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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