HERE’S WHY THANE CITY IS A WORLD IN ITSELF
Being a Thane city resident for around twenty-two years now, I have seen residents of Mumbai snapping, “Oh, so you stay in Thane village”. But, I pity those souls staying unaware of the reality that Thane today is a modern metropolis. Let’s dive in and see for ourselves the world of Thane.
Thane began its journey through the Mughal, Portuguese, Maratha, and British periods. Known as the ‘City of Lakes,’ it has 7 lakes within the city, of which Masunda, Makhmali, and Upvan lakes, are a few well-known names. Thane has patches of the concrete jungle but strikes a balance with lush greens and beautiful nature.
So yeah, your eyes would stay calm and not get overwhelmed by the skyscrapers. ‘Bara (12) Bungalows’, a place to the east endows 12 bungalows of top Administrative Officers of Thane district. It also has beautifully planted arrays of trees that spread over the entire area surrounding the bungalows. This place also hosts the office of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Thane territorial region).
The next peculiar thing is the outlay of Sanjay Gandhi National Park that falls through the Yeoor hills. You can vividly spot trekkers up and down the hill on weekends. The Upvan lake near Yeoor hills has recently become a popular place for youngsters and fitness enthusiasts to hang out together. An evening walk by the lake, gazing at the crimson sky, feels very enriching and blissful after a long tiring day.
The city offers much to foodies, too, right from the street food to lavish dine-outs. The ‘Khau Galli’ (Foodie Lane) at Panchpakhadi serves your hunger attacks quite well. Famous outlets like Dominos Pizza, Naturals Ice Cream, Belgian Waffles, The J, and other local outlets, provide you with many options to choose your meal. Then comes the most enjoyed savory treat, i.e. ‘Shawarma’ which is very popular in ‘Shawarmaji’, ‘Nusta Kitchen’ and ‘Silly Chilly’ to name a few outlets.
If you visit Thane and skip the lip-smacking momos from “Appetite Momos” which is just near the Thane railway station, you miss out on an important thing! Couples and families cherish their time at the street food stalls by ‘Talaopali’ having ‘Pav-bhaji’, ‘Golgappas’ and ‘Ice-creams’ in the evening. You can find Mumbai’s favorite snack, ‘Vada-Pav’, at its optimum value for money at ‘Rajmata Vada-Pav’ as well as ‘Gajanan Vadapav’ in Thane west. ‘Misal-Pav’ enthusiasts cannot miss the fiery ‘Mamledar Misal’ when they visit Thane.
The ‘Hiranandani Estate’ has a well-defined space named ‘The Walk’, which has trendy food outlets having their franchise spread across nationally at a single place itself. It’s lavish, cost-worthy, and sophisticated for wine and dines. There are many unexplored places that I am gradually unveiling yet, and I’m aw struck at times with some fantastic drool-worthy discoveries.
Thane kindles your spiritual warmth with some of the popular temples, churches, and mosques in the city. The ‘Sai Baba Temple’ and ‘Ayyappa Temple’ at Vartak Nagar have a rejuvenating aura that feels pleasant. Also, ‘Kopineshwar temple’ is a heritage place, having one of the largest Shiva Linga (5 ft. in diameter and 5 ft. tall) in Maharashtra. Another famous temple is the one that worships Lord Shiva, which is right in the middle of Masunda lake. Devotees use boats to reach the temple’s threshold.
Thane has one of the oldest churches (over 500 years old) named ‘St. John The Baptist Church’. Situated right in front of Masunda Lake, it governs a catholic school under the same name. ‘Najmi Dawoodi Bohra Masjid’ is one of the few mosques where the Muslims from the nearby locality gather and pray.
One can indulge in sports at the ‘Central Maidan’ and ‘Dadoji KondDev Stadium’. Coached at the stadium, it has seen many of my victories as a kid.
Neither does fashion go out of style, nor does the legacy of Thane. Thane West’s Naupada shimmers with the mannequins showcasing various outfits. Seen are mommies with crawling babies to oldies in greys, shopping frantically throughout the lane. Be it ethnic wear, western outfit, jewelry, footwear, domestic equipment, this place has everything covered for you.
Another place near Naupada is ‘Ram Maruti Road’, with shops of famous brands like Van Heusen and Louis Philippe. This area is also where almost the entire Thane youth dazzle in traditional outfits, celebrating the first day of Diwali. It’s that time of the year when we meet old, new, as well as long-lost friends!
The grocery market at ‘Tembhi Naka’ is so huge that one might get lost searching for veggies and groceries around. Thane also has its two famous shopping malls, ‘ Korum’ and ‘Viviana’, where people crowd for shopping and entertainment. Along with the shopping outlets, both the malls have multiplex theatres, food chains, restaurants, and gaming zones to bring out the kid in you.
Plans for Metro, new transport routes, and residential constructions pace their layouts throughout the city, keeping up with the hustle and bustle of development. Simultaneously, natural reserves of forests and other environmental aspects aren’t destroyed or overexploited through development.
Though Thane isn’t exactly a part of Mumbai city limits, it holds the pride of being a self-sufficient world in itself! And, we Thanekars are proud citizens of this world!
