Blogs from Maharashtra, India, Asia - page 125

Mumbai hits you like a spade in the face! It's Indias most populous city and it feels every inch like it. But once we got to grips with the constant noise and pace of this town we fell completely in love with it. There is so much to do here and our time was so short - just 4 days before we have to leave for Kerala and in that time we had to see all the sights, meet up with our friends Manjari and Betty, and Pat had to fulfill his dream of blagging his way into a Bollywood movie. We arrived late in the evening on our first day and checked into Bentley's Hotel in the downtown Colaba area. Day two we met up with Manjari Shah, our friend from Mumbai whom we had ... read more

While I was in Mumbai, it was the festival of Navratri. Navratri is a festival of worship, dance and music celebrated over a period of nine nights. Nav = nine and Ratri = nights. It is celebrated for the worship of the Goddess Durga. Goddess Durga is believed to exist in many forms. The name “Durga” means “inaccessible”, and she is the personification of the active side of the divine “shakti” energy of Lord Shiva. In fact, she represents the furious powers of all the male gods, and is the ferocious protector of the righteous, and destroyer of the evil. Durga is usually portrayed as riding a lion, and carrying weapons in her many arms. Most neighborhoods had a pandal, or a temporary temple set up so that the neighbors could conduct puja to Durga in ... read more

For a while, I was staying at Juhu Beach in Mumbai, which is north of Mumbai proper. In this and other areas, the autorickshaw provides inexpensive but often frightening transportation. Basically, they are three-wheeled open air contraptions with space for two sensible adults or more if you are a little nuts. They are powered by a motor plant approximately appropriate for a lawnmower. Apparently, the idea is to see who can fit through the tiniest space and do so as quickly as possible. They glide through people crossing the street, and seem to magically squeeze between the next rickshaw or car. I have had to up my Xanax prescription for this experience. In Mumbai proper, the taxicab is the dominant auto on the road. They are tiny little things-- very narrow and short. I keep hitting ... read more

About an hour or so boat ride from the Gateway of India at Mumbai is a small island with a series of caves containing Hindu temple carvings. The complex is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main temple on Elephanta is a honeycomb of shrines, caverns, courtyards, and prayer halls created some time between 450 and 750 AD. The site of these caves contained beautiful reliefs, sculptures, and a temple to the Hindu god Shiva (or Siva). The caves are carved from solid rock. There are three entrances to the main temple in the complex- from the north, east and west. The main gallery is divided by columns into equal rows and aisles. To the west, and outside this area, is a square sanctuary containing a monolithic Siva Linga. The centerpiece of the main temple ... read more

Hello peeps! I hope everyone is well wherever you may be... Kal and I are now in Goa (South Coastal state)... We have been here now for 8 days, and it has been raining for the last 2 (a side effect of the Monsoons I'm afraid)... Anyway it gives me a great opportunity (if not a bit belated) to tell you about Mumbai... The 2 sides to Mumbai (Bombay) The first thing that strikes me about Mumbai, unfortunately, is the poverty. You cannot miss it.... the shanti "towns" located all over North Mumbai and in particular near the airport, a sea of blue from the sky due to the roofs being covered in blue tarpaulen sheets to protect them from the rain.... along with the significant number of stray dogs that wonder the northern suburbs... However, ... read more