Cruz Maidan

18°56′11″N 72°49′47″E / 18.936297°N 72.829742°E / 18.936297; 72.829742

Cross Maidan (anteriormente Parade Ground ^{[ 1 ]} ) es una vasta extensión de terreno en Mumbai . El término maidan significa "campo de juego" en marathi . El terreno mide 23 000 ^m²  . [ ^{2 ] El} nombre "Cross" deriva de la antigua cruz de piedra (crucifijo) construida cuando la ciudad estaba bajo dominio portugués en el siglo XVI. El maidan está bajo la jurisdicción del recaudador de distrito. En 2009 se anunció que se instalaría en el maidan una escultura de acero de 30 pies de altura inspirada en la charkha de Mahatma Gandhi . ^{[ 3 ]} Ese mismo año, el gobierno también anunció que construiría un túnel de agua desde el embalse de Malabar Hill hasta Cross Maidan con un costo de 940 millones de rupias . ^{[ 4 ]} Se afirma que la zona sur de Mumbai tendrá un suministro de agua adecuado una vez que se complete este túnel. ^{[ 5 ]} 

Las vastas extensiones de terreno del Oval Maidan , Azad Maidan , Cooperage Ground y Cross Maidan, hasta principios del siglo XX, formaban la zona conocida como Esplanade. ^{[ 6 ]} La calle que divide Cross Maidan y Azad Maidan, que hoy se llama Mahatma Gandhi Road, se conocía antiguamente como Esplanade . El término Esplanade está prácticamente borrado de los libros de historia, excepto en el caso del Tribunal Superior de Bombay , que aún conserva el nombre de tribunal de la esplanade. La parte de MG Road que linda con Cross Maidan es popularmente conocida como Fashion Street , con una variedad de ropa de moda a precios de saldo.

The rest of the ground is used for cricket in the dry season and football (soccer) during the monsoons. Near the southern end, the Mahindra United Club, a national level club, has undertaken a lease of a small portion of the ground. In the past, traveling circuses have used the ground.^[7] The ground hosts eight cricket pitches.^[8] In 1986, Reliance Industries Limited held their AGM at the ground with 30,000 company shareholders in attendance.^[9] During the pre-independence era, the ground used to hold rallies and parades.

Cutting across the centre of the ground is a shortcut that links the two railway stations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Churchgate. The lane known as "Khau Galli" meaning Food Lane in Marathi, is traversed by thousands of people rushing to their work places. At times exhibitions and fairs are held in the maidan.

Due to encroachment by Fashion Street hawkers and also mounds of garbage dumped in the southern end of the maidan, it has deteriorated to such an extent that a special committee has been set up to look after the ground, fence it off and clear the garbage and attain a heritage status.

The cross used to stand where the current Elphinstone School currently stands. Currently it stands at the northern end of the ground. The cross is attested to have miraculous powers and devotees come from all over Mumbai and Goa during the feast on 3 May. The cross is adulated by both Christians and non-Christians. Good Friday and Maundy Thursday services are held in an exclusive area around the cross. The cross is maintained by the local diocese.

At the southern end of the maidan stands a well built by Bhika Behram in 1725. Behram, a Parsi, was travelling through this region, when he built this well for travellers. The well has a perennial source of sweet water, which is remarkable as most of the water in the area is brackish owing to the proximity to the Arabian Sea. The site is a declared heritage structure and is held sacred by the Parsi community.