With his Neo-Gothic architectural designs, he left an indelible mark on the Bombay landscape, yet he is an "unrecognized presence.” To rectify this lacuna an exhibition titled "Khan Bahadur Muncherji Murzban, Architect of Victorian Bombay,” was held at the Claude Batley Gallery of Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy College of Architecture from January 30 to February 11, 2024. His remarkable contribution to the city scape was commemorated through photographs, drawings and text. The small exhibition in the airy, well-lit Gallery was well attended by art students when Parsiana visited, some taking copious notes. The prolific builder even designed / built a few buildings within the College campus.
View of exhibition (above l)
commemorating Muncherji Murzban (above r)
"No other architect or engineer in Victorian Bombay could boast of Murzban’s breadth of influence in making Bombay Urbs Prima Indis,” stated the College in their press announcement. Involved in rampart demolition, land reclamation, monumental neo-Gothic designs, vernacular buildings, and even waste management, Murzban "was everywhere and his contributions well regarded.” Some of his notable works include public utility buildings such as the General Post Office (today’s Central Telegraph Office) and the Bombay Presidency Magistrate’s Court; educational institutions such as the Scottish Orphanage; The Alexandra Native Girls’ English Institution; The John Connon School; The Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution; Elphinstone College; Wilson College; Anjuman-i-Islam; public health facilities including Pestonjee Hormusji Cama Hospital; Bomanjee Eduljee Albless Hospital; Fort Gratuitous Dispensary; Gokuldas Tejpal Native General Hospital; Parsi Lying-In Hospital. Churches ascribed to him include: Holy Trinity Church; St Mary’s Church; All Saints Church (see "Master builder Murzban,” Parsiana, July 7-20, 2023).
As stated the exhibition brochure, "By celebrating Muncherji Murzban’s various buildings, we express belated but heartfelt gratitude to the architect/engineer’s contributions to Bombay.”