The truth of LP Chowk

L P Chowk, you must have heard the name. What did you say? Haven't you heard? Use your brain a little, maybe you'll remember. Never mind, now that I have decided to tell you the story of L P Chowk, I will tell you about it.

But do you know why I decided to tell the story?

Because for me it is very surprising and sad that a friend of mine who knows about a place like L P Chowk for years, does not know how the place got the name L P Chowk.

Well, why did she need to know this. Every place has some name or the other, do we keep trying to find out why the place got this name? By the way, not only her, but even the people living around L P Chowk hardly know anything about its history. People have almost forgotten it.

But my case was different. I have memories associated with L P Chowk. I played, studied and grew up in the streets there and then it was here that I met him too.

But today all those scenes, those memories are fading away. This place has become just a name. Even today when I remember those moments, all the memories come alive again. It is about the 80s. Our society used to be in L P Chowk. Where everyone used to live together with love. 

Childhood is a magical time, when the world is big and dreams are endless. The simple joys of that time, like getting drenched in the rain, playing with friends, and getting lost in fairy tales, give life an innocent look. Then every moment of life had a new discovery, a new adventure hidden in it. The memories related to the society of childhood always touch the heart. Playing with friends in the streets there, listening to the stories of the elders, and the whole society celebrating like a family on festivals, all these memories remain in the heart. The aroma of tea at the street corner, kite flying on the roofs of houses in the evening, and the sound of temple bells in the morning, all these things are connected to the soul of the society.

My childhood passed in those streets laughing and playing and then youth knocked at the door.

I, Archana Deshmukh, was the beloved daughter of my family. Also the only sister of two brothers. And on the other side of the society lived a young man named Pawan Kamble. He was working hard day and night to make his dreams come true. We first met at a social event, where we were attracted to each other at first sight.

Gradually, the hours of meeting started increasing and a deep affection started developing between us. It was a completely filmy love. 

He used to come to my streets, watch me secretly, I used to write his name in my notebook, write and erase it. We used to communicate through friends. We had become two hearts but one soul. It had become difficult to live without each other. But when my family members got to know about our love, they did not like my love at all due to caste differences. In their eyes, the name of Deshmukh family was much higher than Kamble's. My brothers even threatened to kill Pawan. But I also said that if Pawan gets even a scratch, I will commit suicide. Despite all this, my family members did not accept our love.

Finally, without caring about the society, we understood our love and decided to spend our lives with each other. 

Pawan and his family were with us. 

And then one day, stealing glances from my family, I decided to run away from home. Pawan was waiting for me on the other side of the road. With my heart racing, I crossed the road and hugged Pawan. He was ready to run away with me and take me to his house.

I was scared of what would happen when my family would find out about this.

But they did not do anything like that, instead they broke their relationship with me forever.

Facing some difficulties in front of family and society, we both supported each other with courage and patience. We gave a new dimension to our love by getting married.

Gradually the time changed and finally my family accepted me. Today, I, Pawan and our two children are weaving a story of love and trust in our small home, which fills every moment with a new fragrance.

You must also be thinking that while telling the history of LP Chowk, how did I start telling the story of my love. But what to do, this love story is also very close to my heart, so it was necessary to tell it.

So let me once again take you to the history of LP Chowk.

LP Chowk, whose full name was London Pilsner Chowk. Did you remember anything on hearing this name? I cannot say about women, but perhaps men will be well aware of this name.

Actually, London Pilsner is a beer manufacturing company which created a stir in India in the late 70s and early 80s.

The company was started in 1975 by Noshir Irani, who was the co-owner of London Pilsner. After his demise, his steadfast wife and two daughters are running the company. The company is now known as Associated Breweries & Distilleries Ltd. (ABD Ltd.). ABD Ltd. manufactures and sells a variety of brands including London Pilsner, London Diet, London Draught and Maharaja Premium Lager.

United Breweries Limited's London Pilsner has cricketer Ben Stokes as its brand ambassador. After his unforgettable performance in the 2019 World Cup, he won the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for 'Cricketer of the Year'.

London Pilsner beer became very popular among the people. The reason for which was the great taste at an affordable price.

It was the first large-scale brewing company in the Nerul area of Navi Mumbai. Incidentally, the bus stop located on the highway next to the factory site is officially called the 'Nerul LP Stop'. 

Some names last longer than the institutions they represent. An example of this is the entire area along the Sion-Panvel road. Locals call it Nerul LP Junction, but old timers and city historians will tell you that the name is for the famous beer factory- London Pilsner, which was built about 50 years ago.

And my father was employed in the factory of this company.

Baba used to work diligently day and night to give a happy life to his family. Baba's job was very good for the family. No one had any shortage of anything. 

A society was specially established at L P Chowk in which houses were given to all those people who worked in the company's factory. 

It did not feel that the people living in the society lived in separate houses, rather it felt like we all had a big family. Everyone stood together in every happiness and sorrow. Everyone was living their life happily and peacefully.

Time changed. Just as I and my friends had grown up from children, similarly this society had become wise after the colorful youth days were over. 

I too left this society after getting married and started living my life with Pawan. Though the bitterness between my relationship and my family was still present, still a mother's heart is a mother's heart, perhaps that is why mother accepted me after some time of marriage. She used to talk to me on phone sometimes without the knowledge of my father and brothers.

When my father came to know about this, he did not stop my mother from doing this. He also loved me a lot and was eager to know more about me. 

After some time, I gave birth to a daughter.

Maa came to meet me after taking permission from Baba, but Baba and brother were still angry with me. They did not come. But still, with the birth of a daughter, I felt as if sweetness was slowly spreading in both the families.

Pawan had also got a better job than before. Life was slowly coming back on track, but perhaps God had some other plans.

One day Maa told me the news on the phone which made me lose my senses. Maa said that London Pilsner Company has decided to close the factory and all the people of the society will become unemployed at once. This news was no less than a big earthquake not only for me but for all the people living in the society.

Everyone was shattered after suddenly losing the job. The young boys of the society, whose studies were not yet complete, started wandering here and there in search of a job. But due to lack of experience, they were also not getting a job anywhere. The people who were working in the company had also become old now, so it was difficult for them to get a job anywhere. Somehow, everyone was encouraging each other, but the savings in all the houses were slowly getting depleted.

Now whenever I spoke to my mother on the phone, she would always cry. Both my brothers were also tired of looking for jobs. Baba's condition was even worse. His health was deteriorating day by day. He had become silent.

And then one day, my phone rang during the day. Now I was scared to even pick up the phone, not knowing what news my mother would give me. And what I was afraid of happened.

My mother told me that Kareem Chacha who lived in the neighbourhood committed suicide. He had two daughters and no son. He was not getting a job anywhere and now he was struggling to make ends meet. In such a situation, he had no other option but to commit suicide.

The entire society was in shock due to this incident. No one had yet recovered from this grief when the company made another announcement. The company ordered that everyone would have to vacate the society overnight.

They themselves did not know who would go where. And one terrible night, as per the company's orders, everyone loaded their belongings in a truck and left the society. The society which used to be bustling all day long was deserted today.

That night, gathering courage, Pawan and I went to our home. Pawan folded his hands and said to my Baba, "Don't alienate me so much that I can't stand by you in your sorrow." Baba didn't say anything. There were only tears in his eyes. He hugged Pawan. Pawan convinced all the family members and we brought them with us in our home. Even today when I close my eyes, the whole scene comes clearly in front of my eyes which is very difficult to forget. 

But as they say, this is a moving world.

Everyone has to move with time. The world tramples over the one who stops. No one stops for anyone.

The demand of time was that a commercial tower should now be built at this place.

Manohar Shroff, Senior Vice President of Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (Navi Mumbai) had said in an article that, "Everything should change with time. The liquor factory where many factory workers used to work earlier, will now be replaced by a commercial tower, which will provide facilities to hundreds of IT officers and other office workers."

Builder Suresh Patel had said in one of his interviews that, "We have recently purchased the LP factory site of 24,000 square meters, which will be developed as a commercial business center due to its prime location."

This building, which has been in a bad condition for a long time, will soon be demolished and a commercial tower will be built in its place. When reminded about the historical significance of Navi Mumbai's first large-scale liquor manufacturing company, he said, "History is definitely a big part of this place... Perhaps, we can install a plaque at the site to tell people about its origins so that people do not forget its history."

To bring innovation in life, one has to sacrifice old things often, this is the law of nature. And this innovation is the mother of development. 

It is possible that when this commercial tower is ready, thousands of people will benefit from it, but the memories that people have faced before the formation of it will not be compensated.

We tried to get in touch with many of the society members them for a long time. Today everyone has moved forward in their life. But still LP Chowk will remain inseperable part of their life. It is the place where they spent the very precious moments of their life. Some beautiful and some painful memories of LP Chowk will always be there in their hearts.

Disclaimer: "Based on true events, this story includes depictions inspired by real-life occurrences. For narrative flow, some characters, events, and dialogues have been fictionalized. Any resemblance to actual persons or incidents is purely coincidental."

"I would like to credit my friend Ashwini Babu Barkat for this story, who acquainted me with these events."