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Flora Fountain

Flora Fountain (now known as Hutatma Chowk) is a stone fountain situated in Fort business district in the heart of South Mumbai, Mumbai, India. Flora Fountain was built in 1864. The fountain depicts the Roman goddess Flora. It is now a heritage structure. It was built at a total cost of Rs 47,000, a princely sum in those days.

It was erected by the Agri-Horticultural society of Western India out of a donation of Rs 20,000 by Cursetjee Fardoonjee Parekh. It is sculpted in imported Portland stone. However it wears a white coat of oil paint today.

Flora Fountain originally meant to be named after Sir Bartle Frère, then governor of Bombay. However, the name was changed before the fountain was unveiled. It stood at the earstwhile center of town.

The fountain stands exactly to the point where the original Church Gate of Bombay Fort stood. From Flora fountain, distances to other parts of the city are measured. Hence it is considered as the 0th kilometre.

Currently the area is named Hutatma Chowk along with a statue of freedom fighters and an eternal flame to go alongside it.



07-14-2008 23:18:10
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