The Arrival of Ganesh

When I was growing up, festivals were a time for families to get together and meet friends and neighbors. It was more about socializing than anything else.

These days it seems everything is more about the noise - How much louder and longer I can blast my music and fire crackers than the next building. Where I stay, every opportunity they get, they bring in the loud speakers and mic. There will be an announcer no one wants to hear and loud music. In case of the current Ganesh festival, also a group of very out of tune bhajan 'singers'. Our ears have been ringing with all the noise. Except for Eid. Nothing happens on Eid. There aren't enough people who celebrate the festival who want loud speakers.

Now I don't have anything against people celebrating. I in fact have nothing against anyone doing anything as far as they are not infringing on someone else's space. I will also tolerate fire crackers for a day if required. But unfortunately that's not what usually happens. The 'celebrations' go on for a few days consecutively. That means you don't even get time to recuperate from the headache you got last night.

There is absolutely no consideration for people who don't celebrate the festival or for those who prefer to do it in a quieter fashion.

How I remember the festival is the colony getting an idol on day one; then every evening at the pre-fixed time everyone would gather around it and sing hymns (without mics); then on the eve of the idol immersion, there would be an entertainment show with residents dancing or singing. A procession would be taken out the next day to take the idol and immerse it in a water body. Plain and simple.

You know you're getting old when you wish for 'the good old days'. Sigh!

Aksa Beach at Sunrise

I know you don't get to see the sun rise over the horizon in the West coast but you do see it rise somewhere, which was why we wanted to reach the beach in time to watch this daily miracle. That, and to avoid the Sunday morning crowds.

We had been looking for a place to take Rummy for a good run off-leash and Aksa Beach seemed like a great place, it being so near to where we live. We were at first apprehensive about letting him off since there are quite a number of stray dogs around, but we didn't see any aggression on either side so we took off the leash. And boy, did Rummy run - and make the rest of the dogs run too. He wasn't too keen on going in the water, even though the other dogs were. We were so thrilled that he came back running to us every
time he was called.

 

As for us, the breeze was nice and cool in late February without the humidity. The sun rose from the other end of the beach and lit up the sky spectacularly. The beach was relatively clean - another advantage of reaching early I guess...the crowds had not had a chance to litter it yet. Other early risers here included morning walkers, dog walkers, and guests of one of the resorts on the beach.

We were there from about 6:30 am to 8am. As were leaving, the crowd were slowly starting to trickle in. The only downside to getting here so early was that none of the food/tea stalls were open. It was also getting too hot to be eating outside, and with Rummy in the car we couldn't stop at a restaurant. We then drove to Sai Veg near the Goregaon Station (east side) and packed some good Indian fast food that we had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Borivali National Park, Bombay

We've been in Bombay for just over 2 years now, and live almost next door to the Borivali (a.k.a. Sanjay Gandhi) National Park. Like everyone else, we had taken for granted what was closest to us. So finally one Saturday we decided to pay a visit to the city's green lung. We went on a Saturday afternoon in January. There wasn't much we were expecting to see or do and assumed we would be back home for lunch.

As soon as you take the turn into the Park from the main road, you feel a sense of calm. Weekends are usually crowded, but that just means that these people are not glued to their TVs or in crowded shopping malls. It is sad to see that unscrupulous builders have encroached upon this forest land. High rises can be seen on the fringes of the Park - the same places that have complained of being terrorized by the Park's wild leopards.

As we drove further inside the Park, we spotted a herd of Spotted deer. It was an unexpected sight so close to the main gate. We stopped and got off from the car, careful to not get too close and invade their privacy. They happily chewed on, mildly amused at the small crowd slowly gathering around them. Not far from here, we ran into a bunch of langurs. We stopped again but dared not step out of the car. Instead, we rolled up our windows. We've been in such situations. No food was given out, but expecting some, a few younger ones clamored up the car, trying to peek in - just to make sure they weren't being cheated. The older ones just watched from the sidelines.

The road led to the Kanheri Caves. I had grossly underestimated this place. I hadn't even bothered to look it up before the visit. Expecting just a small cave, I was now confronted with 109 caves! We would have to return the next morning for this. So it was that I woke up at 7am on a Sunday. The caves were worth it. They have been maintained well by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and there are some restoration works currently underway. The higher you climb, the better the view gets. The rocks might get slippery during the rains  making it difficult to climb, so December and January are the best time to visit here. Most of the caves are devoid of any ornamentation and are basic living quarters, as one would expect in a Buddhist monastery. However, some of them have beautiful carvings and murals. We didn't see all 109 caves but we did make it to the top and had an out-of-Bombay experience. Just a few minutes away was the chaos of Bombay but standing  here, we felt it may as well have been a few hours away.

The famed lion/tiger safari on the other hand was a big let down. The ticket counters didn't open on time, the buses were small and noisy, filled with even louder passengers. The ticket for the 15 minute tour is Rs50 for adults and Rs25 for children. The tour takes you to 2 enclosures - one that has a solitary white tiger, and the other a pair of Royal Bengals. They looked depressed as any confined animal would be. The tour continued to the area which is the domain of an old lion. He was asleep and only managed to only open his eye to acknowledge the loud chatter coming from the bus. Been there, done that - now move on. End of tour. The tour could have been so  much better if only the bureaucrats would take away the red tape surrounding the Park. People would pay more to see healthier and happier animals. Have provisions for serious wildlifers to go on a separate tour with a naturalist or forest guide. Provide the enclosed animals with adequate stimulation. Educate people on how to behave in a National Park. So much potential going to waste.
Nevertheless, it is a great place to spend a weekend at. Take your camera, picnic baskets, bicycles, or just go in for a long walk. BNHS and others organize small group tours - from butterfly and bird watching to rappelling and trekking. A weekend well spent. 

Diwali - More about the noise than the lights!

Yes, I am aware that the title sounds cynical but unfortunately, that is what it has come to mean for most. I remember the time when Diwali meant the excitement of new clothes, the smell of homemade sweets wafting in the air, visiting friends and family, some sparklers and at the most a couple of small 'bombs' that could be heard sporadically. The little noise that was, would die down much before midnight, giving people time to relax and look forward to the coming year.

Since then, crackers only mean strings of bombs - if Mr X got a string of 500, I should get one of a thousand at least. They start bursting it a week before and go on till very late in the night, regardless of the discomfort of others - man and animal alike. Many I know prefer to sneak out of the city for some peace and quiet, but not everyone can.

There was a time when fireworks were discouraged since it employs child labor. As a result, people lamented on the fate of the poor children while still buying bags of fireworks. And of course the environment angle would never inspire people to quit, no matter how many animals get terrified or injured, and no matter the amount of noise, smoke and garbage that result.

     

This Diwali, our first in Bombay, was as noisy. Rummy barely came out from under the furniture for the whole week. But it was also a time with family. My parents were with us. Our home was lit up. I had made small give-aways for our neighbors along with a box of sweets, and we even had some rangoli at the door. All of us got dressed up and went for a drive. It was good to see the buildings all lit up (we tried to ignore people playing with fireworks on the roads and near parked cars), and the neighborhood temple was all decked up too for the occasion.


Although a quieter Diwali is still a long way off, there is some hope because people are becoming aware of the hazards of fire crackers. Change usually creeps in very slowly, and before you know it, you will be celebrating a peaceful festival with family and friends the way it was meant to be. Hopefully, I will see that in my lifetime.

The Big City!

When presented with the opportunity to move to Bombay...excuse me, I meant Mumbai...my husband and I were skeptical to say the least.

As a child, I had lived there for a while (most of it in the Central suburbs before they came in demand). As an adult, I could not survive 6 months when I came for work. I blame the commute by local trains most of all for making me flee. My husband, on the other hand had always been used to the space and the 'Nawabi' attitude of Hyderabad. We didn't stand a chance of survival. However, the job offer was really good, and the prospect of me finding better job opportunities propelled our decision to make the big move. Worst case scenario - we can always relocate elsewhere after a year.

Everyone we knew told us we're making a huge mistake, and that the city would gobble us up in no time. The prices are so high that even with the two of us working, we'd never save. The city is moving at such a pace that all you do is work and have no time for fun. Everywhere you go it is so crowded that you can barely put in your foot through the door. And God forbid if you have to commute by train! And how will you make it through the monsoons?

I don't know if I believe in luck, and the fact that whatever happens, happens for the better. But, all the above mentioned things being true, we have been in Mumbai for 10 months now...almost a year, without thinking that we should relocate soon.

Before we moved bag, baggage and furniture, we moved in with relatives with just a suitcase. We had chalked out a plan of how I would go looking at apartments alone during the weekdays, and together over the weekend. We wanted an unfurnished, 2 bed-room apartment, which was met with shocked response from Mumbai-ites. "But you are just two people. What will you do with so much space?" "Two families live together in 2-bed room apartments. You should save money and look for a smaller place." Land is a precious commodity here.

We arrived early morning on a weekend and set out house hunting with a broker we met through a contact. We told him our budget, and the area we were looking at (Goregaon East since my husband's office was located there). Saw a few apartments (insisting on a 2 room flat) that were super expensive and badly maintained (I cannot even begin to describe it). Many but property here with the sole purpose of renting it out, ensuring a steady flow of income that can only increase with time. Most people are so glad to find a place to live that they ignore the cleanliness completely...it's all part of living here.

As I was beginning to feel dejected, the broker said he'll show us a new flat which is above our budget, but it would give us an idea of what is available. And that was it. Once I saw it, I refused to see any other place. I could clearly hear a 'click' when I saw it. My husband, the shopaholic that he is, wanted to see a few other places before settling on one. I said he was free to do so on his own. That is how we moved to this view:

This was so unlike the Bombay we were used to. Spacious (two bed) rooms, brand new and hence clean, great view, no view of the slums (at least on our side of the building). We both wanted a place we would enjoy living in...we didn't want to 'survive' but 'live' here, even if it was only for a year. It feels great to wake up to the hills in the morning. The apartment is well-ventilated and gets good breeze all day so much so that my husband thought we could survive the summer without an AC. We couldn't.

The rains have transformed the hills into a beautiful lush green meadow. It is great to watch the rains pour down while I sip hot coffee in the balcony. We even have a baby waterfall. The builders keep blasting rocks off at regular intervals to make room for more construction...I hope it takes as long as possible for them to complete.

As for expenses, yes, they are high, but then we were paying the same in Hyderabad where we would only shop at premium stores for convenience (who want to haggle after a hard day's work?). The commute is not too bad since my husband's office is about 5kms away and he doesn't need to use the train. I got a great opportunity where I can work from home. We are in the middle of the rainy seasons and nothing tragic has happened so far...but it's a pain to walk the dog while it's pouring.

One of the best things about Bombay is that you can easily get away for the weekend...we have done that just twice so far, but more trips are in the offing. We haven't really had the time to explore the city since we only get the weekends to do so. After the grocery shopping, and the traffic, there is not much time or inclination left to go explore. But it is on our To Do list.

I guess we're staying here for another year!