Hai All,
This mail I am writing after a lot of thought process unlike the early ones which were very random. I am writing this wearing my boxers at 10 am without even brushing my teeth using Augustine’s laptop sipping a cup of Nescafe Coffee... (Thanks to Augustine for the coffee).
'This should be written' was the first thought that came to me when I stepped down from the bus yesterday at 10 pm at Andheri station after meeting Shruthi. Yes Guys, you heard it right, I met a girl named Shruthi, a call center executive, in the bus in which I was travelling to the station. My 319 bus starts from the bus stop in front of my flat and directly goes to Andheri East station. I was late and it was nearly 9.30 pm when I got in to the bus. As it was the first stop, rush was less and there was plenty of seats for everyone. All seats were filled before the bus started except the one beside me; just then a beautiful girl entered the bus, looking around found the seat beside me and sat beside me. Her marc Jacobs perfume really produced the axe effect on me…But I thought I had passed that age and time of my life and I tamed the stalker within me. We didn’t speak for about 20 mins, she listening to her iPod didn't even bother to look at me. The bus started filling people and lot of girls started coming in. Unlike Kerala there is no front side or backside differentiated for gents and ladies, 'everywhere anywhere' was the slogan…and suddenly that happened which made my travel memorable and this mail possible…
Weirdos and perverts are everywhere my dear friends, somebody took the liberty of considering someone’s wife as his. Violated the 9th commandment of god. (Oops .! one min folks, Augustine’s maid has come…and I am in boxers…let me change my dress…I don’t want to be a Shiney Ahuja here…..). Yes, back to the story; somebody had done something to a girl and the girl reacted. Suddenly the whole bus changed to a war territory…when I looked at the front…all the girls are hitting a guy with their bags…umbrellas etc. And I could see a familiar face in the girl group, when I looked at my side, I realized it was Shruthi who is the leader of the hitting gang. After that the baton was handed to the gents, they started hitting the guy. For a second, I felt pity for that guy because I had never seen a hitting like that all through my life…I am sure that he will never do that kind of thing ever in his life. After about 15 mins of beating and shouting, the person responsible was thrown out of the bus…(like in movies) mind you from a moving bus. Everybody returned to their respective places, some guys had a weird smile of victory in their faces. Shruthi returned to my seat, I could no longer smell her marc Jacobs and something prevented me from looking at her. Shruthi’s performance was brilliant; her lower elbow jab was wonderful to watch. After 10 mins, I couldn’t resist my tongue and I told her…”you put up a good show there, was quite entertaining”. She laughed heartily and told something in Marathi…was something about the beating…
I told her that I am new here don’t speak that language in my average Hindi. She then began to speak in English sensing my Hindi is also not good enough. She told me that, she works in a call centre. I asked her about the guts the girls have here. She answered my all questions like a celebrity attending an interview. She spoke about girls travelling at night from their work places alone without fear. Girls react here, they don’t stand oppression. They enjoy life as men do…they go wherever at any time as they want….. I could sense the spirit of individuality and freedom in Shruthi’s voice. Really she was enjoying her life and individuality. Anyway after the initial friction, she talked to me very freely and her thoughts and attitude about the women in Mumbai was very insightful. I remember one of my friends telling me that she wanted to go for a long walk at night but couldn’t do it…
In Mumbai it can happen…
I love the girls of Mumbai…..
PS:
I was a bit hesitant to ask her mobile number…but to my surprise, she asked mine…I gave her my card..When I asked her number...she told me….” I will call you” …
clever hain naa…!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
A Visit to Haji Ali
Dear Pioneers,
Judging from the last mail responses, I quite felt that nobody is interested anymore in my travelogues. But Folks, writing and watching movies are my only creative pastime now a days so please bear with me.
I visited Haaji Ali in Mumbai on my first outing. About Haji Ali Dargah
The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a rich Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara, in the ancient Persian Empire and now in Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early to mid 1400s, and then settled in Mumbai.
As per the legends, surrounding his life, once the Saint saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was. She sobbed that that her husband would thrash her since she had stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she lost the oil. There, he jabbed a finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled up the vessel and went home.
Later, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari had a recurring - and disturbing - dream that he had injured Mother Earth by his act. Full of remorse, he soon fell ill and directed his followers to cast the coffin carrying his body into the Arabian Sea, once he died. Haji Ali left this world during his journey to Mecca and miraculously the casket carrying his body, floated back to these shores, getting stuck in the string of rocky islets just off the shore of Worli. Thus, the Dargah was constructed there.
On Thursdays and Fridays, the shrine is visited by at least 40,000 pilgrims. Irrespective of faith and religion, people visit the 'dargah' to get the blessings of the legendary saint. Sometimes, especially on Fridays, people may find various sufi musicians performing a form of devotional music called “kawwaali” at the Dargah. (courtesy: Wikipedia).
You may recognize Haaji Ali if you had seen the movie fiza and the famous song "pia haaji ali" composed by AR Rahman. I always wanted to go there after seeing that movie. Actually the Dargah has been built somewhat inside the sea along with one concrete road connecting to it through the sea. Folks, the walk through that pathway is a lifetime experience...waves will be shattering from both sides of the walkway washing away the dirt of our legs...people from all religion, caste, community will be present to ask for their mannat with Allah renditions in the background. Go on a weekend if you love sufi music, you can hear raw sufi music which for me was enthralling and mesmerizing...
This place will not be there in any tourist spot guides...but my dear friends...if you are a jaywalker like me...who doesn't stick on to the rules...go to places like this...Its worth for a lifetime..
love,
Das
Judging from the last mail responses, I quite felt that nobody is interested anymore in my travelogues. But Folks, writing and watching movies are my only creative pastime now a days so please bear with me.
I visited Haaji Ali in Mumbai on my first outing. About Haji Ali Dargah
The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a rich Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara, in the ancient Persian Empire and now in Uzbekistan, Bukhari travelled around the world in the early to mid 1400s, and then settled in Mumbai.
As per the legends, surrounding his life, once the Saint saw a poor woman crying on the road, holding an empty vessel. He asked her what the problem was. She sobbed that that her husband would thrash her since she had stumbled and accidentally spilled the oil she was carrying. He asked her to take him to the spot where she lost the oil. There, he jabbed a finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled up the vessel and went home.
Later, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari had a recurring - and disturbing - dream that he had injured Mother Earth by his act. Full of remorse, he soon fell ill and directed his followers to cast the coffin carrying his body into the Arabian Sea, once he died. Haji Ali left this world during his journey to Mecca and miraculously the casket carrying his body, floated back to these shores, getting stuck in the string of rocky islets just off the shore of Worli. Thus, the Dargah was constructed there.
On Thursdays and Fridays, the shrine is visited by at least 40,000 pilgrims. Irrespective of faith and religion, people visit the 'dargah' to get the blessings of the legendary saint. Sometimes, especially on Fridays, people may find various sufi musicians performing a form of devotional music called “kawwaali” at the Dargah. (courtesy: Wikipedia).
You may recognize Haaji Ali if you had seen the movie fiza and the famous song "pia haaji ali" composed by AR Rahman. I always wanted to go there after seeing that movie. Actually the Dargah has been built somewhat inside the sea along with one concrete road connecting to it through the sea. Folks, the walk through that pathway is a lifetime experience...waves will be shattering from both sides of the walkway washing away the dirt of our legs...people from all religion, caste, community will be present to ask for their mannat with Allah renditions in the background. Go on a weekend if you love sufi music, you can hear raw sufi music which for me was enthralling and mesmerizing...
This place will not be there in any tourist spot guides...but my dear friends...if you are a jaywalker like me...who doesn't stick on to the rules...go to places like this...Its worth for a lifetime..
love,
Das
Mumbai diary 3
How are you all. hope everybody is well and fine.
When I am telling about all these problems I had faced in Mumbai, Please don't think that i am in big trouble. Believe me guys, Mumbai is one place where time passes like anything. We will never know how it has gone...even if you sit in your room alone, you wont get bored..just below the window you can see... kids playing cricket, street side businesses, people shouting each other for reasons even they don't know....can hear small kids shouting teri m____ki galis without any prejudices. We can say, in Mumbai...people live in a plethora of hope, dreams and wishes. Mumbai is all about that my folks...its all about dreams. One of my friend pointed out when i said to him...that i have some dreams about film direction...." Boy you know, in Mumbai there is joke we say ...every other guy has a script..."
Every guy, you meet here will have some dreams to share...some one want to be very rich, someone to be an actor, someone to be a gangster. May be because living in these dreams around...living here itself is a dream. there is lot of paucity of assistance when we indulge or go behind the dreams we share...that is where we have to prove our mettle... folks. Nobody can survive in Mumbai without dreams...
Another thing i want to point out is...Bombay VT is the best planned city i ever visited..of course its done by British with its classical grandeur of architecture, you will fall in love at first sight. Here in Mumbai..you can see queues in bus stops, in every busstops. queues from the right side is the sitting queue and the other standing queue. That much of punctuality is there here which is very difficult to comprehend. Bullying by people is seldom here because Mumbai belongs to no one (maybe because i haven't met an MNS or Shiv sena activist yet). But people are very cooperative here. To get a mobile connection even if it is prepaid is very difficult here after 26/11.So think of some alternative before coming here...
Mumbai can be compared to ocean....can accommodate everyone and everything.
Two weeks down the line, I have started loving this City.....
When I am telling about all these problems I had faced in Mumbai, Please don't think that i am in big trouble. Believe me guys, Mumbai is one place where time passes like anything. We will never know how it has gone...even if you sit in your room alone, you wont get bored..just below the window you can see... kids playing cricket, street side businesses, people shouting each other for reasons even they don't know....can hear small kids shouting teri m____ki galis without any prejudices. We can say, in Mumbai...people live in a plethora of hope, dreams and wishes. Mumbai is all about that my folks...its all about dreams. One of my friend pointed out when i said to him...that i have some dreams about film direction...." Boy you know, in Mumbai there is joke we say ...every other guy has a script..."
Every guy, you meet here will have some dreams to share...some one want to be very rich, someone to be an actor, someone to be a gangster. May be because living in these dreams around...living here itself is a dream. there is lot of paucity of assistance when we indulge or go behind the dreams we share...that is where we have to prove our mettle... folks. Nobody can survive in Mumbai without dreams...
Another thing i want to point out is...Bombay VT is the best planned city i ever visited..of course its done by British with its classical grandeur of architecture, you will fall in love at first sight. Here in Mumbai..you can see queues in bus stops, in every busstops. queues from the right side is the sitting queue and the other standing queue. That much of punctuality is there here which is very difficult to comprehend. Bullying by people is seldom here because Mumbai belongs to no one (maybe because i haven't met an MNS or Shiv sena activist yet). But people are very cooperative here. To get a mobile connection even if it is prepaid is very difficult here after 26/11.So think of some alternative before coming here...
Mumbai can be compared to ocean....can accommodate everyone and everything.
Two weeks down the line, I have started loving this City.....
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mumbai Diary 2 - Getting a place to sleep
Hai All
Hope everyone is having a good sleep in home.
But for a new Mumbaikar.. getting a place to sleep is the worst nightmare.
As planned nithin our junior who is in mumbai helped me to find some place. he introduced me to an agent who told me there is one flat in MHDA (Maharashtra Housing Development Authority). But the condition is they wont give that to bachelors. finding a decent place to live for a bachelor is a Himalayan task in Mumbai. Normally bachelors live in groups with common toilet. you can find a long queue in the morning in front of that. 2 mins is the time..not a sec more, not less. if you have dysentery.....oh boy i dont have words.
Thinking about all these, i told him.... "I am engaged, my marriage will be over in 3 months and after that my wife will come here to live with me" ( oh God, what a liar Am...but folks, i don't have any choice)
Then came the real task, i need to produce my id card, my wife's id card. it will go for the police verification and the society will give the approval based on that. good Gods, what i will do...
i asked him one day, for getting all these....i had no idea what to do...i asked the help of one of my friends, she agreed to give me the photograph and id card. (will be grateful to her all my life just for that deed)
i need to give 20000 advance, 5000 agent commission, 5000 advance rent, 2500 society charges and 700 paper charges. total- 33200 rs.
i had given 10, 000 on the first day..and second day i have to give him rest of the amount. this guy.. the agent was eating nithin's head and i went to federal bank ATM to collect money....But thanks to federal bank...Atm will only give 15, 000 a day. already my day was f#@#ed
up, now twice by federal bank.
somehow i convinced my agent and he agreed to accept the rest of the money next day.
Traveled to Augustine place in the same local train with the company of six foots and sanyasis....got all my stuff. waited till dark...in hope that the rush will be less...but in vain.
Came back to the apartment around 11 pm...found it dirty to the core...me, nithin and one friend cleaned it up in that odd hour, quarrelled with the neighbour on the very first night..for spilling water outside....(dont worry folks, this happens)
had a lousy night.....
Next day....a needed a new phone connection....
love
Das
Next: Getting a phone connection in Mumbai Nagariya....
Hope everyone is having a good sleep in home.
But for a new Mumbaikar.. getting a place to sleep is the worst nightmare.
As planned nithin our junior who is in mumbai helped me to find some place. he introduced me to an agent who told me there is one flat in MHDA (Maharashtra Housing Development Authority). But the condition is they wont give that to bachelors. finding a decent place to live for a bachelor is a Himalayan task in Mumbai. Normally bachelors live in groups with common toilet. you can find a long queue in the morning in front of that. 2 mins is the time..not a sec more, not less. if you have dysentery.....oh boy i dont have words.
Thinking about all these, i told him.... "I am engaged, my marriage will be over in 3 months and after that my wife will come here to live with me" ( oh God, what a liar Am...but folks, i don't have any choice)
Then came the real task, i need to produce my id card, my wife's id card. it will go for the police verification and the society will give the approval based on that. good Gods, what i will do...
i asked him one day, for getting all these....i had no idea what to do...i asked the help of one of my friends, she agreed to give me the photograph and id card. (will be grateful to her all my life just for that deed)
i need to give 20000 advance, 5000 agent commission, 5000 advance rent, 2500 society charges and 700 paper charges. total- 33200 rs.
i had given 10, 000 on the first day..and second day i have to give him rest of the amount. this guy.. the agent was eating nithin's head and i went to federal bank ATM to collect money....But thanks to federal bank...Atm will only give 15, 000 a day. already my day was f#@#ed
up, now twice by federal bank.
somehow i convinced my agent and he agreed to accept the rest of the money next day.
Traveled to Augustine place in the same local train with the company of six foots and sanyasis....got all my stuff. waited till dark...in hope that the rush will be less...but in vain.
Came back to the apartment around 11 pm...found it dirty to the core...me, nithin and one friend cleaned it up in that odd hour, quarrelled with the neighbour on the very first night..for spilling water outside....(dont worry folks, this happens)
had a lousy night.....
Next day....a needed a new phone connection....
love
Das
Next: Getting a phone connection in Mumbai Nagariya....
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Mumbai Diary
How are you all?
Hope everything is fine at your end. Decided to write mail telling about my Mumbai experience...Its worth writing that's why..... Mumbai is place which will define life in a more broader perspective to all of us who go there from different parts. I came here by Netravadi express which reached Lokmanya station at 4: 45 pm, Augustine told me, he will come at 6 clock which eventually become 7 30 pm. I sat at the station bench for literally 2hours 45 mins...longest wait i ever done. But I was not annoyed with Augustine, because that long hours provided a great insight to the culture and life of people in Mumbai. We heard about people living in platforms in Mumbai. I did saw people sleeping at the top of shops situated in the platforms with stoves, dresses, cloth lines, beds. All platforms are covered with police with .567 rifles ( may be after 26/11) which will induce a security feeling for everyone. When the train comes, you cant imagine the rush..its like honeybees coming from the hove when disturbed.
Auto people in Mumbai is the best compared to all the other metros. They only take the meter charge and moreover give one rupee back, its a custom here.. (cant think of implementing that in Kerala). But for me..my first auto guy charged me 350 rs for the ride without meter... (exceptions are there everywhere). Reached Augustine's house at 9 30 pm, had a peaceful night. Next day woke up at 6 am because Augustine leaves at 7 30 train to his office which is in Bandra quite a distance from his home in Dehisar.
Rush in the bus was manageable, it was early so no problem with that. Reached station, Augustine told me to care about my wallet and phone...because this is Amchi Mumbai...people rob your shirt even when you were wearing it in local train. I was scared a bit and was very cautious. Augustine himself has lost his mobile in train..and today is my first day in hell...(i thought)....
When the train came ....Augustine was like a monkey, the next thing I saw is our Augustine hanging in the rod of the moving train and jumping in to it...I stood there simply with my mouth opened...For your info, every local train will stop in a station for just 30 sec..in that 30 sec, u may lose your wallet, phone or even your life....That 30 sec decides the many lives of Mumbaikars, reaching office at time...reaching the business places..so cant complain folks.
I was somehow pushed to the train,,,by some generous 6 foots was relieved with the thought the first step is over...But the biggest and the riskiest is to alight from train...:). My station was before Augustine's station,, Augustine told me to move to the door before reaching my station...seriously folks..in the full fledged rush in the train..you cannot literally move you finger and if your two foots are on the ground, you are really lucky.
I was just 2 feet away from the door...but still couldn't reach it. But somehow i was pushed to the platform by some sanyasis who do their prayers of no other place than this local trains....
I was rouged, nearly mutilated..my tuck-in shirt barely lost its last ordinal button.. But I was Happy that I am Alive....
Love
Das
Next: Getting a place to sleep in Mumbai Nagariya....
PS: My new mobile no in my mail signature..please save it..don't have enough money to call everyone..my new home robbed all of it. :)
Hope everything is fine at your end. Decided to write mail telling about my Mumbai experience...Its worth writing that's why..... Mumbai is place which will define life in a more broader perspective to all of us who go there from different parts. I came here by Netravadi express which reached Lokmanya station at 4: 45 pm, Augustine told me, he will come at 6 clock which eventually become 7 30 pm. I sat at the station bench for literally 2hours 45 mins...longest wait i ever done. But I was not annoyed with Augustine, because that long hours provided a great insight to the culture and life of people in Mumbai. We heard about people living in platforms in Mumbai. I did saw people sleeping at the top of shops situated in the platforms with stoves, dresses, cloth lines, beds. All platforms are covered with police with .567 rifles ( may be after 26/11) which will induce a security feeling for everyone. When the train comes, you cant imagine the rush..its like honeybees coming from the hove when disturbed.
Auto people in Mumbai is the best compared to all the other metros. They only take the meter charge and moreover give one rupee back, its a custom here.. (cant think of implementing that in Kerala). But for me..my first auto guy charged me 350 rs for the ride without meter... (exceptions are there everywhere). Reached Augustine's house at 9 30 pm, had a peaceful night. Next day woke up at 6 am because Augustine leaves at 7 30 train to his office which is in Bandra quite a distance from his home in Dehisar.
Rush in the bus was manageable, it was early so no problem with that. Reached station, Augustine told me to care about my wallet and phone...because this is Amchi Mumbai...people rob your shirt even when you were wearing it in local train. I was scared a bit and was very cautious. Augustine himself has lost his mobile in train..and today is my first day in hell...(i thought)....
When the train came ....Augustine was like a monkey, the next thing I saw is our Augustine hanging in the rod of the moving train and jumping in to it...I stood there simply with my mouth opened...For your info, every local train will stop in a station for just 30 sec..in that 30 sec, u may lose your wallet, phone or even your life....That 30 sec decides the many lives of Mumbaikars, reaching office at time...reaching the business places..so cant complain folks.
I was somehow pushed to the train,,,by some generous 6 foots was relieved with the thought the first step is over...But the biggest and the riskiest is to alight from train...:). My station was before Augustine's station,, Augustine told me to move to the door before reaching my station...seriously folks..in the full fledged rush in the train..you cannot literally move you finger and if your two foots are on the ground, you are really lucky.
I was just 2 feet away from the door...but still couldn't reach it. But somehow i was pushed to the platform by some sanyasis who do their prayers of no other place than this local trains....
I was rouged, nearly mutilated..my tuck-in shirt barely lost its last ordinal button.. But I was Happy that I am Alive....
Love
Das
Next: Getting a place to sleep in Mumbai Nagariya....
PS: My new mobile no in my mail signature..please save it..don't have enough money to call everyone..my new home robbed all of it. :)
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