Pyaavs: Drinking Water Fountains of Mumbai

in Module
Published on: 03 July 2018

Swapna Joshi

Swapna is currently a PhD fellow in the Humanities and Social Sciences department at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune. She has a Masters in A.I.H.C & Archaeology from Deccan College, Pune, and a PG Diploma in Built Heritage Studies and Conservation which was a collaborative initiative of Sir J.J. College, CSMVS Museum and MMRHCS. She has worked on independent projects with Vaastu Vidhaan Projects, CSMVS the Museum and The Willingdon Sports Club.

This module is a holistic study of the traditional drinking water fountains of Mumbai, known as pyaavs. Right from their inception in the socio-cultural landscape of colonial Bombay to the recent conservation movement to restore pyaavs, the module revisits them through audio-visuals, interviews, literature and photo essays. It is a study of a unique architectural heritage that expresses the flavour of everyday life in Mumbai, both past and present.