Often associated only with south Bombay, Art Deco also shaped essential public infrastructure in the suburbs—quietly and with purpose. Housed in Sumichha building, Sumati Maternity Home expands this narrative, proving the style wasn’t limited to cinemas or city-centre apartments.

This Art Deco structure, for a long time, has had a strong connection to women's health. Founded by Dr. Chhaya Hindlekar in 1945, as recorded in a 1976 women’s directory and a BMC administrative report, the maternity home was established to address the growing need for medical care in Bombay’s expanding suburbs.

The structure features a streamlined façade, with the building’s name affixed in Devanagari metal letters. Continuous eyebrows with red banding wrap around the curved frontage, reinforcing its Deco character.

The balcony grille has a geometric metal pattern, while the cylindrical columns supporting it are detailed with twin grooved bands near the top. Horizontal banding runs along the edge of the terrace parapet, adding further emphasis to the building’s layered design.

Vishwadeep (formerly known as Mahadev Bhuvan), Matunga. Built Year: 1935. Architects: Marathe & Kulkarni. Approx. Cost: Rs 27,000. Given how much the original design has been altered, confirming that Vishwadeep was the same building as "Mahadev Bhuvan", was no straightforward task. It required careful research, referencing the Journal of the Indian Institute of Architects (JIIA), which mentions its location in the Dadar-Matunga scheme north. By thoroughly analysing plot numbers in the northern Matunga area near King's Circle and cross-referencing with nearby structures, the building was eventually identified.

These are the intricate and demanding realities of architectural documentation, where every detail must be examined, and every clue thoughtfully pieced together. The challenge becomes even greater when buildings have not only undergone structural modifications but have also lost their original identity, with names completely changed and facades rendered unrecognizable.