The story of ‘The Lal Chimney Compound’ begins in the 19th century, with Mancherji Marzban, who was a many-splendoured man. In 1892, he was elected to become an Executive Engineer of the Bombay Municipal Corporation over many competitors, including a European—quite a victory for a ‘native’ at the time! He sprang to many glories, including receiving the stately title of Khan Bahadur.

Marzban helped build many significant civic buildings in his lifetime. But what has gotten us talking today is his charitable work for the Parsis, particularly the Garib Zarthosti Rehethan Fund (Poor Zoroastrian Building Fund) that he created. From this fund were built two of south Mumbai’s lesser-known Parsi colonies, both called Marzban Colony—one in Gilder Lane, off Lamington Road and the other one in Agripada. Sadly, the former has unravelled with the vagaries of time. But the Marzban Colony in Agripada has had better luck.

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