Flora Fountain :
This is the very heart of Mumbai, circumscribed
by stately colonial buildings that stand
like proud old sentinels of a bygone era.
Flora is the Roman Goddess of Flowers, her
pretty alabaster face continually assaulted
by grime and pollution. Next to her are
a pair of torch bearing stone patriots that
rise from the Martyrs Memorial nearby. Flora
Fountain is now called Hutatma Chowk or
Martyr's Square to honour those who died
in the tumultuous birth of Maharashtra State.
All around the square sit Mumbai's infamous
vendors selling just about everything under
the blazing tropical sun -- from cheap nylon
saris and ballpoint pens to herbal remedies
and sexshop gewgaws. Tooting horns and traffic
complete the chaotic picture, but through
it all Flora manages to retain her serene
composure.
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