welcome to MUMbai

The high rise, celebrity homes and 5* hotels in Bandra were a striking contrast to the slums across the well known jogging tracks of band stand. But there was a subtle order even in the visible chaos, aspirations and dedicated action, so many people and so much activity..a place that's always on the move. Welcome to Mumbai! My heartfelt desire to visit this city where fames and dreams are realised, came true, but the bombay-picture I had painted in my mind for over 20 years was slowly being replaced by a totally different one. Young romantic couples slowly faded away giving way to crowd waiting on a celebrity, wholesale shops, bus stops, people returning from work and reaffirming trust in an alien city.
The driver accidentally made way through a street in the heart of kamathipura -I was scared to meet an eye with reality of the red light area in Mumbai. Shanty, 2-3 storey old buildings, packed with young women, with painted faces and hapless looks, left me in unanticipated agony.
The heart of the city (old Mumbai) is steeped in Victorian history. Finally the sight of Victoria terminus (1888) was a welcome change. A clear example of Gothic architecture that took over 10 years to build had india's first steam engine chugging out of this station. It formed a fine backdrop to Black and yellow taxis and red buses and had room for the ever moving mumbai crowd of over a million per day. Stained glass, arches, grills and motifs, a testimony to the colonaial rule in India. One can spend an entrire day around this place exploring and admiring the details. Pressed for time as I was, we did not venture out much here- took some pictures and were at the Gateway of india (dated:1911-1924)-which despite the rennovation around the site was the most attractive tourist destinations. I shared my lunch/sncak with pigeons, ventured into the old and new Taj hotels, allowed a total stanger to get a shot of us for Rs.50 and tried making most of the view of the massive gateway and waterfront. [to be contd...]