THANE, AT ITS BEST

Being a citizen of Thane city for around twenty-two years now, at some point or the other I have seen people snap over this fact. “Oh so you put up in Thane village” is what people belonging to the “suburbs” say. However, I feel pity for those poor souls who reminisce over this fact and are unaware of the reality.  

Thane city has embarked its journey through the Mughal, Portuguese, Maratha as well as British ruling periods. Thane, renowned as the ‘City of Lakes’ stands up to its mark beholding 7 lakes just within the city. Masunda, Makhmali, and Upvan lakes to name a few. Like the concrete jungle that runs through the metros, Thane has that too but with a balance of lush greens and the hint of gasping nature. So yeah, your eyes would stay calm and not get overwhelmed by just the skyscrapers. ‘Bara (12) Bungalows’, a place to the east endows 12 bungalows of top Administrative Officers of Thane district and arrays of beautifully planted trees that spread over the entire area surrounding the bungalows. The next peculiar thing is the outlay of Sanjay Gandhi National Park that falls through the Yeoor hills. Trekkers are vividly spotted here trailing their ways up and then down the hill on weekends. Near Yeoor hills is the Upvan lake. An evening walk by the lake, gazing at the crimson sky just feels very enriching and blissful after a long tiring day. 

The city has so much to offer to the 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, in addition to the local outlets provide you with a plethora of options to choose your meal from. 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, then you are missing out on an important thing! Street food stalls by ‘Talaopali’ are marked with couples and families cherishing their time having ‘Pav-bhaji’, ‘Golgappas’ and ‘Ice-creams’ in the evening. Mumbai’s favorite snack, ‘Vada-Pav’ can be found 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 very popular 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 amazing drool-worthy discoveries.

“The only temple that matters can be found within yourself”. As it goes with this beautiful quote, enkindle your spiritual warmth by visiting some of the popular temples, churches, and mosques that reside within the city. The ‘Sai Baba Temple’, ‘Ayyappa Temple’, ‘Kopineshwar temple’, ‘St. John The Baptist Church’, along with ‘Najmi Dawoodi Bohra Masjid’ are a few sacred places within the city. One can indulge in sports and the subsequent coaching that is held explicitly in ‘Central Maidan’ as well as ‘Dadoji KondDev Stadium’. I have been the child of this stadium as it has closely glanced at my victories as a kid! 

Fashion never goes out of style and so does the legacy of Thane in maintaining that statement true! The place in Thane west named ‘Naupada’ is seen shimmering with the mannequins showcasing a variety of outfits. Right from mommies with crawling babies to oldies in greys are seen shopping frantically throughout the lane. Another famous fashion buzz can be seen at ‘Ram Maruti Road’. This is also the place where almost the entire youth of Thane is seen dazzling in traditional outfits, celebrating the first day of Diwali. What a beautiful time it is to meet old, new, as well as long lost friends! Thane also has its two famous shopping malls ‘Korum’ and ‘Viviana’ which the people crowd for shopping as well as entertainment. 

Keeping up with the hustle and bustle of getting developed, plans for Metro, new transport routes as well as residential constructions are seen pacing up their layouts throughout the entire city. Care is being taken that natural reserves of forests and other environmental aspects are not destroyed or overexploited through the process of development. To all those who fail to see the hidden fact, though ‘Thane doesn’t belong to Mumbai’, it is a whole and self-sufficient world in itself! And, we Thanekars are proud citizens of this world!

~ Rtr. Darshan Kocharekar