Of Uran and Kulfi

Sunday, 25th September 2005

Sis picked me up and took me to my usual bus stand in byculla. But till now I had not noticed the little passage that leads to the market. It was a small rectangle. The far side had a fresh chicken meat stall. The stalls looked very much like what it would in Colombo. The chicken stall was an experience. You give the weight you want and they will select a chicken and give you a number to come back after a short time. This is because they need time to kill it. Yes. That’s right. They have live chickens they kill, skin and chop to the size you wish. By the time we came back it was number 30. They have quite a good business I presume. But its enough to make any a vege. IN the meantime I went to the meat market, which is an adjoining hall. Here one side is meat and the rest is fish. All manned (?) by big, beetle-chewing women. They each had their own cat (or was it the other way round) lording over the fish from their favourite perch. The most number of fish that I could see or at least recognise were small finger to elbow length sharks. Being me, I touched or rather stroked them. One way was smooth and unexpectedly a bit slimy. The other way was very rough. And sandpapery.

Train. My first train ride. Bough ticket to VT. Had apple while waiting on platform 4 – the nearest to the entrance. Was told that there would 2 be stops, but I didn’t know that this was an express train. So when the train stopeed, I was waiting for it to move on. It didn’t for a long time. So I quickly ran to the dustbin adnd threw my apple core and ran back. I quickly walked a bit back to see how the electrical lines were connected to the train and quickly walked back. Wa getting a bit worried, cuz I knew that trains don’t hang around too much at a station. After 5 minutes and asking someone, I realised that all the while I was waiting for the trin to go to VT, I was actually at VT! People were getting in to go back the way the train had come cuz this was the last stop.

Got out the side entrance and walked to the front. The station is amaaaazing. Old gothic arcitecture. Large hounds as gargoyles. Funny looking monkeys, lots of turrets. Very impressive. Actually looking around, all the building are like this. Its amazing.

Went to the GPO. Another old building but on the side of VT. Very much like Colombo post office, but larger. Climbed upstairs but was told it was closed and only for employees.

From there, I took the side streets, instead of the main road towards what I though other sights would be. Nice to see the place waking up. Barbers on the street using dangerous looking blades and scraping away at chins. People carrying their groceries. Temples busy and cows being fed. Watching my head for rubbish that are thrown off the top floors of apartments. Its so much like pettah, its amazing.

Came to the open and main road. Walked along side the reserve bank of India and came to the mint. Walked around there and down a nice looking lane. Very Baudhaloka Mw type, with large streets and trees. A couple of street cricket matches were taking plae. But they players seemed to be slightly posh, not street kids. A guy on a bike shouted to me in perfect English asking me if want to smoke hash. At least that’s what it sounded like. He could have just been asking for time???

Came to an old naval museum called Ballad Bundar. Amazing to see the maps of Bombay during its island stage and transformation to the present city.

Went further down to the cruise terminal or entrance to the docks. Can’t enter without a pass. So walked back the way I came and suddenly found myself at the foot of the amazing public library.

This is something like the town halls you might get in Washington etc. It’s a huge white washed building with a large floight of stets, and lots of big pillars. There was a door open so I crept in quietly. Why do you always feel like whispering in a library? Was reading the papers when I heard the man locking up the place. I almost fancied the idea of being locked up in this place and exploring it. But I called attention to myself by coughing loudly. The man came running to me and asked me “oh bhai…” what are you doing here. The library is actually closed on Sunday. But he got to talking and let me read seeing that I was not from here. He was quite impressed that I could speak Hindi and more so that I was from SL. Seemed to thin that we were living in the stone ages, cuz he asked me whether we have trains, how we travel and told me that Murali was an Indian. So “Goodness gracious me like” I almost laughed.

Right in front of the librabry is Horniman Cricle. The heritage buildings around it are also circular following the curve of the park at this junction. Inside the pak is a nice tree covered relaxing area. Few rides for kids. People on benches etc. Outside next to old well is the banyan tree that was the first stock market in Mumbai.

Along the road in front of the entrance to the circle is St. Thomas’s catherdial. Its supposed to be the oldest here. As I drew near, could hear the choir. Wanted to check it out. It was a(no surprise) amazing. Old church and architiecture. Lots af great tombs and old dead ppl. The choir was practising, so I sat in the same chair that Queen Mary and King George the 5th sat on in 1911, right next to the pew that Mother Teresa sat on in 1983. Tried to close my eyes and imagine the time way back then.

Went on further towards flora fountain, with a statue of the Greek goddess of water. It would have been more impressive if there was actually any water in it. On the opposite road (towards churchgate station) was a no. of pavement book stalls selling pirated books. But hell, they were all new ones and I which I had the urge to buy them all. The Harry Potter series, Paul Cohelo (of the Alchemist), Dan Brown, Catch 22 etc. These were between 50 to 150 and bargainable.

Paid 2 bucks to get my pen knife sharpened. Now its fucking sharp.

In the afternoon, to a whole bunch of kids, Me, sis and huzi bhai with 7 other kids fitted with difficulty in a Maruti van. We went to the gateway on India. It wasn’t as impressive I imagined probably cuz I imagined it to be bigger. Also there was such a large crowd. Lots of hawker and interestingly people carrying camera’s (nothing so interesting in that), but these people will take you pic and supposedly post it to you. Alas, our boat had just departed and there weren’t anymore. Since we were set on going on a boat, bhen got us going to Ferry Wharf.

Here we took the 5 pm boat. It was an hour to get there. And our destination was URAN. Not an island like we had thought previously, but actually mainland India. From there we took a 3 wheeler ride (170/-) to the beach about 10 km away. We thought that we should take 2 of them and told the driver as much, but to our surprise, he suggested that we all go in one. We were even more surprised when we all managed to fit (11 of us). These guys are obviously used to it. It was slightly bumpy.

There was nice hikable hilly area, but closed for public belonging to the navy. The area looked like a poor seaside town, cuz it smelled really bad. This was really village, cuz you could see it was poor. Wild pigs running around, people on the road selling fish, low lying land and it smelled a bit weird. Although it was a good change from Bombay. The beach was by the side of a natural gas company.

What a beach. It kind of sucked yar. Black sand. Not brown or golden. The waves were puny little fucks lapping up against my feet. Could walk in a bit sea-wards. The kids and all else enjoyed themselves. I wouldn’t have like to bathe here cuz of a drain emptying closeby. The sky line of Bombay could be seen quite well. I am a bit confused as to what part of the sea I am looking at (was it the Arabian sea?)

Went back when it was dark. Was there in time 5 minutes before our boat arrives at 8. The ride back was awesome. The top open deck was quite, feeling of nice open space and antachari in the background. At the bottom, we managed to sit our selves at the front end of the boat. It was travelling much faster so could feel the bumps a bit more. Quite proud to know that one of huzi bhai’s cousins has swun this entire stretch from Uran to the gateway of India (against the tide/current) in a total of about 18 hours. Cool.
On our back, tired as we were, was amazingly cheered by the stop at Gupta’s Kulfi and ice cream where we got ourselves half a kg of butter scotch ice cream and kesar and pista kulfi. The kulfi is so amazing, its crazy.

Bargain crazy

Saturday the 24th of September 2005

· Woke up where I had been sleeping the last nite…in the hall. Spent the morning doing fuck all. Did a bit of reading etc. and went back to sleep till lunch.

· Was itching to go out, but had to wait till bhen was ready to take muru to Madrasa at 3.00. Took the bike then to Huzi bhai’s shop (Ahmed and Company) in Lohar Chawl near crawford market. Again very similar to Pettah. Different streets sell different products…from belts, kurta’s, electric items, stationary, etc.

· Took short cut to tailors and got myself nicely measured up :)

· Now have to go into thru this tiny doorway into an amazing cloth bazaar to by my cloths. Its called Mangal Das. And was a cloth paradise. Both other stuff, belt, stationary etc. Bhen went to pick muri and take him for Karate and dropeed me near Xavier college. It was now about 6.00

· Walked to fashion street. This is a bargain joint to the max. I think I got suckered into buying an Osho slipper when I should have checked around a bit more. Anyway, not too big a deal, cuz its nice anyway. Bought a kurta top for gift and this was from a no bargain shop and it was quite a relief.

· Went on towards Church gate station. Big, nice old building. Walked right in to the trains itself. No one would have stopped me. A separate carriage exists for ladies only. Also a coin dispenser is a cool gadget there. You slip in a Ghandhi picture carrying note and it spits out coins. Went back to Huzi’s shop and he took me on his bike back home. That was a really cool ride. As bad, if not worse than going on the trailer bike with Ranil Nalawansa. What a roler coaster ride. My eyeballs ended up at the back of my head

Day 1 at Leo

Friday the 23rd September 2005

· Woke up at 7.30 with only a word from bhen. Not bad no. See I can wake up if I want to and when I want to.

· Left at 8.30 and took a bus to work. I absolutely did not understand what the conductor rattled on. Held out the coins I had and he took 5/- Told my I need to get down at Lower Parale. Asked a neighbour to tell me the spot to get down. I was looking out for the Sheraton towers, but then they passed. Oops. Apparently I should have gotten down at the previous stop. But no worries. I had a good walk. Passes a petrol shed with a sign “pure for sure”. What was funny was that above this, they had a picture of an ok sign that look hilariously like the Preethi Logo.

· I was really early at work at 9.15 cuz no one I knew were there (Ajeeta, Anita or Rajeev). So sat down at the table and read papers. The office is next to the MTV office (lots of eye exercise in the evening I was told) and behind the Gray office. It’s a nice and quiet neighborhood. Very much like a large hall divided up by tables and small partitions. There are 2 carem boards in the centre and a pool table on the side where there is also a TV that is always on. There are separate people you call who will bring you your printouts and photocopies and your tea of B’fast from the kitchen downstairs. They have a great canteen where fresh food is made and who aroma wafts upstairs in the morning.

· Finally every one arrives by 10.30. Was given a brand book to read by Rajeev and my first assignment. Yasmin was there and that was really fun. Also met a bhora called Feroze.

· Lunch was unforgettable. Me, Ajeeta and Rajeev went to the Sheraton towers for a 5 star lunch/buffet. Had a mix of Indian and Sushi!!! This cost a pretty 575 INS. That’s a hell of a lot, even by Sri Lankan standards for lunch.

· In the afternoon, I went to get my phone card. Was a bit pissed off with myself cuz I bought the card without checking the prize. I paid 430 for it when I was looking for a 200/- card.

· In the evening, I took the bus back home again. I really should learn to read the numbers, cuz they make absolutely no sense to me. I could have gone home at 5.30, but I stuck around till 6.45 trying to get my USB port to work with the help of the IT guys and searching for documents from the network. Didn’t get a chance to play pool with any of the boys yet.

· Took the bus back, but missed the stop. Was in a long traffic jam with the horns blaring continuously when I realized that I should have reached home and that I should have asked someone. Was told that Mazgoan (where I stay) is long past. So I got down in this really crowed area and began walking back. Passed bhindi bazaar and the roza. It took me about ½ and hour. When I came to a spot I recognized, I treated myself to a sugar cane juice for 2/-

· Later Huzi bhai told me that I should ask them to make it fresh for me and not add any water or ice. The street food is really tempting. Went to sleep watching a movie…

Lost in the City

Thursday, 22nd September 2005

• Got up early thanks to Murtaza at 8.00. B’fast of cornflakes and wondering whether to go for Zairet or not. Its raining so Huzi got lazy and would take me in the night. Procrastinated till 11. and then biked it in the rain to the top of Nesbit road after which I walked to Masi’s house.
• Hung around there and chatted about nothing and everything. Should have brought recent home pictures for everyone to see.
• Manssur (my cuz) is married to an outsider (WOW). How tempting...
• Bhen picked me up after picking Murtaza from school at about 3. The office had called and asked me not to come it as the rains have disrupted work and people did not turn up for fear of being stuck there forever.
• Went for a one hour long walk and got a bit lost. But the walk was through some interesting areas. Ended up at the back of warehouses and factories, and somehow in Mustafa bazaar, tho was disappointed cuz I expected flea market type things
• Passed a beautiful Parsi housing complex called the Rustom baarg. Very colonial. And a lovely church called Gloria Church.
• Ran home to be in time to take the kids for Karate. They practice in a church opp Dockyard railway station. A little way is is the ferry wharf, which teakes ppl to Uran Island. The are many ships/boats and trawlers. The big ship is more like a rectangle. Bhen is inquisitive and daring as always.
• Went across to what I think is a fish market. The man said the light house we see isn’t one. In Chowder there’s a power base and one of its towers are this. We had all thought that this was the light house.
• Came back and went for Zairat in the van (Maruti) as it was raining. Had to wear Saya else they would not let you in. It has become quite strict. The roza is in Bhindi Bazaar and this is a predominantly Bhora area. Apparently they have a lot of power in Bombay. From outside you cannot really see the majesty and splendor of the place esp. since it is surrounded by buildings. But inside it was as stunning as I remember it though a bit small. Everything is a bit small, cuz the last time that I saw it was in 1993. It was shocking and horrifying to see a bhora lady begging for alms. Saw a Sunni mosque very close by and apparently this was the cause of a bit of fighting. Moula has apparently cursed that place.
• I realized the importance of wearing topi, beard and paren only now. In a city of millions it is very reassuring to be able to recognize fellow bhora’s even though they are so distant and not really very friendly. Overall the people I talk to on the road etc. (mainly for directions) have not been rude. They have mostly been friendly, if at all a bit abrupt. No one really wants to stop and chat. Was told that Bombay is like this.

Salaam Mumbai

Wednesday the 21st September 2005

Ok. I am here in India. Somehow it doesn’t feel that weird yet. I guess that is because I may have not been out on the street enough. It was an amazing day. I have not slept for a long time, but when has that never bothered me when I have had fun.

I have quite an audience seated around me in the surprisingly small flat (for me) but comfortable enough once you get used to it. Mustafa, the youngest, barely coming up to my elbow when I sit down is the closest to me now. He is about to turn 5 in November and is the most mischievous of the two. Amazing with the computer. He can go to any game on it and knows quite a lot. He is also quite a talker. Once he gets going, there is very little chance to get away. Bhen tried to warn me, but I have no problem indulging him cause he is quite sweet. Right now he is staring at the screen as I type fascinated with my speed and singing along to Billy Joel’s for the longest time Is quite fascinated with my MP3 gadget and asking about how it works etc. He is amazingly proficient with the computer too for a kid his age.

I have not spent too much time yet with my sis’s eldest…Murtaza. He got back from school at 3.00 quite a dirty fella. Washed and ate. Now is studying geography and hitting the ground with his pencil in what I think is abject misery at having to do homework with a little bit of frustration included.

Well anyway highlights so far:

• Left home at 1.00 to reach airport in an hour. Surprise was that a new x-ray machine meant that the days of digging into everyone’s luggage is over. The other surprise was seeing Aneek and Gehan (from Jetwing) there. Talked to them and was told that Gehan and his team were visiting Corbets nature reserve on work. Lucky buggers. One of the experts on his team learnt that I was going in to visit Mumbai, told me that there was some nice bird watching to be done. I totally misunderstood the context of the question, but luckily did not give myself away embarrassingly.
• The plane to Chennai was flying 12 km above the earth (and the temperature outside was -53 degree Celsius. This is a Boeing 737. The altitude is about 39,000 feet above sea level. Food Sucks (kesar pista health juice…Uck and putrid and vomit tasting….
• The safety demo makes you realize who truly fragile and vulnerable you are flying so high up there in the sky where your body was not really meant to go.
• The excitement has begun. I know from the gasps and frozen smile I found on my face as it was pasted against the window as the plane taxied onto the runway and exploded or forced itself to defy gravity.
• Where’s the in flight bloody entertainment? For a small moment, the view outside (against what you’d normally expect) was bloody stunning.. The lights down there were more amazing than the stars in the sky. I must regrettably admit.
• Pilot announces over the intercom “…we have just departed from Colombo and hope to be in Chennai” @!^$!@#!!!!
• 1st impression of Chennai airport is quite good. Clean and tiled. A bit clinical though. Lots of advertising space unutilized. Lovely temple on a hill very close to the airport. Checking out and collecting baggage was a breeze.
• Do not underestimate Indians. Even though they look like washerwomen (no offense to the Indians me included reading this, I have come to no better) they are well educated and killer smart.
• The landing was also awesome. The spotting of the mainland, the lights on the roads, the hills etc.
• The beach is 25 km away and town is about the same distance on the opposite side.
  At first sight, the people look the same here. The road outside was peaceful being so early in the morn. Saw people sleeping on the pavement on the bare floor with nothing even for their heads. Many Indian cars and taxis, all calling out to me offering their services.
• With my baggage have to walk 200 mtrs to the domestic terminal to get the flight to Mumbai 5 hours away. Luckily the bhora uncle from Colombo was with me and after some time I ditched him, keeping him in charge of the bags while I went for a walk. At the entrance the airport off the main high way a copped hammered a trishaw guy who had either offended him or someone in the road and for pushing the trishaw from the middle f the road. So bad they are no. Huge hoarding but hardly worth a second glance for content. Saw the sun rising from being the railway lines. It was great.
• Why do my sentences always begin in broken Hindi and end in Sinhala. It’s weird. Why not English. Why always Sinhala. Is it something to do with both languages having the same root of Sanskrit. The nearest food joint it about a km away, so wasted under hearings, people getting up and cooking food on the pavement. No one wears bike helmets. Ate hot bhajiva and paid 2.50. My first Indian indulgence and Indian expense. Came to Minambakhan station. Very like Sri Lankan stations in architecture, layout and everything really. Kids coming out of slum area and shitting. Almost on the payment. Obviously on some days they use the left side and on others, they would use the right side, Man squatting in drain and shitting every other hoarding uses a celebrity.
• Idea…U should do a guess the celebrity and show a small bit of it as a promotion.
  Inside, walked about the airport. The upstairs isn’t done a 100 %. Sat in the restaurant and viewing gallery for a while. Tried the doors to the restricted areas that would take me o the roof, but the final door was locked.
• At 8.15 x-rayed bags and got them checked in. At the final baggage check they spotted my pen knife, asked me to put it into my hand lugged. Had to go back cuz in runnig up and down, I had lost my hand luggage tag.
• Since the Mumbai flight was a small one I gues,s they had got us a small 50 odd sweater place. The propeller was at the back near the tail. Got the wing set again, b ut this time I got up and walked around from seat to seat, cuz the first part was amazing.
• Flat land, then intersperced with small hills and single mountains, small ranges and waterways. Then came to an area of many rivers and a really large range with big looking Grand Canyon style canyons. Was told that they might be the Nandi hills. Then after a bit the cloud cover was too thick to see anything. Can also see lots of cities and villages dotted with lroads speeding around them.
• Flying 850 km per hour. Will take the 1 hr and 50 min flight and 10 min more for a final check up I guess. The wing was leaking or over flooing fuels. Cuz of technical problems the last 2 days have been grounded and this was the fist in a while.
• Landing was a breeze. There was no checking out and the only slow down was waiting for the bags. Bhen and Huzi and mustu had come in their tiny maruti.
• The approach saw us flying over some bad slums. The areas are like that apparently.
• Driving was quite shocking. Pope honking and crossing the roads at random. They showed me the Dhaga…the largest slum area. Not a nice sight to see as a tourist must say. But to me it was all wonderful and amazing. Something knew to see at every glance.
  Called Office in the evening. Hung around and unpacked. Had rotti and vege curry with yum Hyderabad specialty mithai.
• In the evening went to Masgoun Park which is built over a reservoir on bhens scooter. Had Bhel puri and roasted Singh.
• Walked up to it, saw the light house, docks etc. Played many tiring running around games with kids. Saw huge frogs and rats.
• Kebabs with naan for dinner. Bhens in laws are in burhanpur so the house was quiet. The channels that are on cable are amazing. But a bit too much. In fact they are a bit off putting.