2014 anniversary issue

V. N. ROAD, CHURCHGATE, MUMBAI 400 020. TEL. : 2204 4693, 2282 1259, 2284 8076, 2284 2734FAX. : 2282 0985, email: [email protected]

Wishes

On its 29th Anniversary

R E S T A U R A N T

MUMBAI TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

hen the Afternoon Despatch & Courier was launched on March 25,1985, the aim was to create something quintessentially Bombay, atabloid that addressed itself to multiple constituents – the affluentand the middle class, the centrists and the liberals, the young andthe not-so-young, the traditionalists and the moderns.

Along the way, we have watched, sometimes with approval,sometimes with dismay, always with affection, the changing of Bombay intoMumbai. Three decades ago, we were a city of 9.9 million, already beginning to bealarmed at the way people were pouring in. Today we are a megacity, with 26million and growing. We have struggled to understand these changes, and continueto speak to and for our readers, usually successfully.

Journalism itself has changed so much, that sometimes it is difficult to recognizeour earlier, objective selves in the new journalism that is often subjective,sometimes opinionated, but never biased. We have adapted too, from pure print toincluding the world of digital journalism, where we believe that the future lies. Thisis reflected in the fact that our Google Analytics reports a continuous rising trend ofhits for both website (afternoondc.in) and epaper. Is this the end of print? Not forthe next three decades, we believe.

In these days of media watching and studies focusing on the thin-slicing of“audiences” and “news consumers”, the miracle is that we have survived for so long,and with a fiercely loyal, if small, clutch of readers across these constituencies, wholove us, look forward to our issues, and who trust us to speak for them.

It is to these that we dedicate this particular Anniversary issue. Mumbai hasreceived so much bad press, so much abuse from those who swear they will leave itforever for a better quality of life elsewhere. Yet we continue to stick on, quality orno quality. Why do we do this? Why can we not just up tracks and leave? Why doesthe thought of severing ties with Mumbai make us bleed inside? What is it thatmakes the average Mumbaikar cling to this city, whether he or she has arrived heresix months ago or has lived here from birth?

Energy, we were told, the people, the essential kindness, the work culture.Discussing the subject with each other at the ADC, the list grew to include specifics– food, culture, walking down Marine Drive at night, Juhu Beach, its festivals.

Truth is, we love Mumbai generally, but there are also specific LIKES. And thuswas born the theme for this issue. Why I still LIKE Mumbai.

We hope you enjoy it. We hope it raises your spirits as you read. Mumbai and theADC – we still LIKE each other.

Warm regards,

e like everythingabout Mumbai'sMonorail,introduced alittle over amonth ago to a

charmed and entranced publicthat can't stop using it,especially as a holiday activity.Up and down they go, brave inpretty pink, bold blue andpastel green, from Wadala to

Chembur, stopping in between atBhakti Park, Mysore Colony, BPCL,Fertiliser Township and VNP-RC MargJunction. Just like a proper commutertrain!

What's not to like? It cost Rs3,000 crore for its 8.9 km run, whichis about a quarter of Osaka'smonorail. But Osaka's system travels23 km. Then again, so will ours whenthe second phase from Wadala toSant Ghadge Maharaj Chowk (SaatRasta) is finally commissioned and themonorail will run a little over 19 kmfrom start to finish. We are notholding our collective breath for thatparticular promise, considering howlong it has taken this one to comethrough.

We are so pleased to beexperiencing world class travel even ifthe monorail has so far provedpractically no use to real commuterstraveling from north to south, tooffices etc. That will come.

We love the elevation which,through huge plate glass windows,gives us a vista of mangroves andgreen stretches, instead of slumshanging to the tracks almost cheek byjowl. We really like it all, from thejourney to access the stretch witherfrom Wadala or Chembur, the spotlessstations to which you climb and climb

and climb, a minimum of 20 feet anda maximum of much more. But soon,we will have escalators. We havebeen promised!

The interiors are equally lovely,pastel shaded and soothing to theeyes, and absolutely no graffiti orannoying advertisements plastered onthe walls, so far. The coolness itself isintimidating, as are the views and themodern seating arrangement. No, wecannot see people sauntering over tothe person in the third seat andsaying, “Jara sadka”.

Twenty minutes of pure pleasureand it's a wonderful way to spendsome quality time with family, eventhough it is too short and, as far aswe know, one cannot buy a returnticket. For this you get out at thedestination, swipe out, go to theticketing counter and get into line tobuy the return. To tell the truth,people don't seem to mind it.

During the coming holidays wecan just see long queues of orderlyadults, mostly senior citizens, withexcited bunches of children in tow,little backpacks loaded with picnicfood and water bottles, all excitingabout their first (or maybeumpteenth) ride in the monorail. It isa nice aspect of Mumbai that couldeven become one of its iconicsymbols, like the Gateway of India orthe Old Woman's Shoe at KamalaNehru park. It has the same unreal,toy-like quality.

AFTERNOON DESPATCH & COURIER18 TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014 MUMBAI

Not yet Mono-tonous

Try as we might to find out more, there seems to be virtually no history on whose idea it was to institutesomething as playful as the Old Woman’s Shoe at Kamala Nehru Park opposite Sir Pherozeshah MehtaGardens aka Hanging Gardens, on Malabar Hill. The gardens were built on top of a reservoir in 1881, theShoe - who knows! But generations of children in Mumbai have played inside it. By Azad Shrivastava

I like thedevelopmenthappening inMumbai,though whenI wasgrowing up, therewas so much space onthe roads that wecould play a game ofcricket. Now of coursethere are too manycars of all makesrunning on the roads .The skyline haschanged dramaticallyand the chawls, likethe one I used to livein, have made way forskyscrapers. It feelsalmost like theManhattan skyline ofNew York.

JACKIE SHROFF,Actor

EVERYWHERE ART

By Sushil Kadam

19Afternoon Despatch & Courier � MUMBAI | TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

e know, we know.Not enough cars areusing our beautifulWorli-BandraSealink, India's firsteight-lane freeway

over the open sea, modern Indianengineering marvel, weightequivalent to 50,000 Africanelephants, to make the squiggle ofworry gently creasing the foreheadsof the traffic ideas men and bigspenders in government, go away.

And they have a lot to worryabout, with fewer takers using thiswonderful bridge that cuts down timefrom north to south and vice versaconsiderably. You would have thoughtthat Mumbai’s inveterate cribberswould seize the chance with bothhands and a driving wheel to go forit, time being money more in this citythan anywhere else in India.

But no. Recent statistics revealthat the daily traffic count hasdropped by over 11 percent in thepast year, from 45,952 vehicles in2011-12 to 40,808 in 2012-13 and anaccumulated 16 percent over the pastfour years. It opened in 2009 withgrand projections that the Sealinkwould attract 100,000 to 120,000vehicles a day, which meant that itwould take around 25 years torecover the cost of building it.Rs.1,634 crore, that is the cost tothe public.

After the initial brouhaha and thecrowds and traffic jams following theinauguration and the race to say, “Iused it first” were over, expectationsof vehicle usage dropped – to 75,000vehicles a day. This meant the Sealinkwould take around 30 years torecover costs. However, the vehiclecount has been 40,000 to 48,000 aday over four years so now 40 years isthe more realistic estimate. At whichpoint, taking into account inflationand increases in fuel, the toll itselfmight be between Rs 400 and Rs 500.That is, provided the Sealink reachesthat magical number of 75,000vehicles.

Which is unlikely to happen sincehigh toll (Rs 55 for a single crossing)is cited as one of the reasons forpeople not using the bridge. That andthye fact that you race across it fromnorth to south, and then slow downabruptly because of the notoriouscongestion towards Pedder Road.

And new flyovers that move north-south traffic on the eastern flank ofthe city, especially the 2.6-km Lalbaugflyover and now the Eastern freeway,are also being blamed for luringmotorists away from the Sealink..

Is there a solution? Perhaps theprojected Pedder Road flyover and theWorli-Cuffe Parade projects.Meanwhile we will keep using thebridge, albeit irregularly, becausewhile racing down its gorgeous eight-lane, six-km length, we can feel likewe are really living in a wsorld classcity with Manhattan at either end.And we can tell all our relatives fromout of town its special stories.

The length of the bridge is 63times the height of the Qutub Minarin Delhi. The height of the cable-stayed tower is 126m, which is equalto a 43-storey tower. The length ofsteel wires used in the project isequivalent to the circumference of theearth. Each cable can take a weight of900 tons

Or perhaps we can use 50,000African elephants to get aroundMumbai.


Iconic, unviable, our own

Award winning architect and engineering designer Nuru Karim won the Notions of India award for hisCharkha, a 30-ft. sculpture in the Cross Maidan. It’s been there since 2012 and the first glimpse is alwaysaccompanied by an in-drawn breath. A marvellous way to bring art to a public, recreational space.

By Azad Shrivastav

By K B Jothady

I like thebuzz and theenergy of thecity which isvibrantalmost at alltimes. This is missingin other cities. Also, I

like the sense ofequality in variousclasses of people andthe importance that isgiven to the work thata person does and thetalent that a personhas, rather than hisbackground.

ATUL KULKARNI,Actor

EVERYWHERE ART

Western India Automobile Association

Tel.: (91-22) 2204 1085 / 2204 1885 Fax: (91-22) 2204 1382Email WIAA: [email protected]: www.wiaaindia.com

GGGGeeeetttt YYYYoooouuuurrrr SSSSmmmmaaaarrrrtttt CCCCaaaarrrrddddLLLLiiiicccceeeennnnsssseeee

@@@WWWW....IIII....AAAA....AAAA....

l Learn Driving at WIAA l Get your Smart Card License done atW..I.A.A l Change Your Booklet license to Smart Card l InternationalDriving License l On the spot issue of overseas Mediclaim policyl Show your card get discount on travel, lodging, entertainment, dining &many more… in Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, SouthKorea and all 27 ARC European Countries. l Safe Driving Coursesl Provision of drivers l WIAA’S School of Motoring l Free PUC check upl Get your Vehicle’s glasses etched with WIAA Unitech System.

WIAA Members enjoy a unique service. With a Motoring Institute thattrains safe drivers and issuing the License from one venue itself,Members delight is always our concern. Apart from Licensing, Members can now also avail for changing theirBooklet License to Smart Card License. All at one go and from one loca-tion without any hassles.Welcoming all Members to make use of this benefit from your own WIAAoffice @ 1st Floor, Indian Merchant Chambers Bldg., Churchgate.

A World of

WESTERN INDIAWESTERN INDIA

A World ofA World ofCar Care & Car SecurityCar Care & Car SecurityCar Care & Car Security

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATIONAUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Technology at its BestTechnology at its BestTechnology at its BestTechnology at its Best

ctually, we shouldnot complain –maybe. Six yearsafter the first sod (orpiece of road) wasbroken at Versova to

herald the start of Mumbai's long-awaited Metro Project, we are stillawaiting it.

Periodically, we are told about thenext big milestone, and we areallowed to check it off. Then adeadline is given – and it is passed asthe authorities (the MumbaiMetropolitan RegionDevelopment Authority)maintain a discreet silence.The potential users justignore the date and get onwith their lives as best asthey can.

It's been hell living on

the route that the project follows aroute of from Versova to Ghatkopar(referred to as the VAG corridor, with12 stations in between, since 2008. Isthe end in sight? No-one dares nod,but the latest tentative date issometime in May. This is how long thefirst line of the first phase has takento build. There are two more lines togo – from Charkop

to Mankhurd viaBandra, and from Colaba to SEEPZalso via Bandra.

There will be two other phases,with a total of six more lines and theMMRDA website says cheerfully thateverything should be ready by 2022,when Mumbai will be criss-crossedwith a network of metro linesdesigned to take the pressure off the

suburban system and makecommuting easier for its millions ofpassengers.

Right now, things are abewildering alphabet soup. There arereferences to safety checks, RDSOreports, CMRS safety certificatesawaited. Meanwhile, one station isstill to be completed on the line butwhat the heck, the train can alwaysskip it and just go on to the next one.The good news is that trial runs

have started and if you arebelow the Metro line any

time during the day, itis very likely you

will see thesmart

coaches movingsmoothly along the track,

three storeys above you.No-one is talking about that

embarassing thing called costescalations. If the Metro had beencompleted on schedule, its first ofmany, it might have cost less thanRs 1,000 crore. As it is, the latest inthe long line of figures to thecompletion of the first like on Phase 1is Rs 4,321 crore. But that is reallysmall change when you fit it intocontext. When the Mumbai Metro isfinally completed, projections todayput costs for the 146 km project at Rs.67, 618 crore. Withg room forescalation of course.


Almost there!

We like to think of this figure as ‘Running Man’, and he stands in the grounds of SomaiyaCollege at Vidya Vihar, symbol of the constant need for students to keep abreast both ofdevelopments and the competititon.

By Vishwanath Salian

I love my job.I lovemeetingpeople.Mumbaiallows me tomix these two aspectsof my life with a third– its diversity. So Icould be just doing myrounds, as I have beenthese past five years.Or I could becampaigning the way Iam doing now. And Icould be doing this inParel, at GaneshTalkies, speaking inMarathi, eating Misalor Vada Pav andwatching a Koli dance.Or I could be in aMuslim area, talkingto my constituents,enjoying a cup of tea.South Mumbai ispockets of everycommunity and eachexperience is sodiverse. It's all good,which is what I loveabout this city.

MILINDDEORA,MP,SouthMumbai

EVERYWHERE ART

By Sushil Kadam

e live in theextreme west of theextended city,within sight (anddefinitely smell) ofthe sea, but of

course we had to try out the EasternFreeway. How could we not, aftgerall the semi-orgasmic stories battedaround by motorists thrilled at theidea of getting from South Mumbaito Chembur in 15 minutes, andhere’s the kicker – without paying apaisa!

So we tooled over from Versova,using the flyovers on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road, to finally reachthe Eastern Express Highway, then

negotiated crowded Chembur beforefinally reaching the northern foot ofthe freeway, consoling ourselves allthe time that the extra fuel wasreally not the point, the saved timewas.

And it was wonderful, reachingOrange Gate in 15 minutes. So wetried it again, like speed junkiesunable to resist the lure of the openroad. And it was wonderful again.Except that we were taking a lot of

timed to reach SOBO andthe fuel bills were killingbecause of all the jams weencountered before andafter this little stretch ofheaven. So we have nowstopped.

But undoubtedly thereare lots of happy peopleliving near Orange Gate,Dockyard, Sewri, BhaktiPark, Mysore Colony,Panjarpole, Govandi andGhatkopar, getting on andoff the freeway.Unfortunatgely, we are notamong them.

But at 16.8 km, costingRs 1,250 crore, we verymuch like tossing off thephrases – controlled access,twin tunnels, signal free.Right now, we can lookforward to an April-endfinal completion of thefreeway that currently endsin Chembur, to be extendedto Ghatkopar.

Then again, dependingupon politics, the elections,the fates – maybe not.


Our great Eastern Freeeeeee-wayI loveMumbaibecause it istruly avibrant city,an abode toart lovers, musiclovers, dog lovers,cinema lovers and evennewcomers. The cityhas the best street foodin India. James Bondwould love Mumbaiwith its 'Never Say Die'attitude – look at howit bounced back fromthe floods, bomb blastsand terrorist attacks.Mumbaikars enjoy allpossible festivals –Ganesh, Id, Christmas,Diwali. Mumbai isundefinable, because itis not just a city – it is away of life!

NINAD KARPE,former Chairman,CII Maharashtra

By Sushil Kadam

oney lies on thestreets of Mumbai –that's the perceptionof non- Mumbaikars.And in many waysthey are right. This

city, the commercial capital, and hometo most of the country's millionairesand billionaires, does offer opportunity,if only you can spot it, work on it. Thenthe cash registers start ringing.

Most would not believe that there arepan shop vendors who do businesses ofover Rs 1 lakh per day. The humble vada

pav vendors in commercial nooks of thecity do business in thousands of rupeesper day. On an average, a taxi driverworking a 12-hour shift can easily garnerover Rs.800 a day, net. And all that is atthe bottom of the city's business rung. Onthe upside, is the much loved, reveredand feared Dalal Street, which houses thecountry's best known stock exchange.Here, fortunes are made and lost by thehour. But for the practical and disciplinedinvestor, it is as good as the hen that laysthe golden eggs.

Then there are the tech geeks, and

new business entrants who roll in cashovernight. All they need is an indigenousidea powered through technology andyou find the fund managers chasing,mostly luring them to part with a pieceof partnership through their privateequity funding. Clearly, in this city,success sells...and expensively at that.

Then there is the tinsel town lurethat promises to offer fame and richespacked in a single packet. But only ifyou have the talent for it. So as theysay: The money is where the talent is:And Mumbai surely provides for that.

Mumbai is the city of my dreamsand it is the city of my birth. I wasborn and brought up in this vibrantand wonderful city, got married,had lovely children here. Mumbaihas this charm about itself thatbinds you to this city permanently.I feel most comfortable in Mumbaias I have the sense of belongingtowards this city. This city’s historyand architecture entice you to dobetter. May be that is the reasonthat has prompted me to achievewhat I have achieved in life. All mygoals and aspirations, I have livedand fulfilled in this city. I am what Iam because of this city. I couldrealise my professional dream inthe chosen field of real estate, buildand create magnificent city withina city at Powai. I established aflourishing business in this verycity. The city has given me moreavenues to fulfill my passions andcommitments towards the society Ilive in. I am associated with 17colleges, 10 schools and threetemple trusts. Apart from that Iparticipate in various other socialactivities here. I have a lifelongbond of friendship and love in thiscity. Every aspect of my life, be itpersonal, social, love or friendshipis given to me by this city, in thiscity. I owe everything I have to thecity. I can proudly say that there isno equivalent to Mumbai anywherein the world. That is why I am herein this city and not in any other cityin the world.

NIRANJANHIRANANDANI,

Hiranandani Group

AFTERNOON DESPATCH & COURIERMUMBAI TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014 25

The lure of money

he best thing abouttravelling or commutingin Mumbai is that evenwith a basic knowledgeabout its public transportsystem – be it the

suburban railway network, the BESTbus routes, autorickshaws and taxis –commuting should never be a problem.With the metropolis developingoutward in a linear direction, thechances of getting lost in terms ofdirection of one's destination isminimal. Now with the East-Westconnectivity between Eastern andWestern suburbs becoming a reality

with projects like Jogeshwari-VikhroliLink Road, Sahar Elevated Road andEastern Freeway coming up, even thatmissing link in the transportconnectivity has been established.

Started in 1905, the BEST busservice of the BEST Undertaking hasbeen hailed as the best organisedtransport network in Asia. The BESTbus routes connect railway stations,connect the island city with the rest ofthe suburban district and long ago hadaddressed the issue of East-Westconnectivity with its bus routesconnecting not just remote fourcorners of the city but in some cases

even in neighbouring Thane district.The BEST has now added AC buses toits fleet of 4,680 buses that cater to 4.5million passengers daily.

Another unique transport system ofthe city is its suburban railway networkthat branches out in Central, Westernand Harbour lines connecting almostall the distant suburbs of Mumbai withthe business district of the island city.The entire network of 2,342 suburbantrains daily ferries 7.24 millioncommuters almost without anyhindrance, keeping the city moving.The transport connectivity is not aboutjust these identified means oftransport. Did you know that even theBEST operates Ferry services connectingthe Manori island with the mainland?Besides, it also connects Versova withMadh island and from Gateway ofIndia to Vashi and Elephanta island.

The latest addition to the everexpanding transport infrastructure isthe Chembur-Wadala Mono Rail thatkick-started in February this year. Eversince its inception, the number ofcommuters has been steadily growing.The missing transport link has nowconnected the far Eastern suburbs withthe Eastern suburbs. With thecommissioning of the Eastern Freeway,commuting time from South Mumbaitowards Eastern suburbs and beyondhas been considerably reduced too.

If all the above means of transportdo not offer you the solution, thenthe fleet of 2.46 lakh autorickshawsand 58,000 traditional yellow-blackTaxis that connect the island city andsuburban district, should. The entry ofprivate taxi fleets like Radio Cab,Mega Cab, Cool Cab, Tab Cab or MeruCab has only made commuting inMumbai easier and morecomfortable. With Android MobileApps like ‘m-indicator’, commuting inMumbai has become hassle-free. Andmore importantly, the helpful natureof a Mumbaikar also often does notlet you lose your way. Ask anyMumbaikar and he or she will guideyou to your destination and veryprecisely so.


You will never be lost in Mumbai!Mumbai is ahigh-spiritedand a fastpaced city.Moreover,the peopleare also veryprofessional here.There is nointerference andpeople believe in ‘beand let be’. All thesuccessful people inthe world have nevershied away fromanything, and peopleof Mumbai are alsofree spirited, they arenever tied down bythis city’s restraints,and probably this isthe reason for theirsuccess. I really adoreMumbai.

ANURAGPANDEY,Radio Jockey,TV Announcer

e are spoilt forchoice, especiallywhen it comes todining out. Everyturn at every cornerpresents a new

restaurant, or eatery, or café, waitingto be tried out. When eating out isalmost a religion, it would be a crimeto miss out on some of theserestaurants – the best that the cityhas to offer!

Bhagat Tarachand,The kitchens of Bhagat Tarachand fromwhere the founders started a smalleatery serving simple, where goodfood, earned him the title of 'Bhagat' in1895. Bhagat Tarachand was re-bornafter the partition! The restaurant hasbranches all over the city, and also inSanpada, Malad and Vashi. They servepeople from 11 am to 11 pm. Theyserve you fresh, tasty, vegetarian food,at affordable prices, a tradition keptalive over more than a century. Each

dish is an authentictaste of Sindh andPunjab with a

hint of modernity. The 119 year oldrestaurant serves some very famousdishes which will leave you wantingmore. 'Dal Fry' made from yellowmoong dal tempered with spices andAmul butter is so popular that it isprepared freshfour times a day! TheJain version of the dish is also available.

The tawa roti made Sindhi–style isone of the favourites at BT. Piping hotand flaky soft, the 'phulka' is theperfect accompaniment to the tastebud tantalizing veggies. It goes bestwith superbly cooked Papad Churi-bits of crunchy crushed papad with atadka of spices, and a glass of Chaas,known as 'Kutchi Beer' at BT (as it is

served in Beer bottles) .The meal is incomplete without

eating one of the special deserts, Ourrecommendation is ‘moongdal halwa'.Cooked for four hours and preparedfresh in desi ghee, this traditionalIndian sweet is rarely foundnowadays.

Gurukripa RestaurantThis restaurant is often referred to as‘samosa heaven', and its 'GK samosa',fragrant, spicy and crunchy, is asignature of this 35- year-old eatery..Buy coupons and pick up your stufffrom the respective stalls, or dine in thenon air conditioned and air-conditioned sections (prices are slightly

higher in the air-conditioned one).College students who swear by theSamosa Chhole and grilled sandwichesthrong the place. In the dine-insections , casually-clad waiters bringout authentic Sindhi Curry and Ricethat makes for a wholesome meal (inspite of the absence of the traditionalAloo Tuk) accompanied with a passableBoondi Laddoo, patties, and papad.While Guru Kripa also serves regularidlis, dosas, and pav bhaji, opt for thetangy ice cold paani puri. Ask for SetMeals at lunch that begin at just Rs 44- just right for college pockets!

Yauatcha

The restaurant is a haven for Chinesecuisine lovers. Tucked away in theheart of Mumbai’s financial hub, theBandra Kurla Complex, the cuisine isinspired by history and acknowledgesthe traditions of the past. Yet, it alsointerprets them for today. Yauatcha’schefs have taken recipes from all overChina, and using cooking methodstrue to a thousand years of Chinesetradition, have infused them with amodern sensibility.

Ranjeet Da DhabaOne of the most vibrant and greatplaces to catch up with friends if yourelish typical North Indian, Punjabiand Chinese cuisine is 'Ranjeet DaDhaba.' This place is also frequentedby those who like their flavoursomemocktails, cocktails and liquors. Thebar has an excellent and well-stockedrange of the best brands.The Maha Rajma with butter all overand the Tandoori Chicken served hereare just too awesome and no one canresist them. This happens to be theonly restaurant in Chembur whichserves food right until 4 am!Portions for all dishes are more thanadequate, and the pricing ismoderate. The only downside to thisplace is its location, quite hard to getthere, but worth the search and thehunt. This is one great place for a


Food's the way!

Mother and child in a permanent embrace, playful and filled with love, at the Bandra end ofthe Mahim Causeway. A gift to the city from the Kamat Group of Hotels, this is a work thatinvariably draws the eye and lifts the spirit, coming to and going from the Island City

By Azad Shrivastav

The questionI get askedmostfrequently iswhatinspires meto sculpt. My reply isalways ‘Mumbai’. Tome Mumbai is like anold machine that myforefathers owned.This machine’s beenused, overused,abused, beaten down,broken, torn, alteredand yet, defyingeverything that’sthrown its way, themachine still works.And it works onlybecause it has anundying soul. Literally,the body is on therespirator now, butthe spirit is invincible.That’s what I loveabout Mumbai. Thespirit, the soul.

ARZAN KHAMBATTA,Architect, Sculptor

EVERYWHERE ART

Pics: By Sushil Kadam

comfortable late night dinner.

Jhama Restaurant

Mithais and namkeens are theirspecialty since the past 50 years!Chatpata namkeens in variousvarieties and many mithais (includingBengali) make up the Jhama feast.Begin with gulab jamuns and workyour way to rasmalai or the Jhamaspeciality, sev barfi. For all thosepeople who swear by chaats, Jhamahas mouth-watering ragda patties,Basket Chaat, dahi vada and, ofcourse, paani puri.


Top 20 street food joints in MumbaiSearching for good street food? Look no further! Here we give you a list of the hottest food

joints in Mumbai – a foodie's paradise!

he one thing foodieswould love in Mumbaiis the food you get inthe city. Mumbai offersyou all kinds of food atall kinds of prices and

to satisfy every palate and budget!And Mumbaikars are no fusspotswhen it comes to food, you'll find allkinds of people hobnobbing andrubbing shoulders at some of thedingiest joints, only to get that soulsatisfying meal that doesn't burn ahole in your pocket.

Here's a lowdown on some of theoldest, most loved and trustedplaces that Mumbaikars like to go towhen they know they need a goodmeal that doesn't cost the earth.

Aaram Vada PavThis one’s been around for morethan 70 years, and is a localfavourite among people working inand around CST. Started way back in1939, Aaram serves up the mostdelicious vada pav all day to hungryMumbaikars who stop by to gettheir fill of Mumbai’s very ownhamburger ‘vada pav’. The vada pavhere is turmeric free and white in

colour, so it has a taste of its ownthat sets it apart from other vadapavs in the city. Leaving aside thevada pav, customers also swear byits misal pav and otherMaharashtrian delicacies like kandepohe, thalipeeth and sabudana

vada! They even serve a cheese vadapav that’s quite the rage.

Tibbs Frankie’The words ‘Frankie’ and ‘Tibbs’ havepretty much become synonymous.Many places have tried to replicate

the Tibbs Frankiephenomenon with differentversions of wraps and rollsbut failed miserably!Whether its Wraps and rolls,

Faasos or any other frankiejoint, they haven’t managed to

bite into Tibbs' success and loyalclientele. Whenever a Mumbaikar islooking for some meat in a roll, theyhave done and continue to turn to theever faithful Tibbs Frankie located attiny stalls all over the city.No holes areburned in pockets either. Vegetariansdon’t need to feel left out since there’squite a bit of choice for both!

Cannon Pav BhajiAnother old timer near CST, this one’sbeen around for around 39 years! Asthe name suggests, Cannon makesMumbaikars happy with absolutelydelicious pav bhaji day in and dayout. Whether it’s the ladies takingyour order, or the smell of that hotbutter oozing out of the bhaji or thepav... sigh...They serve vada pav too!

Pancham PuriwalaNewly renovated and redone,

Pancham Puriwala has been aroundsince 1892! Pancham Puriwala hasbeen giving Mumbaikars its daily fixof puri bhaji. Located near CST,Pancham serves a number of puribhaji combos – sada puris or masalapuris served with different vegetablesand thalis etc.

Sardar Pav BhajiLocated at Tardeo, this one topseveryone’s list as most popular pavbhaji joint in the city. Soaked in and

loaded with unimaginable amounts ofbutter, this pav bhaji is a butterydelight! And while some may debateon the unhealthiness of the pav bhajihere, the crowds are testimony to thefact that Mumbaikars really love theutterly butterly delicious fare!

Ayub’sNow people might squabble overBademiyans or Ayubs, but this loyalmeat eater will vouch for Ayub’s.Located in one of the lanes nearRhythm House, this place will offeryou your daily fix of meat whether it’sa roll or kebabs or even biryani.Ayub’s is always crowded and you’llfind a number of cars thronging thisplace for their bhuna chicken roll oreven chicken tikka roll! Vegetarianshave ample choice and can choosebetween mushroom, babycorn,paneer or even potato rolls. Anddon’t you underestimate thevegetarian rolls here! The paneer tikkamasala roll can give the chicken tikkamasala roll a run for its money!

Olympia Coffee HouseThis is every non-vegetarian’s delight!Food here runs out pretty soon andevery dish here is spectacular.Whether it's breakfast items like thekheema pav, chai and bun maska ortheir main course items like chickentikka masala, kebabs, biryani andcaramel custard you can't go wrongwith a dish here. This is a no frills

food oriented place, so leave yourhangups behind and head here for acheap tasty meal!

Crystal, ChowpattyLooking for some wholesome Punjabikhaana? This is the place for you!Another not so expensive joint in thecity. You'll have to brave some queuesto get a table here on weekends,because it's so popular! This one'sbeen around for ages and servessome amazing rajmah chawal, dalmakhani, palak paneer, stuffedparathas and kheer. Also do not missthe fresh fruit cream here!

Ladu SamratLooking for Maharashtrian food inLower Parel? Head here for somedelicious vada pav with their deliciouschutneys, sabudana vada and khichdi,kothimbir wadi, sheera, thalipeeth,missal pav and piyush. This is theplace to savour Maharashtrian snacks.

PrakashAnother place for greatMaharashtrian food. Good stuff youcan have here is sabudana vada,sheera, vada pav, poha, sheera,piyush, missal, missal pav.

K Rustum Ice-creamLooking for some great ice-cream atChurchgate? K Rustum is oneveryone's list of favourite ice-creamparlours in South Mumbai. Forget


All said anddone,Mumbai isIndia's mostvibrant andexciting city- it is the country'sfinancial as well asfashion capital, andalso of its filmindustry. Life in thecity that never sleepsis both stressful andexhilarating to themax. It is thequintessential City ofOpportunity, whereanyone with a dreamand the will to workfor it can make it.There is no other cityquite like Mumbai.

ANUJ PURI,CHAIRMAN &COUNTRY HEAD,JLL INDIA

Pics: By Vishwanath Salian

wishes

On its 29th Anniversary7-7A, Halima Bldg,Nanabhai Lane,

Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Tel: 2283 4167/2284 8242

FINE DININGSEA-FOOD SPECIALITY

NNooww nneewwllyy rreennoovvaatteedd aanndd ffuullllyy aaiirr--ccoonnddiittiioonneedd


Wishes

℡℡ 2262 1930

Baskin Robbins or gelato, this placemakes some fabulous ice-cream.Whether it is chocolate walnut oreven a fruit based ice cream, makesure you have it their way – betweentwo wafer biscuits!

Taste of Kerala, FountainIf you're craving some Keralite food,Taste of Kerala should be on your listof places to visit. Mumbaikars lovetheir Surmai Fry, Chicken Malabar andChicken Kerala served here with thespecial pink 'garam' paani which aidesin digestion. Extremely economical,you'll find people savouring the thaaliserved on a banana leaf along withother meaty delights.

Noorani, TardeoAnother South Mumbai favourite,Noorani serves some of the yummiestiryanis Whether it's the reshmi tikkabiryani or chicken tikka biryani, theseare really worth a try. Not quite ascheap as our other recommendations,but worth every penny. Everything onthe menu is a winner!

Swati Snacks, TardeoEvery Mumbaikar needs their fill ofhome-style Gujarati dishes and snacks.Whether it’s Pankhi, Gatta nu shakh orbhel items, the freshness of theingredients here will really leave youpleased and asking for more. It isslightly expensive, but again absolutelyworth it for the quality and taste!

New Martin HotelMartin's at Colaba wins hands downwhen it comes to cheap and excellentGoan food. Whether it is the Goanchilly fry/choriz pao, sausage rice,

mutton cultet or vindaloo. The icingon the cake, though, has to be thesteak! You get one of the best steakshere that don't cost a lot. It's tiny,extremely popular and makes only asmall amount of dishes that get overreally fast. Also end your meal withapricot custard!

Badshah, Crawford MarketThis is every vegetarian's favouritepost shopping snack place whenthey're in and around CrawfordMarket. Serving a whole lot of fastfood, you can't miss the Pav Bhaji andFalooda here. Food served here is fastand quick, just the way it should be!

Britannia, Ballard EstateBritannia remains every Mumbaikar'sfavourite Parsi haunt, especially fortheir very popular Berry Pulao which isonly available at Britannia. Thoughnot so cheap, the typical Parsi foodcan make any food enthusiast happy!

Mucchad PaanwalaMumbai's most favourite paanwala,Mucchad at Breach Candy has beenserving Mumbaikars their specialpaans for ages. And you can't missthe extremely long 'mucch'(mustache). The variety available hereis crazy and Mucchad is pretty mucha household name when it comes topaan! They even have a website!

Shree Thakkar Bhojanalay,GirgaumThe place has pictures of all thedifferent celebrities who have visitedthis extremely popular thali joint!Having extremely modest beginnings,this Bhojanalay has recently been

renovated and serves a superbGujarati thali!

Jai Jawan, Linking RoadThis is a really popular joint in thesuburbs, especially for non-vegetarians. Whether it is fried fish,prawns, rawas or tandoori chickenthey’ll have you keepcoming back for more, and this isevident in the crowds that throngthis place!

Ashok Vada PavCraving a slightly different vada pav?Well then Ashok Vada Pav is theplace to look for. This one’s for allthe sweet lovers, who’d rather havemeethi chutney in their vada pavthan garlic chutney! Ashok alsoserves chura pav, which is a differenttake on the traditional vada pav! Tryit out!



Wishes

M.B. House, Janmabhoomi Marg.Fort, Mumbai - 400001.

Web: www.prataplunchhome.comTTeell :: 2222887711110011 // 11881188

9, Pushpadant Niwas, Chunam Lane,Lamington Road, Mumbai-400 007.

NILESH UPADHYEMobile: 9820121372Tel.: 23869990 Computer AMC,

Network installation andmaintenance

CCTV Surveillance system � Tally Business Partner

Also deals

or Mumbaikars, oftensurrounded by theconstant buzz ofnever-ending traffic,running around,stressed out lives, the

city's Khau Gallis are every man'sfavourites. The city, known for sellingdelectable street food, has thesestreets which serve everything fromchat items to Chinese.

The famous ones across Mumbaiinclude the ones at Zaveri Bazaar, VileParle, Churchgate, Mohammad AliRoad, opposite CST railway station,and Ghatkopar (East).

1) Zaveri BazaarHere you will find morethan 50 street vendorsserving delicious food to

people who are busyshopping in the crazy lanesof Zaveri Bazaar in SouthMumbai. A famous food item

that you get here is the'Masala Khicha Papad'served nearBhuleshwar. Thepapad roasted andstuffed with butter

and grated onions and tomatoes withchat masala sprinkled over and servedwith shev is the yummiest kind of youpapad you could possibly get from aroad-side vendor. The other famousdishes are the Veg Tava Pulav, ChineeseBhel and Butter Papdi.

2) Vile Parle Khau GalliThe Vile Parle khau galli is just like asecond class compartment of a localtrain – very crowded. It works on acoupon system for buying food items.The hot bhutta with butter spread andlemon and chat masala is very famoushere. The chaiwalla selling masala chaiand a bhajiya walla add to this khaugalli's speciality.

3) Churchgate Khau GalliThe khau galli near Cross Maidan, offMarine Lines, on the lane connectingSNDT University Sunderbai Hall toFashion Street is the place where youcan relish on food to your heart'scontent. Pav Bhaji at Lenin Pav Bhajistall, Vada Pav, Misal, Juices, MilkShakes and juicy syrupy hot Jilebisalong with non-veg delicacies likeChicken Curry and gravies at thedhaba-like shacks are amzingly yummy,all at extremely resonable rates.

4) Mohammed Ali RoadFor the city that never sleeps, aninsomniac food street is much neededand appreciated. All you non-vegetarianfood lovers out there, Mohammed Aliroad nestled between Jama Masjid onone side and the bustling CrawfordMarket on another is the idealdestination to treat your taste-buds todeliciously unusual non-vegetariandelights. The neon lights of the foodstalls here are hard to miss. Themouthwatering aromas waftingthrough the air and exotic foods,ranging from lip smacking kababs,meats and chicken, nourishing malpuas,refreshing phirnis and cool soothingfaloodas are a magnificent gastronomicexperience. Some relish the tried and'tasted' baida roll (egg roll), while others

are

adventurous enough to sample handigosht, a minced meat preparation madewith three different meats. The narrowlane is dressed in the aroma of Mughalcuisine and is graced with the 75-year-old reputed restaurant Shalimar, whichstands proud at the other end. The roadis a must-visit during the holy Islamicmonth of Ramzaan when it is full offood throught the nights.

5) CST

Canon pav bhaji and the adjoining foodstalls are the right things for you if youare hungry at CST. They serve it to youpiping hot with dollops of butter! Theirpav is smeared with enough butter togive you calories, the yummy chickenbiryani and the sandwiches served heretoo are simply amazing.

6) Ghatkopar (East)The Ghatkopar Khau galli serves you theyummiest varieties of roadside dosaswith cheese toppings and a never-ending taste that one just cannot walkaway from. The other stalls serve youCheese garlic bread, exotic frankies,mocktails, different varieties of golaswith dry fruits and milk-maid fillings, thefamous 'Pan Ice-cream' and much more.


Impossible not to be absolutely delighted at sightings of the Common Man at Worli Seaface.In other avatars, he leans casually against a railing or shares a bench. We think he isperfect like this - simple, sturdy, standalone!

By Azad Shrivastava

n the bylanes ofDhobi Talao,standing at thecrossroads, lies oneof Mumbai’s oldestjewels – Kyani & Co,

established in 1904! Over a centuryold, Kyani’s has withstood the test oftime and has been a silent spectatoras the city has evolved and grown.Much has changed in the last century,but Kyani’s has remained framed intime and that’s exactly how you feelwhen you walk right in- the woodenantique furniture, creaky old staircaseor pictures hanging on the wall,Kyani’s really is pleasantly frozen intime.

Kyani’s has over the years beenserving Mumbaikars their faithful cupof chai and bun maska and a wholelot more day in and day out. Despitethe growing influx of fast food joints,fancy restaurants and numerouschains of coffee shops, Kyani’s stilldraws a loyal clientele. The chai, bunmaska, mawa cakes, kheema pav,bhurji, akuri, or even khari are stillpopular surviving among a ficklegeneration of youngsters who are

always looking for something betterand new! Many of their counterpartshave shut their shops, and only a fewlike Yazdani Bakery and SassanianBoulangerie remain.

Mumbai shares a very oldrelationship with Irani joints, one thatwe hope continues. These Iranianjoints were established way backfrom the mid 1800s onwards byIranian immigrants as a source oflivelihood. And since thenMumbaikars have relied on them fortheir fix of breads, biscuits and more.

With time, Kyani’s has expandedits menu. Apart from the usual Irani

food, it also serves burgers andsandwiches and a number ofcombination meals which are bothappetizing and easy on the pocket.Yes, meals here are extremelyreasonable and very economical forthe aam admi!

A visit to Kyani’s like a trip back intime. The sleepy atmosphere, menuunder the glass on tables, highceilings and old fans, Kyani’s isalmost a time machine forMumbaikars. It’s in contrast to thehustle bustle and fast paced highpressure life that awaits you theminute you step out.


Bun - maska for - everMumbai is incomplete without its Irani cafes and their distinctive menu

Foodie business!Pics: By Azad Shrivastav

Everybodycomes toMumbaiwith adream. Thecity testsyou mentally,physically andemotionally but wefind strength to

struggle on and toovercome. That is whyMumbai remains thecity where dreams canand will come true.That’s what I likeabout my city.

RASHMI BANSAL,Author,Entrepreneur and aYouth Expert

EVERYWHERE ART

Learn Journalismfrom the Best in Media

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN

JOURNALISM

Well-defined course curriculum designed by industry experts

PRINT JOURNALISMTELEVISION JOURNALISM

DIGITAL JOURNALISMPHOTOJOURNALISM

July 2014 to April 2015

24th Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai 400 050. Tel: 022-26435709, +91-9833806739. [email protected] www.stpaulsice.com

SUPER JOURNO CONTESTWIN A FREE COURSE IN JOURNALISM WORTH RS. 2,00,000

th, 2014,

L

POSTGRA

eao

Leafrfr m tom t

n

TE DIPL

narar Journ Jour alismnalismthe Best in Mthe Best in M

AATE DIPLADU

m

OMA IN

em

diaedia

L

PHDIG

TELEVISION JOURNALISMPR

JOURNALISM

OJOURNALISMHOTJOURNALISMALGITTAL

EVISION JOURNALISMRINT JOURNALISM

URNALIS

MSM

SM

ell-defined course curriculum designed by industry expertsWWell-defined course curriculum designed by industry experts

July

e curriculum designed by industry experts

y 2014 to April 201

y industry experts

5

WIN A FREE COURSE IN JOURNALISM WORTH RS. 2,00,000

02,th

E IN JOURNALISM WORTH RS. 2,00,000

,41

RTH RS. 2,00,000

o@stpainffo@stpaulsicest), MWa (, Bandroad24th R

.ce.stpaulsicwwom w.ceaulsicel: 022-26435709, +91-9833806739.TTel: 022-26435709, +91-9833806739.umbai 400 050. M

om c5709, +91-9833806739.

hat would Mumbaikars dowithout their daily fixof idli sambar anddosa? Wereally don’tknow the

answer to that, but we doknow that every Mumbaikarshares a very close relationshipwith the nearby Udipi joint! TheUdipi culture in Mumbai is an oldone, and one that is loved by every community. Every Mumbaikar turns to thefaithful udipi joint for that quick fix meal. It’s served fast, it’s healthier thanmost alternatives and it’s cheap!

Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding is probably the pioneer of theUdipi culture in Mumbai, starting way back in 1942 in Matunga. Rama Nayak’sserves simple, tasty, healthy South Indian food. The concentration here is onfood, with two sections – the limited thali (served in steel plates) and theunlimited thali (served on a banana leaf) section. The minute you walk in (afterbraving a queue) you’re hit by that heavenly smell of delicious South Indianfood being cooked. You’re then welcomed by a number of entertaining andhelpful instructions on the wall to make your meal here pleasant!

Rama Nayak’s allows customers to go checkout their spick and span kitchen (superbly

clean like most South Indian homes). Thisspotless kitchen serves some deliciousvegetarian South Indian delicacies likesambar or rasam, rice (of course),butter milk, a sweet and rotis. Thefood here is cooked and servedfresh (No leftovers here!)

All in all – the Udipi culture is anintegral part of Mumbai. You’ll findthem at every nook and corner ofthe city and there’s very little to not

‘like’ about them. They’re clean and dowhat they do best – serve tasty South

Indian food at affordable prices!

A South Indian Mumbaikar!

f it is Ganesh Chaturthi,we look forward tostuffing our faces withmodaks. If it is Eid, wehit Mohammad AliStreet and hog on Keeri

Kaleji, Sheekh Kabab and Malpoa likenobody's business. If it is

Christmas, we certainly want ourshare of Rum cakes. We enjoyBappachi Aarti as much as weenjoy Christmas carols. Werecognise the sound of Azaan.We see Ganapati mandals in

every corner of the streetduring Ganesh Chaturthi.

We see the city go allred and green with

Santas and giftsduring

Christmas. We see the Islamic flagsfluttering across the city duringRamzan. People from all religions andcommunities doing the GanpatiDance during Ganesh visarjan,attending mass during Christmas,wishing each other Eid Mubarakduring Ramzan, greeting the Parsiswith a Happy Navroze and evenasking for forgiveness with 'MicchamiDukkadam' during the Jains'Paryushana is Mumbai.

While these are the major festivals,even the smaller ones like Pongal,Makarsankranti, Teej etc. do seeaction in some part of aamchiMumbai. Pongal is celebrated withgreat gusto in Dharavi wherethousands of 'Madrasi' (this is whatevery South Indian is called inMumbai) come together to celebratePongal and distribute Chakrapongal(sweet rice) and 'Wadai' (dal wada) tofamily and friends. Makarsankrantisees kites doting the Mumbai skieswhile Teej ka Tyohar turns certainparts of the city like Chembur andSantacruz into a burst of lights wherefamilies come together, sing, danceand celebrate.

This is Mumbai for you. Mumbaicelebrates festivals together religion

being no bar. The feeling of onenessduring festivals (not that it is absentduring non-festival days) seems to bemore predominant with festivalsaround the corner because everyonecelebrates every festival.Unfortunately, in recent times, somefestivals have been in the news forwrong reasons like women beingmanhandled and harassed but still,the way Mumbai gives every festivalits importance and its citizens thefreedom to celebrate them is what Ilike, no, is what I love about Mumbai.


The festive spirit!

Flora on her Fountain. No need even to say anything about her to the true blue Mumbaikarfor whom she is the heart of the city, never mind that the centre has drifted north. She hasseen better days, she needs a good scrub, but the old spirit shines through. Flora celebratesher sesquicentennial this year By Azad Shrivastava

There aremany thingsI like aboutMumbai -the fact thatI was bornand brought up here:it has a lot of openspaces and greeneryaround with gardensand beaches close by.And the infrastructurelike railway stations,airports, bus depotsand taxis and autorickshaws and hotelsare all convenient touse and easy to reach.

RENUKA SHAHANE,Actor, Director,TV Anchor

EVERYWHERE ART

Pics: By Azad Shrivastav

ne thing thatdistinguishes Mumbaifrom other cities in thecountry is the 24x7supply of electricity thatthe city gets. No other

city has this privilege in the country,not even national capital Delhi. This isprobably one reason why Mumbaikarsjust can't think of residing in anyother city.

On July 31, 2012, half of thecountry had suffered a blackout fortwo consecutive days. Major citiesincluding Delhi saw one of the largestpower outages. Daily life wasparalysed elsewhere but Mumbai wasrunning like it always does.

The Brihanmumbai ElectricitySupply and Transport (BEST), TataPower and Reliance Infrastructureprovide electricity to Mumbai. The cityhas not suffered any major blackoutin recent times.

The city's electricity history datesback to 1905. Bombay Electric Supply& Tramways Company Limited (BEST)was the sole supplier of electricity andelectric tram services in the city from1905.

BEST was granted monopoly forelectricity supply and the running ofan electrical tram in the city. Duringthe British rule, the BEST was payingdouble taxes in Mumbai as well as inLondon as its office was situatedthere. The Board of Directors laterplanned to shift the London-basedoffice to Mumbai to avoid doubletaxation.

The BEST set up a captive ThermalPower Station at Wadi Bunder (nearCST), Mumbai in November 1905 togenerate electricity for its trams whichalso helped it supply electricity acrossthe city.

On August 7, 1947, a week beforeindependence, the BEST became anundertaking of the Bombay MunicipalCorporation and was renamed asBombay Electricity Supply andTransport Undertaking (BEST). LaterBombay was replaced withBrihanmumbai and the name becameBrihanmumbai Electricity Supply andTransport (BEST). Now, it operates asan autonomous body under theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC).

BEST still enjoys the privilege ofhaving a monopoly in Mumbai islandcity, from Colaba to Bandra. Atpresent, it supplies 883 mega watts to10 lakh consumers includingresidential and commercialestablishments.

Tata Power was started as the TataHydroelectric Power Supply Companyin 1911 to supply electricity to thethen BEST for trams and lightingpurpose in British-ruled Bombay. TataPower is the country's largest privatepower producer.

Tata Power is one of India’s largestintegrated power utility with businesspresence across the power value chain(generation-both conventional andnon-conventional, transmission,distribution, trading and fuel &

logistics). The company is one of thelargest renewable energy players inthe country with significant capacityin wind and solar energy. Tata Poweris set to continue to pursue avenuesto add ‘clean and renewable energy’generation capacities to increaserenewable energy portfolio whereverpossible.

In addition to providing 24x7power, Tata Power has consistentlyensured one of the lowest tariffs forMumbai residential consumers usingup to 300 units of power per month.Serving over 4.5 lakh consumers inMumbai, Tata Power is the fastestgrowing power utility in the city andhas achieved its sustainability intentof ‘Leadership with Care’demonstrating ‘Care for itsCustomers’.

Tata Power has also enabledMumbaikars with the ‘Right tochoose’ their preferred power supplierand has allowed consumers to benefitfrom competitive prices being offeredby the different service providers.

Reliance Infrastructure previouslyknown as Reliance Energy is one ofthe largest private sector enterprisespower utility. It provides 1250 MW to29 lakh customers including four lakh

customers who are direct consumersof Tata Power but use Relianceinfrastructure.

Sadly today, all these agencies arefacing a tough time coping up withthe ever increasing demand forenergy in the city.

AFTERNOON DESPATCH & COURIERMUMBAI TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

EVERYWHERE ART

One more from Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens at Malabar Hill, more Babylon than Hanging inits present condition. This work of art, depicting the world at the centre of its ownplanetary system, is a great favourite with the children. There is not a word about itscreator, however. By Azad Shrivastava

Mumbai haschangedincredibly

over the lastcouple of years.

And yet the neversay die spirit ofMumbaikars is what Ilike the most -unbroken, spirited in-spite of calamities likeriots, bomb blasts,weather calamitiesetc. I also like theBandra-Worli Sealinkand the metros inMumbai which aredeveloping at theirown pace - one as anengineering marvel,the other as a symbolof a better future.

Sunny Deol,Film star

35

Electri'CITY'!

ORGANISATION CUSTOMERS QUANTITY

BEST 10 lakh 883 MWTata more than 4.5 lakh -Reliance 29 lakh* 1250 MW

*29 lakh including four lakh customers who are direct customers of TataPower but use Reliance infrastructure.

There's somethingspecial about ColabaCauseway. You'll agreewith me on thisespecially if you'vegrown up in the vicinity

or spent a considerable amount oftime here. The words 'ColabaCauseway' conjure up a number of

images for me, whether it's thenever-ending rows of

colourful stalls sellingclothes, jewellery

and even lamps andhandicrafts or even the

crowded, bustling tables at CafeLeopold or Cafe Mondegar. It's oneplace that's throbbing with positiveenergy. Whether it's the shopping orthe food, there's something foreveryone!

There's a vibrancy in this part ofthe city that you won't find anywhereelse in Mumbai. While it's crowded,no one here is in a rush to getanywhere and the wide old roadsmake it a pleasant place to walkaround despite the crowds. There'scolour, old buildings, great food,shopping and all kinds of peopleroaming the streets here. And if youtake a detour into one of the lanesyou can find your way to Gateway ofIndia, The Taj Mahal Hotel, Radio Cluband explore a whole lot of lovely oldstone buildings in the many bylanesalong the way.

And yes, Cafe Leopold,Shantaram and the shopping isn't all

that makes this area popular, ColabaCauseway has a dark underbelly to

it as well. Whether it's thenumber of tourists or touts

following them around,Causeway is a real mix ofold and new, brightness

and darkness andlots more. Thisplace in terms offood has Cafe

Churchill, Food Inn,Martin's, Cafe Basilico just to

name a few. There's good ol' RegalCinema here too! Sahakari Bhandar,

RTI, Ling's Pavillion, Delhi Darbar andnewer places like Theobroma andMad Over Donuts are some of theother places you'll find here. It's areal treat for all senses.


The Causewaywith something for everyone

We like the lines, we like the confidence, we like the way this freestanding work of art atthe Peninsula Park compound in Lower Parel is of a spirit with the state of the art buildingssurrounding it. It is modern, it is spirited, and we would like to see much more of this kindof stuff in Mumbai’s public spaces. By Azad Shrivastava

I like theflyovers ofMumbai,springing upall over theplace at sucha good pace. Trafficmay be terrible now,but there is always thehope that things willbe better once theinfrastructure is inplace.

DILIP VENGSARKAR,Former TestCricketer andNational Selector

EVERYWHERE ART

Pics: By Azad Shrivastav

As he goes about seeking help from 'those inclined to charity' to start and run 100 freeEnglish schools in rural India, Professor Sandeep Desai's unique and unorthodox approachcontinues to evoke excellent response from Mumbai's railway commuters. He says that

tapping into the city's lifeline, its suburban rail service, brought him face-to-face with thefact that the average Mumbaikar is greatly generous at heart.

any of Mumbai'srailway commuterswill have, at sometime or the other,heard a wellmodulated voice

loudly announce over the din of acrowded compartment, 'Good dayeverybody, I am professor SandeepDesai. I'd like to tell you, if you givechildren some money, you but feedthem for a day. Give them education,and you feed them for a lifetime!' Witha loud, 'Vidhya daan, shreshta daan,'he goes on to announce the variousfree English medium schools that hisfoundation, Shloka Missionaries, hasestablished in different parts of thecountry, providing grassroots primaryeducation to children from deprivedsections of society. This highlyqualified marine engineer andmanagement lecturer firmly believesthat empowerment and progress ofthe country can happen only if themost marginalised amongst us getsaccess to knowledge. And giving thatknowledge in English will ensure adirect participation in life at the levelseach and every child should enjoy.

Sandeep also feels that the commonman must be given a chance toparticipate and enjoy his ownsignificant role and contribution inbringing this empowerment about –and the only way this could becomepossible was by going out andreaching to the man on the street. Theeasiest way, he says, was to meet himin the train! In such a place, regardlessof the rush and the noise of a packedbogey, there is scope and time to lethim know what Shloka Missionaries isall about. He initially started out with aschool for slum children in Goregaon,and the thrill of seeing it work for thekids there realised it could be enlargedto a pan-India level. The professor is allpraise for Mumbai and Mumbaikars,saying all of what has happened, hasbeen made possible, thanks to thegenerosity of the average citizen.Listening to him talking aloud aboutthe free schools already established inMaharashtra and Rajasthan,establishing his credentials by holdingaloft all the laminated cuttings ofarticles in praise of his efforts carried invarious newspapers and magazines,almost every second traveller in thecompartment reaches into his pocketand takes out a note of at least aRs.50. There are those who are eagerto offer the hundred rupee note too.But Sandeep remarks that it is veryheartening to see the man who hasneed of every paise he has earned, stillreaching out to put a 10 or a 20 rupeenote into the collection box. Somotivated does every one get by the

three-minute lecture of the professor,that he has to constantly keep bendingin thanks for the contributions thatkeep coming right until he steps offthe train and goes home to get aheadwith those selfless plans for India'srural children, currently in Washindin Ratnagiri and Doniwade inRajapur.


EVERYWHERE ART

In the heart of Dadar, in front of the Plaza Cinema on the west side of Tilak Bridge, standsthis figure that is so reminscent of a recent past, when everything came to your doorstep. Itstill does, at a call on his cellphone!

By Azad Shrivastava

I like the buzzand the energyof the city

which is almostvibrant at all

times which ismissing in other cities. Ialso like the equality invarious classes ofpeople and importanceis given to the workthat a person doesand the talent that aperson has ratherthan hisbackground.

SHREYAS TALPADE,Film star and

Producer

37

Common man with uncommon approach

On the night of May 17, 2013,Professor Sandeep Desai, who wasgoing about in the compartmentsseeking funds to set up primaryEnglish medium schools for childrenin rural areas, was arrested by theRailway Protection Force (RPF) forbegging and causing nuisance, andbooked under sections 144(B)(punishment for begging), 145(causing nuisance) and 146(obstructing a railway servant in hisduties) of the Railways Act.

eet Sandeep Bache.If you live in Bandrayou might alreadyknow him. Madepopular by his hatkeautorickshaw that is

loaded with a television, telephone,drinking water, a donation box forcancer patients, a chart showing therate of gold and silver for the day,newspapers and magazines, etc. (hehas plans to make his gaadi Wi-Fienabled soon), this rickshaw driverbelieves in making people smile.

Fondly called Munnabhai SSC,Sandeep is a do-gooder in his ownway. He gives discounts on fares forsenior citizens and people who arephysically challenged. He gives a freeride to people on special days likenew year's eve. He gives a part of hisincome to some charitable cause andurges people who travel in therickshaw to help the cause. Hiswillingness to help people andattempts to make them feel happygot him a place in ADC's list of 'PeopleMumbai Likes'. Sandeep, a diehardSanjay Dutt fan, is an SSC passout(now we know where his nicknamecomes from) and keeping his vehicleup to date with newspapers andmagazines and giving discountsdoesn't come easy. During times wheneverybody is cribbing about lack ofincome and ever increasing expenses,

Sandeep makes extra efforts tocontinue giving people his uniquevehicle's services.

He gives his rickshaw for birthdaysurprises. He admits to having askedfor money when people come to himfor interviews that take up hours.“Mera bahut nuksaan ho jaata hai

madam. Aur koi madat bhi nahi karta.Toh agar koi shooting ke liye aata haimera interview leta hai mai chargekart hun. Mujhe bhi paise bachanehai. Meri family ka future dekhna haina madam”, said Sandeep who has awife and two school going children totake care of. Sandeep who wasrecently invited to the TED event heldat Vishakhapatnam where he spokeabout his USP, he said, “I will continuewith what I am doing. I have beenable to manage till now and in futuretoo I will manage. If you do good forothers, someday you will get thebenefit”.

Now, that's a true Mumbaikar. Wayto go Sandeep!


The do-good autowalla

A special favourite (or it ought to be) with all people who have anything to do with the media.This sculpture was commissioned by the Tata Group and adorns the centre of the fountain inthe B G Horniman Gardens in front of the Asiatic Society of Bombay. He was Irish, he livedfrom 1873 to 1948 and he was a fierce defender of press freedom and Independence for India.

By Azad Shrivastava

I havealways livedmost of mylife in Delhibut when Icame toMumbai, I wasfascinated by thetransport facilitieswhich I like becausemy travelling to andfro my office to homehas been verycomfortable here.

BARRY JOHN,Theatre artist andDirector

Sandeep Bache

EVERYWHERE ART

f you hear someweird not-in-any-language-dictionarykind of words inAamchi Mumbai,don't be surprised,

because it is indeed 'Aamchi'Mumbaikar vocabulary.

This city, with its highlydiverse population, has it owncopyrighted slang, with a taste ofevery language and culture – beit Marathi, Gujarati, English,Hindi, Punjabi and the listgoes on. Don't beoffended by the "re"at the end of everysentence, it is acompletelyacceptable way ofspeaking out here.We might not beperfect with ourrespective mothertoungues, but that'sthe result of staying in ametropolis like Mumbaiand mind you, we don'tregret compromising onthe language bit at all. Thismixture of languages has givenbirth to our Mumbaiya slang.

A Mumbaikar with a Gujaratiorigin may add a "ne" or "che" to

his Hindi sentences whereas aMarathi Mumbaikar will use atleast one Marathi word in hisspeech, usually under theassumption that he isspeakingpure

Hindi!. Hindi is what youhear between all these

languages. Though ourpronunciation creates new wordsthemselves, our grammar makesit more complicated. Tounderstand a Mumbaikar'sspeech, you do not need to learn

it from anyone. Just staying hereand keeping your ears open isusually enough to make you an

expert. "Bhidu" mightseem like just a word,

but it axctually says.“Relax man, you aremy brother", invarying tones ofintensity. It’s allgood, lots of lovethrown in.

We don't need toescalate ourvolumes to displayanger, our lingoworks justfine. You

might slapsomeone, but

we would rather handout a "chammat", Youwill ask someone toexcuse you in acrowded train

because you needair. "Chal hawa anede"is what you will hear.And everyone, even theshoeshine boy, is eitherBoss or Saheb. Makeseveryone feel good!

With years of evolution, ourlanguage has grown rich enough


Read this “re”!

BUNTAI

RAJA

CHAILABOSS

KADAK

BHENDI

to havecontext,emotion and

even invisiblepunctuation marksattached to it, helping us

keep connected to eachother so well despite ourextremely hecticlifestyles.

For Celebrating29th Anniversery

Great AchievementWish you all the best

Bull's Eye Communications

Congratulations

ADVERTISING SERVICES

Chembur •T: 2528 5478 / 2528 541 •M: 98920 47323

Email: [email protected]

OVER 3 DECADES OF DEDICATION

PRESS WINGS

29 yrs of hard work

keep it up

We are with YouCCLASSIC ADVERTISING

Mazgaon, Mumbai - 400010

umbai is said tohave something foreveryone. Its lifeline– the local trains –too have somethingfor everyone on

board. Hungry and need a quick bite?You will see an old aunty smiling atyou and waving a packet of garmagaram samosas with fried greenchillies or a making a pudiya ofchatpata bhelpuri just for you.Wardrobe malfunction (not very

uncommon when you try and getinto the Mumbai locals duringthe morning hours) and you

desperately need a safety pin fordamage control? You will see a manin the ladies' compartment sellingall kinds of utilities right fromcotton ear buds to water filters to

hot water packs and of course yoursaviour, safety pins.

Heading to your examinationcentre and you realise that you haveforgotten to carry a pen. Panic attack!There comes a person selling not onlyball pens but pencils, marker pens,erasers, writing pads and anythingelse that you might need whenappearing for your exam. The list ofsuch situations can be endless and alocal train can be your one-stop shop.

Train shopping is a phenomenonpeculiar to Mumbai. The range ofshopping that can be done in theladies' compartment of a Mumbai

local is huge. Right from a safety pinor pass cover to cosmetics, clothes,jewellery and even fruits andvegetables, name it and you have it.Also, you have the privilege ofbargaining.

There are a few of these trainentrepreneurs who are seen everydayon certain trains and have become afamiliar face for the commuters whotravel in those trains regularly. Thereis this lady who sells cosmetics andhas become more of a friend of thecommuters. While the ladies ask her,“Naya kya hai market mein product?”[What's new in the market?], theseller aunty asks, “Aap kaise hai?Bahut dino se dikhe nahi” [How areyou? It's been quite some time since Ilast saw you], thus kick-starting aconversation that lasts till either ofthem has to get off the train. Anothersuch friendly train hawker is a ladywho sells 'baalo ke liye' mehendi,multani mitti etc. and when askedabout the guarantee of the results,she says, “Mai isi train mai hoti hu.Kuch bhi takleef hui toh batana”.[This is the train I take everyday. Letme know if there is any problem.]Then gives out a mobile number andsays that you could call her in caseyou have any queries regarding theproduct. A barrage of questions onskin care and tips to have healthythick hair is then let out by women inthe compartment. A relationship ofsorts is in the making in this everydaycommute in a Mumbai local.

This is Mumbai – where smallinteractions between strangers forgeinto friendships. Train shopping notonly fulfills your day-to-day simple yetimportant materialistic needs but alsothe need to have company in yourotherwise lonely train journeyeveryday.


Life inside the trains

How many people notice the sheer serendipity of Arzan Khambata’s leaping dolphins atWorli Naka? Precious few, we are sure, for it is one of the busiest junctions in the city, andmost people are in too much of a rush to look at this wonderful piece of art. Makes youthink of green water, and the smell of a sharp ocean breeze in summer. By Azad Shrivastava

It felt nicegoing to thenew airport,becausefinally, wehave properreception facilities

for our tourists and it’sswanky and akin toother internationalairports.

PRAMOUDRAO,CEO, ZICOM

Securities Ltd.

EVERYWHERE ART

fter "Have you metAmitabhBachchan/ShahrukhKhan?", the nextquestion anyMumbaikar faces is

usually, "Do you stay next to thebeach?"

"No, I don't!" Only if they knew thereal estate rates in Mumbai. A housenext to any of the beaches in Mumbaiwould mean you are considerablyrich, unless of course, you are stayingin the shanties lining some of theseashores in the city.

While we love to talk about ourbeaches, it is only our once-in-a-whilevisits that we are mostly speaking of.Yes, the beaches do form an integralpart of the city that Mumbai is, andwe do like to boast of them,considering very few cities in Indiahave an urban beach.

Our Girgaum Chowpatty is almostsynonymous with Ganpati Visarjans,apart from the chaat – the bhel, paanipuri, gola and much more. We love toindulge in these at our beaches.

Next in line is the Juhu Beach.Now, this one is known to be theupmarket beach, what with most ofyour Amitabh Bacchans and ShahRukh Khans staying around that partof the city – the western suburbs.

Also, you will often see this one inIndian TV shows.

Apart from these two, we have theDadar Chowpatty (famous as ShivajiPark) in central Mumbai and somemore like the Aksa, Marve, DaanaPaani and Madh around Malad whichmake for weekend gateways for thecity youngsters.

However, what steals the show formost of us is Marine Drive – which isof course, not a beach, but a curving4.3 km concrete boulevard along the

coast, forming a natural bay. Anevening walk along this promenadewith a view of the setting sun issomething that you will have towitness to know how it feels like.

But the best bit is this: standingat Marine Drive, facing the vastArabian Sea and having the heavyrains splash your faces during themonsoons. Nothing refreshes usbetter than this, helping us unwindafter a hectic day that Mumbaiguarantees.


While Delhi isclose to myheart, in thelast few years Ihave come to

consider Mumbaias my home. The

spirit of Mumbai is verygenerous and the cityopens its arms for peoplelike me who come hereto follow their dreams.From the mouth-watering street food tolong walks along the sea,from the warm lovingpeople, to the feeling ofsafety, Mumbai has sucha unique feel that itgrows on a personmaking him feelbelonged.

PULKITSAMRAT,

FilmActor

41

A 'beachy' affairBy Azad Shrivastav

Zodiac AdvertisersZodiac AdvertisersZodiac Advertisers

HHaappppyy AAnnnniivveerrssaarryy

May you bloom withsuccess every day.




ffrroomm

LOKHANDWALA ADVERTISING Sunny Side Shop No. 5, Lokhandwala Complex,

Swami Samartha Nagar, Andheri-W, Mumbai-53.Tel No.: 26364274 / 26316960. Email: [email protected]

To

Wishing Happy th 29 Anniversary

y life is one bigparty. And thereason I loveparties is be-cause they areparties. If you

are a party person you wouldknow what I mean. A party is the

place to establishcontacts, to listento gossip, to en-gage in people-watching,observing howpeople dress, menin sharp suits and

ladies in little black dresses, sensu-ous saris and designer wear,standing tall in their stilettos andclutching their dainty or gigantichandbags (just don’t ask what’s inthe bag). I love parties becausethey serve champagne, beer, wine,spirits and cocktails and you don’thave to pay for them. You get toknow the bartenders and the bar-tenders remember your drink andevery time it’s happy hours.

Parties give you an opportunityto listen to music, be it retro orthe classics, jazz, blues, rockand roll, Latino, even Bolly-wood tracks that makeyou move and groove tothe beat. It’s party timeon every night of theweek, time to party at artpreviews, music launches, firstlook of films, success parties offilms, launches in fashion bou-tiques, pre-show and after-partiesat fashion weeks, new productlaunches, food festivals, tourismpromotions, opening of restau-rants and bars, movie premieres,birthday parties, sangeets andwedding receptions – the reasonsto party are endless and the moreparties the merrier. And one morereason why I love to party is be-cause it gives me a chance towear my bright shirts in hues ofsunshiny orange, leaf green, ca-nary yellow, sky blue, deep purple,siren red and virginal white (actu-ally, that’s not a colour), com-bined with black, brown, beige,blue and even peach trousers andblack or brown shiny shoes thatare meant for dancing.


Come on baby, let’s go party!

Shveta Salve, Suchitra Pillai, Manasi Scott, NarayaniShastri and Ekta Rajani

Deepika Gehani andDilshad Khambatta

Divya Khosla Kumar, Amy Billimoria andKunika Lal

Mandira Bedi &Shah Rukh Khan

Arif Zakaria

Anuj Saxena

Eijaz Khan

Avinash WadhawanMugdha GodseKarismaKapoor

SonalChauhan

Ileana D'Cruz

Sambhavna Seth

he Sanjay GandhiNational Park (SGNP) ispopular amongMumbaikars, who makeday trips to the parkalong with their

families all round the year. It isnotable as one of the major nationalparks within a metropolis limit andmany foreigners frequently visit it.The park has different kinds of treesand great natural beauty thattourists come to enjoy.

The primary attraction at SGNP isthe toy train. Also known as the'Jungle Queen' it has been attractingtourists for more than 25 years. Itwas discontinued for a while in 2001due to poor condition of the trackbut is now functional. The toy traincovers a distance of about 2.5 kmtaking you on a ride of about 15minutes along the foothills of theMahatma Gandhi Memorial,Pavilion Hill, traversing a couple ofbridges and tunnels and passingover the deer park.

Though hundreds of peoplevisit SGNP daily, the number oftourists goes up considerably in the

monsoons. There are many damsand lakes that tourists can visit,but sometimes these lakesprove to be dangerous as some

visitors have drowned in them.Many a times, SGNP has made

headlines for the dead bodies foundinside it and the murder casesreported here. However, forestauthorities cannot place CCTVcameras on every tree and keep awatch everywhere all the time.Some anti-social elements takeadvantage of this.

Another big attraction atSGNP is the Lion Safari which isa 20-minute ride. The park issaid to have a total of about 25lions and lionesses. However,

visitors can safely see a couple ofthem at close range, from inside thecaged buses. The remaining 23 have

been relocated or placed in fencedareas far away from the roads usedby the green buses. The KanheriCaves located at the end of SGNP,also attract a large number oftourists. These caves were sculpted byBuddhist residents in the first centuryBC.

The park was earlier calledKrishnagiri National Park and wascreated in 1974. At that time the areaof the park was only 20.26 sq.km.(7.82 sq.m.). In 1969, the park wasexpanded to its present size by

acquiring various reserve forestproperties adjoining the park. Afterthis, an independent unit of theforest department called the BorivaliNational Park Sub-divisionadministered the area. The park waslater renamed Borivali National Park.In 1981, it had another name change,this time Sanjay Gandhi NationalPark, in memory of Sanjay Gandhi,the son of India's ex-Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi.

SGNP covers a large area includingsome residential colonies and a largenumber of slums nearby. As a result,there have been many incidents ofleopard attacks in Borivali and theadjoining Thane district whereleopards enter into residentialcolonies and attack people,sometimes even killing them.

In the throes of dance, this entrancing figure lights upthe front of Big Cinema in Wadala, exuding exuberance,youth and a determination to live life to the full..

By Azad Shrivastav

I have justreturnedfrom Nairobiand Igenerallytravel a lot,but I like Mumbaibecause this is where Ihave my home and it'salways nice to returnhome and see myyounger sister's smilingface. In the morning onthe balcony, you cansee the thelawalaselling vegetablesoutside the baug, andthe car washers andthe YMCA boyshovering around theidli man. You get thepicture. When I amhome there is a sense ofburdens lifted,pressures eased. And Ihave time to examinewhat I haveaccomplished and whatI still have to achieve.It is the place where Ihave time to think offuture endeavours. Youcan extrapolate theexperience of my hometo the rest of the city. Idon't spend much timehere, but when Ireturn, I can catch up.Where am I going now?To Sweden and Latvia.Dance is a demandingmistress.

ASTAD DEBOO,Dancer

EVERYWHERE ART


It’s green and we like it!It's been several decades since SGNP came into existence and it still

remains a popular tourist destination. We’ll tell you why

riggle a bottom,shake a leg –Mumbai’s dance bargirls had it all –gaadi, kapda,makaan, diamonds,

cellphones! An example of this wasthe mid-2000 IT raid at bar dancerTaranum Khan alias Tannu’s house,who had shot to fame due to herfriendship with big-shot internationalcricket personalities and someinfluential politicians in the city.

“She was the running horse of thebeer bar circuit. Taranum was hername. Tall, fair and brown-eyed, shesizzled in sexy chaniya cholis torecorded filmi tunes in Deepa Bar inthe western suburbs. Her ‘jaanu’(paramour), a ‘bawa’ from Bangalore,showered lakhs of rupees on herevery time he was in Mumbai”,asserted the former owner of JharnaBar in Malad, in whose bar Taranumstarted her career as a bar girl butleft, after a brief stint, only to joinDeepa Bar, where wads of currencynotes were showered on her by thecustomers.

Being in the business for a fewyears, 26-year-old Taranum hadofficially owned a flat then costingRs.53.5 lakh in the LokhandwalaComplex, had spent Rs.18 lakh onfurnishing its premises, a small villa inAdarsh Nagar near Lotus Petrol Pumpat Versova, a Maruti Accent and aHonda City car as well as a high-endcellphone. What’s more? She hadeven got her teeth corrected from adentist in Pali Hill who only caters toMumbai’s top-notch actresses for acool Rs.2 lakh. Taranum was just one

case in point.There were severalmore and thenames kept onchanging withevery newcustomer. But theirglamorous livesnever remainedcamouflaged as

hard luck stories. Instead, they wereabout status trappings, fast moneyand faster sex.

On a dancing wicketMumbai’s dance bars were so famousthat not only the common man, butpeople from sports circles frequentedthese places. On a little chilly morningof October 10, 2005, when the winterwas just setting in, at 12.45 am,dashing opening one-day batsmanShahid Afridi, all rounder AbdulRazzaq accompanied by formerPakistani captain Aamir Sohail andsome retired cricketers made a silententry into 'Tandoor', a dance bar thenlocated at Matunga (W). Interestingly,the bar was operating despite homeminister Patil’s ban in August 2005.

As soon as the cricketers entered,the outside gates were closed and theentire bar was cordoned off from theoutside public for nearly 45 minutes.During this 45-odd minutes that theywere there, watching gyratingfemales, the cricketers blew uparound Rs.1 lakh in cash. Afridi, whowas wearing a track suit, did animpromptu dance in what the waitersand stewards present had describedas ‘tapori’ style. They subsequentlyleft in high spirits reportedly for a

diner date with film actor ShahrukhKhan.

This was not the only event whenthe cricketers visited Mumbai’s dancebars. In fact, little prior to the 2005visit of Pakistani players, the famousSri Lankan cricketer who used toshower currency notes on Taranum atDeepa Bar was none other thanMuttiah Muralitharan, which hadthen made headlines in the citynewspapers.

Speaking about it, a dance barowner, who now owns a lavish barand restaurant in South Mumbai said,“The Sri Lankan player used to cometo Deepa Bar to blow off a little steamafter a hot day’s work and enjoy sometwinkle-toe dancing. There’sabsolutely no evidence of any matchfixing or betting on cricket whenMuralitharan came to watch Taranumdance”.

Another high profile cricketer wasformer West Indian cricketer VivianRichards. But he preferred Topaz Barin South Mumbai’s Grant Road area.

Nautch girls and netasIt was in the mid 90s, clad in a starchwhite kurta-pyjama and a black Nehrujacket, the salt and pepper beardedminister, who had held a majorportfolio at the Centre and was closeto one of the ex-prime ministers ofIndia, had made a hush-hush entry atBachubaiwadi on Foras Road inNagpada, South Mumbai. Theminister was accompanied by his 10MLAs and MPs from his home state toavoid getting seen.

Former owner of Bachubaiwadichawl, who is in his late 60s and


Bar girls and other storiesWhere doesthe heart ofMumbai lie?What makes ittick? From itspeople, itsinstitutions,its endless questfor the impossibledream, which comestrue, so many times. Thesearch for Mumbai, suchan opulently obvious cityat first sight, is not soeasy, however. There isthe money, theundoubted money,which gives it its ownpeculiar thrill. There isthe trend-setting waythat money is used,which sets a precedentfor the rest of thecountry. Mumbai movesfaster than any otherIndian city. It weaves, itducks, it swings, side-steps and sometimes,along the way, it losestrack of itself. And sothose people, things andmore specifically thebusinesses, which onceblossomed, cherishedand attractedMumbaikars the most,have ceased to exist,vanished into oblivion orstill exist stealthily evenafter the ban bygovernment. Mumbai’s‘Dance Bars’ – anadvanced version ofMujrawali kothis – thecabaret bars and servicebars were suchbusinesses, whichmushroomed andbecame an industry initself by setting a trendin the entertainingbusiness, to whichpeople from every nook-and-corner of the cityand state got attracted.Before August 14, 2005,the day state homeminister R.R. Patilimposed the ban ondance bars, Mumbai’sdance bars were thecynosure of all eyes. Lastyear’s verdict by theApex Court in favour ofthe dance bars was avictory for those in thebusiness. Neel Shah tellsthe tale, which has nowbecome paramount tounderstand the city’sdancing scenario, thatstill attracts people fromall strata of society aswell as from every field –politicians, sportsmen,policemen andBollywood celebrities, toname a few.

Taranum

resides in South Mumbai, currentlythe owner of a car showroom atTardeo, said, “He sat in this Kothi forabout an hour or so to listen to thethen famous Mujrawali ShabnamBano, a sensation during her time. Hisfarmaish (request) included some oldghazalein of Ghulam Ali, AnwarHussain and Fazal Saab. Throughoutthe performance of Shabnam, theminister and his aides were quiet andlow key. Before he left along with hispeople, the minister showeredRs.65,000 and subsequently, on thesame day visited three other Kothis inMumbai”, recounted the aged ex-owner of the chawl, whose name hasbeen witheld on request.

After this event, Shabnam boastedof having enthralled a big-shotpolitician. The list went on to include afamous IPS officer and a celebratedfilm star of 'Sholay' and 'Koshish' fame.Then there were others like a high-profile and popular NCP leader, a Dalitpoet and a former Shiv Sena chiefminister who frequented the chawl.

As years passed, politicians hadother options too apart from thesemujrawallis. In Nagpur, theysurreptitiously sneaked into the VVIProoms of hotels like Golden Spot,Sona and Sher-e-Punjab to beentertained by nubile bar dancersfrom Mumbai.

Pune students' weekend toMumbaiIn early 2000, Mumbai’s dance barsrose to such a prominence thatstudents from Pune’s hostels andcolleges used to land in the cityduring weekends only to visit dancebars and spend time with the girlsthere. The schedule would bemeticulously planned too. On Fridaynight, the students would reach thecity and visit several dance bars, gulpdown half a dozen pegs and spend anight with a bar girl. On Saturdayevening, they headed back to theirhostels. Sundays would be spentrelaxing and getting ready for onemore week in college!

Meera Nair’s first awardMeghraj Restaurant and Bar at 90Feet Road in Ghatkopar (E) now lookshaunted, except for a somnambulantwatchmen.

It wasn’t so, morethan two decades ago,when it throbbed withwild spirits, laughter,wine, songs and MiraNair. Those days, says Suresh Shetty,the owner of Meghraj, “She wasunheard of, just someone withflashing dark eyes, an extremely tightbudget and an overpowering desireto get things done, somehow.” Shelanded up in Meghraj, as she wantedto do a documentary on cabaret,Indian style. She had then done arecce of every striptease joint in thecity but zeroed in on Meghrajbecause of its discreet location andthe owner, Shetty, who was young,educated and obliging. Moreover, hewasn’t mafia. Meghraj itself was noordinary place. It had a tastefullydone-up and sharply lit dining room,a first floor with a well-decked barand on the second floor, an air-conditioned hall where cabaret artistsperformed to Bruno’s Band for threeone-hour shows a night, recountsShetty, sitting in his juice centre-cum-hotel in Dadar. Wine, women andsong all under one roof and quitesubtly compartmentalised.

Into this stepped Nair, fresh out ofNew York’s theatre schools. Quickly,she got to know the bar owner andthe cabaret artists. She did it by

simply living with theartists at an illegallysublet flat at CGS

Quarters in Antop Hill.She prayed to their Gods,

ate their food, even consumedadulterated whiskey with them andwhile doing so, used a movingcamera to good effect.

Nair spent quite a long time atMeghraj. After all, she had got alocation for her film, artists and extrasfor free and of course Suresh Shetty,who never said no to Nair.

Indian Cabaret, a documentary,was telecast on Channel 5 after it hadwon the best documentary award atCannes. The film had brought financefor Nair to produce and direct hernext film ‘Chal Bombay Chal’, whichwas later re-titled ‘Salaam Bombay’.The rest, as they say, is history. Therewas no looking back for Nair.

Meanwhile, despite the ApexCourt’s verdict, the presentphenomenon of dance bars is stillpale and insipid due to Home MinisterR R Patil’s firm stand of keeping themclosed. In this regard, the governmentis seeking legal opinion from theAttorney General, Patil had saidimmediately after the SupremeCourt’s verdict.


38, 2nd Floor, Kumkum Villa, Maruti Lane,Fort, Mumbai-400 001.

Phone: 22611275, 22611276, Fax: 22613888Mobile: 9867249898

Email: [email protected]@gmail.com

With Best Complimentsfrom

2299tthh AAnnnniivveerrssaarryy

G/1, Kashivishwanath, Sane Vada, Goandevi, Lalchouki, Near Ganesh Mandir, Kalyan (W) Thane - 4120301

Mr. Sulil - 7208389691 Mr. Dashrath - 7208381651

WWiitthh BBeesstt

CCoommpplliimmeennttss

ffrroomm

2014 anniversary issue

Documents