Revellers take festival to Jinnah House in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Some people celebrating Maharashtra's new year day ' Gudi Padwa' today hoisted a symbol of the festival at the entrance of Jinnah House, where Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah lived while he was a lawyer here.

Jinnah House, located at the posh Malabar Hill in south Mumbai, is maintained by the state Public Works Department.

According to the area residents, a group of people from various organisations hoisted 'Gudi', the festival symbol at around 8 AM and offered prayers.

Jinnah stayed in the House till partition of India in 1947, after which he moved to Karachi in Pakistan.

The sprawling mansion, opposite Maharashtra Chief Minister's official bungalow, has been lying vacant for long.

In 1949, the government of India notified Jinnah House as evacuee property.

BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha had demanded recently that the house be demolished and a cultural centre be built in its place.

In Maharashtra, 'gudi', a bright green or yellow cloth tied to the tip of a long bamboo stick over which sugar candies, neem leaves and a garland of red flowers are placed, on the 'Gudi Padwa' day is hoisted in front of the houses.