Conclusion
This map shows both what the Government deemed pragmatic and relevant for a tourist or expat, but also what they were proud to show off about Bombay. While not cartoonish or childish, this map presents a naïve and simple view of Bombay’s urban fabric, one which emphasises all the ways that this city might be palatable to the Western visitor.
For comparison, please see below two depictions of Bombay during the same time, by local painter P.A. Dhond, and by Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossilini. The Rossilini film excerpt shows a more crowded and bustling city than this map conveys Bombay to be, and to be a city of the locals – in this clip we do not see a single expat. The colonial legacy is evident in the architecture in some places but not others: small shops and rundown buildings line some streets.
Meanwhile, Dhond’s dreamy painting of the Victoria Terminus Station is another westernised depiction of Bombay produced by a local artist. Painting with blurred outlines, water colours bleeding into each other, and background textures produced with thick pointilism, Dhond has fully embraced the western impressionist style. As a result, this painting is not very clearly of Bombay or even of India. It is so relatable to a western audience that the city's image has been diluted beyond recognition.
These references bring the city to life in a more three-dimensional manner, reminding us of the density and geography which this 1958 government cartographer has overlooked, both by choice and as restricted by the conventions of mapping.
Citation:
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. Online exhibitions and collections: early modern period collection. Accessed 17 Nov 2016.