Kaali-peeli memories

We might have bid goodbye to Premier Padmini kaalipeelis but memories of and associations with the car live as strong as ever This writer recalls stories about her grandfather Anthony Karlos DrsquoLyma serving as the works manager at Kurlarsquos Premier Automobiles Ltd overseeing the manufacture of Fiats including the Premier Padmini for 31 yearsFor Daniel Sequeira from the 1938 Art Deco fuel and service station Karfule in Ballard Estate his association with the Padmini is far from being a memory as he continues servicing the car including two kaalipeelis one owned by Abdul Kareem Karsekar and the other by Raees Ahmed midday had recently reported that Sequeira offered the two cabbies free servicing for their taxis last weekend Over a phone call Sequeira had revealed that Ahmed and he were on their way to the station for the servicingldquoWe were in Colaba and decided to stop to take pictures of Raees and his Padmini by a street photographer who prints out the pictures on the spot so Raees can keep themrdquo he shared adding that he plans to finish servicing it with a good polish ldquoAs old as they are these taxis wonrsquot break down because the owners own the tricks that work for their cars to get them up and running They have been driving them for years Itrsquos cool to see their connection with these cars Apart from the taxis we have about five regular customers who own Fiats and come to the station to get them serviced One is a Padmini called Patsyrdquo Sequeira signs offLoversrsquo paradiseJayu Darukhanawala 63 automobile chroniclerTaxis were introduced in Mumbai for the first time in India by Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi The idea to introduce a common means of transport came from the London taxi The striking yellow colour distinguished it from other cars So Gandhi decided to retain the yellow on the top and give the rest of its body a dark shade owing to the cityrsquos dusty roads Hence the name lsquokaalipeelirsquoIn the beginning Premier Padmini taxis were hired only by affluent people primarily businessmen Soon it became a lifestyle thanks to Bollywood These models were featured in so many movies shot in the city that they became a quintessential part of Mumbai Then began the romance of the general public in these cars When young couples wouldnrsquot have access to any other spot they would hire one of these say from Dadar to Fort and go on a romantic city ride Of course those people are now around my age and probably grandparents These models were also of a time when the cab drivers would love their cars Every time wersquod get into one therersquod be a sense of safety hospitality and warmth And every time wersquod get down at the destination the drivers would stop with us to wipe their car and make it look fresh and ready to serve their next customerMeter on MumbaiMurzban F Shroff author Breathless in BombayBreathless in Bombay is the story of many lives many aspirations and the emotive issues that affect lives and livelihoods in the city The starting point for the book was to explore the heritage trades of Bombay which could turn extinct in the face of growing consumerism and modernism It is Bombay by foot by train by Victoria by taxi journeys that deliver a sense of realisation and more importantly a sense of empathy The whole idea of using an exterior meter on the cover was to show its singularity its uniqueness as a metaphor The meter often symbolised the mood of the cabbie mdash whether he wanted to ply or not or whether he had a preferred destination in mind But of course as always the city has its own plan for its citizensOne and onlyRaees Ahmed with his kaalipeeli Pic courtesyDaniel SequeiraRaees Ahmed 47 taxi driver and mechanicI bought my kaalipeeli nearly two years ago I have driven only Fiat models for the past 20 years of driving cabs And when I got a chance to get my hands on a completely exhausted Premier Padmini the mechanic in me jumped at the chance to make it new as always And even though I have a permit to use the car only till November 23 I guarantee you that if you sit in my taxi you will not feel like itrsquos a 2003 model It still has a lot of life in itI feel like a star in my Padmini Each time I take it out nearly five to six people approach me for selfies or take down my number It is especially attractive to foreigners If they see this taxi on the road they will leave their ride and race towards it call their relatives abroad and tell them how marvellous it is that to still spot this model in India It is a beauty spot of the city Amid the many calls from reporters and people willing to get their last ride in this taxi I got a call from Daniel Sequiera owner of a servicing and fuel centre in Ballard Estate willing to get this car serviced for no cost at allBe taxicoolHandscultpted kaalipeeli model1 VT Station ndash Bombay 12x12 inches kaalipeeli oil on canvas art by Mahesh KarambeleLog on to rhythmartgallerycomCost Rs 155002 Terracotta clay handsculpted kaalipeeli modelLog on to kinstudioscomCost Rs 1299Pics courtesyInstagram3 Male round neck half sleeve Mumbai taxi tshirt in five coloursLog on to roadsofmumbaiblinkstoreinCost Rs 5994 Maai Mumbaai unisex cotton TshirtLog on to sensibletshirtscomCost Rs 4995 Mumbai taxi stickersLog on to redbubblecomCost Rs 150 onwards6 Grey kaalipeeli tshirtLog on to swagmeradesicomCost Rs 599