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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