Vachanalay. The Surviving Roadside Newspaper Stands of Mumbai.
M Ward
Vachanalays or newspaper reading stands sponsored by the local ward of a political party or a mitra mandal (friends group) are an integral part of most Mumbai neighborhoods.
They are stocked with major newspapers in Marathi and several of them also have Hindi, Gujarati and English newspaper depending in the locality. Shiv Sena, their electoral allies and groups associated with these parties maintain the largest number of these vachanalays.
It’s a place for the people of the locality to congregate everyday and discuss daily news.
However, in the last few years, these vachanalays are slowly going out of fashion in most parts of the city.
MNS , the offshoot of Shiv Sena did set up several vachalayas. The Deoaras of the Congress and the NCP are also filling in the space vacated by the Shiv Sena. (Images of these vachanlays will follow in the coming days). These are images of the unused, surviving and functioning Vachanalays in the city from M Ward where you find the maximum unused Vachanlays.
Shiv Shakti - Bhim Shakti. This one is from Lalubhai compound where the Shiv Sena - RPI alliance uses a Vachanalay to underline their partnership.
This one in Govandi is now home to pigeons.
Aaj Ka Taaza कब्र
Newspapers these days carry garbage and become garbage faster than they used to and even before they are printed. So may as well use the newspaper reading stands as a garbage dump.
M Ward is a Samajwadi Party stronghold. This one features the colours of the party from UP. This is from near Shivajinagar.
