Mourning Taj

I wonder if the Taj has been completely gutted inside. Maybe the Heritage section is.
Those massive wooden stairways...which we ran down, as children. The smooth polished balustrades which we sailed down...the numerous weddings of distant relatives...the beautiful outer facade....the sikh with those huge mucchhh...the twisted alleys in the basement with bookshops and perfumeries...the comfortable lobbies and the restaturants which dished out cultural bliss in huge platters.
Most of all the fairyways with the lamps and paved stones in the outer corridors...the fairies must have all fled Taj.

For most of us, who have spent childhood in south mumbai, the Taj is a more then just a symbol of history, it is a part of our lives. The familar rock solid building which we felt at home in. The site of the Taj has always quickened our hearbeats and brought a smile with a feeling of homecoming, esp. when coming in via the sea.

And now...to see the smoke billowing out from the ground and the peacock windowed ballroom...that was the saddest part of all.

Three days, I have spent in fury, raging at the the terrorists.
Now, seeing parts of the Taj in flames, I just feel sad.

I salute those commandos who went in with their lives and did not emerge alive and those who were wounded in an attempt to save souls.

There's nothing to be said anymore, is there?

Horniman Circle

Horniman Circle is where all the action is. The old city of Bombay is all centred around this circle. The Asiatic Library, the Cathedral, the bank circle, the Old Custom House..the RBI, the mint, they are all around this beautiful garden in the centre of the old city.

The old and the new!

A beautiful angel holds aloft a lamp

Sassoon Docks.

Situated in Colaba, it was establishd by the most famous Baghdadi Jew in Bombay, David Sassoon. It is now one of the three major fisheries owned by the government.
The hustle and bustle here is incredible with the fishing folk coming from all over Mumbai to fish and sell fish. Crabs, Bombay Ducks, Prawns....name it you will find it...for a price.
The local people find the disposal methods a bit discomforting. Stale fish and discrded stuff stinks and the whole area reeks when a truck passes by.
It sorely needs modernization. The wooden wharfs need to be upgraded. The market needs to be modernized. More effective disposal solutions are needed.
Ofcourse, its historical character might be lost in the process, however...one has to move forward with the times.
Perhaps the only feature that the Heritage walk will point out then is the gate! If you are in Bombay, you can take the Heritage Walk early morning and visit the docks. Be prepared to hold your nose though!

Ballard Bunder Gate House

Photos published in the Taj City Guide, 10th anniversary issue.

The hot afternoon sun was burning down my back. I had just finished eating a heavy lunch, consisting of a full plate of berry pulao at Brittania Cafe.I decided to walk off the lethargy that comes after stuffing yourself greedily!
A few paces down I chanced upon this tiny building, which had its gates partly open, “ The Ballard Bunder”- a maritime museum.



A plaque in the compound tells you about how this building was once a gate house and was the key access point to the sea. In 2005, this gatehouse was restored to its former glory at a cost of thirty six lakh rupees,implemented jointly by MMRDA and the Indian Navy.



The museum has many artifacts dating back to the early mutinies and the conquest of Goa. There are wooden ships and emblems. On display are wooden and marble statuettes. It also has a steering wheel, a bell, an ageing compass, drums, signals and other ship paraphernalia.






The building itself is really beautiful, with wooden windows and stained glass doors. The Square gate house is surrounded by a well-maintained garden with paved walks. It is usually deserted and serves as a quiet retreat in the middle of Ballard Pier, Bombay's quieter business district.

'Nukkads' in Mumbai

As you walk down the narrow, noisy lanes of Mumbai, you will come across some interesting shops. After all India, and particularly Mumbai, is the land of shopkeepers.

Situated in a tiny nook is the Hindi Granth Karyalay. This is not just any shop, but a piece of history sitting at the 'nukkad' or the street corner. It's website will tell you about their roots.

What the website does not tell you is about the charming atmosphere of the place. Dusty, grimy books are lined up in shelves,which are as old as the shop. My first memories of the place date back to my school days. Sure, I knew about the little place which had a wooden door,which would open with the twist and pull of the rope. The bell would tinkle and the 'keeper of the books' would look up as you entered. Sigh! No,it is not the same anymore. The rope with the bell is still there. So is an old man. Inside, the book shelves are still there. However, a part of this has been converted to a publishing house.

In 1988 or perhaps 1989, I had bought a copy of the book 'Kali Aandhi'- school reading. Almost two decades later,he still has those books,including Tamas. And Madhubani by Kalidasa, Urdu shers and books of ghazals from neighbouring countries, religious books from every nook and corner of India - all or most of them in Hindi. Now, he also has a variety of English books. By authors advertised on their website. Books that they import, books that don't always find a market. But, yes it was a step into a past which I had long forgotten.

Some things change without changing in essence.The Hindi Granth Karyalay, now a world famous bookshop,is one of those places. However, the winds that blew there tell me that soon, it might just retain the name but change everything else.

I guess some 'nukkads'in Mumbai have interesting shops.

Cities of Gujarat

Apart from the pilgrim centres in Gujarat, the cities in Gujarat still retain a certain charm.

Ahemdabad - a city which is hot and uncomfortable. A city which I have visited only once. Sabarmati Ashram topped my agenda followed by the old historic market. The rivers in Ahemdabad are more dry then the wells and the people of Ahemdabad are known for their dry sarcasm.
The beauty of Ahemdabad lies entirely in the textiles. The most beautiful cloth and designs can be obtained from Ahemdabad.

Rajkot - known for its proximity to Junagarh and for the green chivda. Rajkot is a stopover esp., if you are visiting Junagarh and Gir forest. It has its own charms in the palaces of ex-royalty and the Junagarh zoo. The Junagarh zoo, now almost destroyed by the earth quake has some incredible species of pigeons and peacocks, apart from snakes which are numerous.

Baroda -Baroda is another story. It has large zoo gardens which are next only to the Mysore zoo gardens. Baroda is also famous for the palaces of the Gaekwars and the old temples in almost every lane.
Baroda has beautiful open gardens - a place where almost everyone hangs out. A nice city where you can hang out for a couple of days and visit places around it.

Surat - Most Surtis believe that to attain salavation, one must eat in Surat and die in Kashi!!! Surat is known more for its diamonds then the food. But you can get great undhiyoo, sweets such as ghebar and in december roasted ponk or millet! It's a cold city with garrulous people!
Nothing much to see there apart from the river Tapti, the beach(!) and the old city. The old city has its own charms.

Cities of Gujarat

Matheran

The ponies were everywhere. There were horses too. To take us inside the gates of the vehicle-free town of Matheran. But a small walk hardly matters after a gruelling two-hour climb.

If you trek up to Matheran from Nerul, ensure that you trek through the jungles and not use the concrete road. Atleast, you will have forest cover rather then the hot sun beating on your head, and the constant honking of all sorts of vehicles. Vehicles are not allowed beyond a certain point in Matheran. You have to walk in from there or take a horse ride.

Matheran is an overcrowded tourist spot. Good for trekking and strawberries. Don't miss out on the fresh strawberries and strawbery preserves, if you go there.
There is a tiny dam, innumerable walks, toy trains and pony rides galore in Matheran. It is a popular weekend getaway from Mumbai
But if you stay there for a week, then perhaps you might like the place.

The best thing to eat in Matheran are the jelly sweets.Along with roadside pav bhaji.

You will see a lot of monkeys in Matheran. Bird watching is a treat. And it's good for photography too. Inspite of thousands of guesthouses and hotels, book well in advance. I like Matheran because of the innumerable walks there.