There's an interesting tale to tell about the statue of Richard Temple, governor of Bombay from 1878 to 1881. His stone avatar graces the back lot at Victoria Gardens. When his grandson learnt about his grandfather's statue, he decided to visit Bombay and visit the statue. Unfortunately, he was in Bombay during the January 1993 riots.
The museum was shut and the watchman would not allow him to see the statue. The Englishman, who was in the city for about a week, came every day to Byculla hoping to see his grandfather’s statue. Without luck. "I felt bad about it. So I wrote to him -- he had left his address with the watchman. I sent him some photographs. And he was very thrilled with my response," says Desai.