouse functioned in an old building in Esplanade West. The paradox is the Bengal Club that was exclusively for the "Whites" was functioning in a building owned by the famous writer Kali Prasanna Singha. Bernard Shaw, Irish satirist, who was highly critical of the aristocratic arrogance of the British and the class ridden society in England, once remarked, "Oh, a club is nothing. The best club in England is the one every sensible man keeps away from".
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| Racism. goodhousekeeping.com |
The Heritage Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai recognized the importance of the Bombay Gymkhana building and awarded heritage status and protection to the Bombay Gymkhana Club House. Accordingly, it is treated as a protected structure under the guidelines laid down by the Municipal Corporation of the greater Mumbai (MCGM).
In all capital cities of the Presidency under the British, there were many clubs exclusively for the British government officials or for the army men with higher rank or for the traders, etc. The natives were prohibited from entering such clubs except those who were employed there. Racial discrimination was very much there and when such class distinction and insinuation spilled into open and entered sporting events, an embarrassing situation would be created.
Bernard Shaw (26 July, 1856 – 2 November, 1950) while touring Bombay in 1933 with his wife, was in rage upon seeing a sign on a Yacht club near Taj Hotel (a well- known heritage hotel) right across the famous Gateway of India site. The sign said,said, "Reserved exclusively for the white people only." He remarked angrily, "It was nothing short of snobbery to have a club exclusively reserved for the use of the white people in a land of colored people"
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| racial segregation period way in the past Southern USA alamy.com |
The Parsees of Bombay who were traders and wealthy could not tolerate the subtle racial disparity. Once they were quite sore over the way the British treated them and the natives in the sporting arena. The small community of Zoroastrians (Parsis) was the first indian community to form a sporting club to conduct cricket matches on their own in Mumbai(Bombay) . The elite clubs run by the whites gave priority to their folks and not to the natives. Obviously, when the Parse youths took active interest in games, particularly cricket, the white cricket elite in Bombay or elsewhere India turned their eyes away and offered no help to the enthusiastic young Parsees.
Central Public park, Bombay was denied access to Gymkhana and non sport events were restricted to weekends. The brewing animosity between the whites and Parsee youths led to verbal duals on many occasions. In fact, the quarrel between the Bombay Gymkhana, a whites-only club, and Parsi cricketers over the use of a public park reached the peak. Parsees felt the park was left unfit for cricket for the simple reason the whites used the ground to play polo. The frequent movements of polo ponies of the Bombay Gymkhana made the cricket ground very rough and uneven - unfit for cricket. At many places there were holes, dug up by the fast moving ponies with players on them. The extra weight on the ponies had an impact on the surface of the ground. If the pitch is uneven with small holes how can you bowl and bat. The cricket ground was frequently rendered unfit to play.
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| Racism. goodgoodgood.co |
When the parsees took the matter to higher colonial authorities for a remedy or an amicable solution, it became quite clear to them that the colonial authorities were biased and prejudicial. They openly sided with their white compatriots. Being shrewd and competent as they were Parsees had their own gymkhana built to play cricket, etc.
https://www.bombaygymkhana.com/club-history)
https://bombay100yearsago.com/product/parsee-gymkhana-code-092-mounted-photo-print/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_Gymkhana
https://flasheduction.co.in/question-answer/describe-why-parsi-gymkhana-was-established
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8274938273148772169/3535401702827797546
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