Mumbai’s Forgotten Water Network Returns Through KHAKI’s AquaLine 2026 Calendar

Before Mumbai's newest Aqua Line Metro began ferrying commuters from Aarey's hills to Cuffe Parade's shores, the city relied on an entirely different network, one built not of steel and concrete, but of stone and civic generosity. The KHAKI Heritage Foundation's newly released AquaLine calendar for 2026 maps this forgotten infrastructure. A constellation of fountains and pyaus that once embodied Mumbai's spirit of shared responsibility and community care.

The limited-edition desk calendar draws a thoughtful parallel between past and present. Whilst today's Aqua Line connects modern Mumbai through rapid transit, KHAKI's AquaLine reconnects the city with its philanthropic water heritage, charting twelve historic drinking-water structures that defined urban life before piped water became commonplace.

Rediscovering Mumbai's Water Memory

Each month unveils a different heritage fountain or pyau, illustrated by Mumbai-based Aaiba Design studio. The visual narratives are accompanied by historical accounts detailing architectural style, social purpose, and precise locations, transforming the calendar into both functional art and a walking guide to the city's hidden landmarks.

"These fountains and pyaus are not just relics—they are markers of compassion, urban planning, and community spirit," explains Bharat Gothoskar, Founder of KHAKI Heritage Foundation. "AquaLine is our way of reminding the city that long before modern pipelines and metros, water shaped Mumbai's daily life and values. Through this calendar, we hope to bring them back into public consciousness."

The featured structures tell compelling stories. The Fitzgerald Fountain, installed in 1867 to honour Sir Seymour Fitzgerald, was thoughtfully designed to serve both people and animals at a busy junction near Metro Cinema. After years of displacement and neglect, it was eventually restored to its original context. The Wellington Fountain, built in 1865 through public contributions commemorating the Duke of Wellington, stands outside Regal Cinema with layers of history literally engraved onto its surface.

Perhaps most surprising is the Wadia Clock Tower on Bazar Gate Street. What appears colonial at first glance reveals itself as a multi-purpose structure with a drinking water fountain at its base and architectural features honouring Zoroastrian heritage, flame decorations on the crown, Avestan texts etched into lintels, and enormous lamassu statues guarding the entrance.

When Illustration Becomes Remembering

For founder and creative director Saurabh Chandekar, the project demanded unusual discipline. "Unlike abstract illustration, AquaLine required architectural accuracy. Every line, proportion, and detail had to be truthful because these were not imagined spaces; they were real, historic structures," he explains.

"History has always been close to my heart. Over the past four years, working with KHAKI has been a deeply meaningful way to explore Mumbai's heritage creatively," said Chandekar. "AquaLine honours the city's water structures that once embodied a culture of generosity and shaped everyday community life."

The illustrations deliberately place these structures back into lived contexts, depicting the pauses, the people, and the moments when communities gathered to drink water and rest together. "I would want the passerby to pause, even if only for a moment," Chandekar reflects. "To realise that the fountain is not just a fountain, but a story standing quietly in plain sight."

A Call to Pause and Look Again

The AquaLine project arrives at a moment when Mumbai hurtles forward, its gaze fixed firmly on infrastructure and development. Yet Gothoskar believes remembering the city's water legacy offers crucial lessons for the present. "It reminds us that people used to desire to share in public spaces, and when they needed something. These days, we think more about ourselves," he observes. "We can rebuild a sense of shared responsibility and make sure that everyone can still go to critical services by remembering this legacy."

For Chandekar, the project fundamentally altered his relationship with the everyday city. "This made me realise how often we spend our lives without thinking about the history that is all around us," he reflects. "We don't frequently stop to look, but the locations we go to every day are full of meaning, memories, and generosity."

The calendar functions as both commemorative art and quiet provocation, inviting Mumbaikars to see their familiar routes with fresh eyes. As Chandekar puts it: "If the illustration can shift the passerby from indifference to awareness, from passing by to truly seeing, then it has done its job."

The AquaLine calendar is available at Khaki Lab in Fort or online for Rs. 499 plus shipping. Proceeds support the KHAKI Heritage Foundation's programmes promoting heritage awareness, preservation, and documentation. The major purpose, as Gothoskar emphasises, is "to teach people about Mumbai's history and make it available to everyone in the city"—one forgotten fountain at a time.