Bandra’s once-famous Byramjee Jeejeebhoy seats turn 120 years old this year. They were once the highlight of BJ Road (named after Byramjee Jeejeebhoy, today colloquially called “Bandstand Road”).
The seats were installed in 1902, 12 years after Byramjee Jeejeebhoy passed away. In the last few years, the seats have been overshadowed, literally & figuratively by the installation (in March 2020) of the retired Indian Navy Sea Harrier airplane on the same traffic island. Unfortunately, the jet was installed right where these seats have been for over a century. Still, these stone seats are unique and a testament to Bandra’s heritage. These stone seats have overlooked the Arabian Sea for over a century now.
The inscription on the stone plaque reads:
“The Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Road
This Sea-Side road from St. Andrew’s Church to the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Point was constructed at the cost of the Honorable Mr. Byramjee Jeejeebhoy C.S.I. who died on the 12th of September 1890.
These seats are erected in his memory
1902″
In early 2021, the BMC misspelt the name of the road as “Behramjee Jeejeebhoy Road”, rather than “Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Road”. I got this to the notice of the BMC, and after 10 months of efforts of emailing them with photographic evidence, they changed the name of the street sign to the correct spelling. I just think that Mr Jeejeebhoy ought to be remembered by his correct name.
Along with “Bomonjee’s Steps” (which are often incorrectly referred to as “Mount Mary Steps”), the “Byramjee Seats” are perhaps Bandra’s least-known heritage monuments. As a local Bandra history enthusiast, I think it would be nice to have this early 20th-century monument remembered, in its 120th year.
