Were you aware that this very hill we stand upon was once a beacon for enslaved Africans seeking refuge and freedom in India? Today, Cumballa Hill is one of Mumbai’s most affluent neighborhoods. It’s a place where billion-dollar homes like Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia rub shoulders with bungalows from the British Raj era. But the name “Cumballa Hill” holds a much deeper, more poignant history. It is believed to have originated from “Kambata”, a region in Ethiopia. During the medieval period, many Habshis, enslaved Africans, were brought to India. Some of these Habshis, finding their way to this hill, established a community, their presence forever etched in the name “Cumballa”. Today, alongside its millionaire residents, Cumballa Hill houses numerous consulates and high commissions, earning it the monikers “Diplomat’s Hill” and “Ambassador’s Row”. Stroll along its streets, and you might just stumble upon remnants of its past – two British-era milestones, once guiding horse carriages, still stand as a testament to time gone by.
Arya Samaj Mandir
Did Swami Dayananda Saraswati foresee the bustling metropolis that would surround the Arya Samaj Mandir? Here in the Fort area