SHAHRUKH KHAN (SNEHA VASHIST)

Shah Rukh Khan, the superstar of the decade, the king of Bollywood, the heart throb of millions is like a shining star whose unquestionable popularity makes him a legendary figure. His name completely defines him which means ‘The face of the king’.

Shah Rukh Khan was born on 2 November, 1965 to parents of Pathan origin, Taj Mohammed Khan and Lateefa Mohammed.  His father ran a transport company and his mother was a magistrate. He has a sister named Shehnaaz. He was born and brought up in New Delhi. He did his schooling from Columba's School and he was an all-rounder student who excelled in academics, sports and drama. He was a naughty kid and was called as a devil with a devil’s smile by his teachers. He graduated in Economics from the Hansraj College (1985-1988). He later studied Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia University.

He kept his first step in Mumbai in 1991. He is married to Gauri Khan, a Hindu and has two kids, Aryan and Suhana. He lives in a mansion called Mannat in Bandra which in itself is a Mumbai icon.

Dwelling into his career, he started in 1988 by appearing in the television series Fauji, playing the role of Commando Abhimanyu Rai.  Then he played a minor role in the serial Circus in 1989. His debut in Bollywood was Deewana (1992) which was a super hit and gave him instant recognition and fame. Deewana was followed by Maya Memsaab and Kabhi haan Kabhi naa. He once said, "You never win the silver, you only lose the gold." This describes his credible commitment and passion towards his work.

He was highly praised for his negative performances in Baazigar and Darr (1993), in which he played anti-hero and  psycho-lover roles respectively. In 1995 he starred in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge with Kajol which was a blockbuster success and few of the best romantic movies of Indian cinema.  After the mountaineering success of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge he was well known for his bonding and chemistry with Kajol. Now, the movie has successfully completed its 800 weeks. His role in Anjaam (1994), Dil Se (1998), Hey Ram (2000), Swades (2004), and Paheli (2005) made him known as an actor in true sense and was praised by critics for his flawless performance.

Later came an unending era of his romantic works such as Dil to Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Veer-Zaara (2004) where he worked in collaboration with directors such as Yash Chopra and Karan Johar. In 2006, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna crowned huge success in India and abroad. During the same year, he played role in Don, a remake of the 1978 film Don .

He also produced Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000) and Asoka (2001) under the name of his company Dreams Unlimited which were box office failures. His third film as a producer and star, Chalte Chalte (2003) was the first hit from his production house.

 In 2004, Main Hoon Na which was produced by another of his production houses, Red Chillies Entertainment, was also a huge attainment. Om shanti Om in 2007, Rab ne bana di Jodi in 2008 also gathered huge victory. His recent movie, My name is Khan( 2010) was a fantabulously  woven story which broke many Box office records and became the highest- grossing Bollywood film overseas. His upcoming movies are Ra-1 and Don 2- The chase continues.

Asking for people’s opinions on what they think about Shahrukh; Rahul, an 18-year-old boy says,” He is a superstar. His acting is incomparable to any other in Bollywood.”  Another college going girl, Shubhi, chuckles and replies, “He is the best actor in the world. His acting in MNIK was simply amazing. But my all-time favourite is DDLJ. That is the best romantic movie ever made.”

Khan also hosted the second season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (2007) on Star plus which glued people to their television sets and raised the TRP’S of the channel enormously. He also hosted ‘ Kya aap paanchvi paas se tez hain’ in 2008.

Talking about his awards and achievements, he has been nominated for 15 Filmfare Best Actor awards out of which he won 14, the recent one being for Chak De India in which he played a strategic role of a Hockey coach. He has also bagged several Zee cine awards, IIFA awards and Star screen awards. In 2002, he was awarded Rajeev Gandhi award for “Excellence in field of entertainment”. In 2005, he was conferred Padma Shree by Government of India and recently he bagged Global Entertainment and Media personality Award at FICCI Frames 2010 Excellence awards.

Sneaking into his personal life, he loves computer games, video games and hi-tech gadgets. He is very fond of BMW cars and owns many of them and is scared of riding horses. His favourite cuisines are tandoori chicken and chicken tikka.

He once said, “I’d rather sink trying to be different, than stay afloat like everyone else”. To wrap up, he is not only a versatile romantic actor but also an intelligent, humorous, witty person who is full of life and believes in living every moment to the fullest.

 RFFERENCES:-                 

www.shahrukh.com

www.chakpak.com/celebrity/shahrukh-khan/13435

www.shah-rukh-khan.info/.../shahrukh_khan_biography.htm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451321/bio

Udupi Restaurants (Brenda Barnes)

If you ever passed by an udupi restaurant chances are that you’ll be tempted to have a bite of mysore masala dosa or onion utappa. These restaurants, while may not have the decor and ambiance of a Taj or Gaylord’s, still have the power to attract a large crowd any given time of the day.

They are not located in posh areas but conveniently positioned near stations, bus stops, etc where they can feed a large crowd at minimal prices. The love of Mumbai with these restaurants is due to common culture and heritage.

Udupi restaurants, as the name suggests, are set up by migrants Kannadiga families from Udupi, a town in Karnataka. The delicious taste of idlis, upmas and dosas that only they can serve, giving you a taste of South India can be attributed to handing down of traditional recipes by word of mouth and informal lessons to the cooks by those before them. Not only food, but the service too is exceptional. Importance is laid on cleanliness and hygiene. Food is cooked in clean vessels and even cleaner kitchen; even the tables are kept clean. This is typical south India, where cooking does not start until the kitchen is scrubbed clean and a pray is offered to God.

The restaurants are run by a close knit community of Kannadigas. Waiters, cook, and small boys employed, belong to Karnataka. All are provided permanent shelter; most staying in the premise itself, and permanent jobs. Since most have left their villages to live here, they form a bond with regulars and new comers alike. This is where they spend more than half their lives, occasionally visiting their families back home.

Early kannadiga settlers came and set up their business in Matunga hence this place boasts of a plethora of udupi restaurants; the oldest and famous ones being A. Rama Nayak’s Udupi Shri Krishna Boarding, Idli House, Mani’s Lunch Home, Cafe Mysore, Sarada Bhavan, Anand Bhavan, Ram Ashray, Amba Bhavan. Some of these are more than 50 years old with the same unique taste in the south Indian fare.

Earlier the customers would usually be a south Indian but with evolving times the tyope of customers have changed nd with it the menu. Most restaurants will now offer apart from the usual fare of idlis and dosas, mughlai, chinese, Indian Chinese, Bhelpuri, and other chaats.

Here is an overview of the food you will get in one of the coolest and oldest udupi restaurants in Mumbai

• Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding (1st Floor, L.B.S. Market Building, Matunga (C.Rly); 10:30am-3pm, 7-10pm )

Two cups of rice, three puris or two chappatis, one curry, one raita, one pulse dish, pappad, buttermilk, sambar, rasam, dal, pickle and cur.it will be served either in thali(plate) or in a banana leaf.take your pick.

• Idli House (Next to Vasant Breezy Chamber, King Circle, Matunga (E))

The menu has a variety of 16 idlis with coffee and other accompaniments like sambar, rasam and coconut chutney, khotto served in cups of jackfruit leaves and mudho. Try it with some mulaga podi (dried spicy chutney), coconut chutney and sambar.

Rava idli to the sweet, tangy cucumber idli to the spicy masala idli are available .

• Modern Hindu Hotel (12 Wallace Street, Apeejay Chambers, 4th floor, Behind Excelsior Theatre, Fort. Lunch: 12-2:30pm; Dinner: 7:15-9-pm)

lunch meal consists of bhaji, sambar, dal, rasam (different everyday), pickle and gulab jamun to wrap it up. The specialty here is that their rice is cooked in copper vessels to add that extra zing to your serving.

 

• Mani’s Lunch Home (153-C, Mhaskar Building Matunga (C.Rly); +91 (0) 98 2412 7188; 6:30am-9pm, Monday is a holiday.)

Idli, medu wada, potato wada, upma, sheera, pongal, in the morning session and in addition kela bajji, vegetable bonda, dal wada, rasam wada, dahi wada, onion pakoda, Mysore bonda, in the evening session and vast varieties of crisp dosawith limitless accompaniments of chutney and spicy delicious Madras onion sambar. In addition, during the afternoon session varieties of rice such as curd rice, bisibellabath, tomato rice, lemon rice and tamarind are served. On Sundays, Mani’s prepares a special southern dosa called adai

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References:

1. iguide.travel/Mumbai/Eating/Udupi_restaurants

2. www.cnngo.com/mumbai/eat/simply-southilicious

Beyond Iconic- Bombay Stock Exchange (Chetna Agarwal)

                     

Bombay Stock Exchange has entered into third century ever since its formation 133 years back. It is the oldest stock exchange market of South Asia and the first one on the country to be recognized by the Government of India under the Securities Contract Regulation Act 1956 and the second in the world to get an ISO 9001:2000 certification. It has been awarded several recognitions over the years due to its performance such as The Golden Peacock Global CSR Award, ICAI awards for excellence in financial reporting, and Asia-Pacific HRM Award to name just a few.

Most conveniently referred as the BSE, it is an icon of the Indian Capital Market. Every company and corporate entity gets itself listed on the BSE to raise capital resources from the market. In the present scenario, Bombay Stock Exchange is world number 1 in terms of the number of listed companies and world fifth in transaction numbers. BSE extends an easy and transparent market trading system in equity, debt instruments and derivatives. The system and processes are in par with the international standards. An investor can choose from 4700 listed companies categorized into A, B, S, T, and Z group. BSE Index, Sensex has an index of 30 stocks representing 12 major cities.

BSE has laid the groundwork for the development of the Indian securities market. It is surely BSE's and thus Mumbai’s pride that almost every leading corporate in India has sourced BSE's services in capital raising and is listed with BSE. Apart from the Bombay Stock Exchange, the city also houses the National Stock Exchange of India. They are together responsible for most of the share trading volumes in India. Abhishek Kiran Gupta, Head – Research, Jones Lang Lasalle Meghraj in his article, “Mumbai – An Icon in Indian Real Estate” makes a statement on Mumbai’s iconic status. He says, “Today, the city is home to major financial institutions and the corporate headquarters of several Indian companies and multinational companies. It is for this reason that Mumbai maintains its iconic status as the country’s most vibrant real estate market.”

Alongside its dealings in the financial sector, the Bombay Stock Exchange also engages itself into community service. BSE has been undertaking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives with a focus on education, health and environment. BSE has been awarded by the World Council of Corporate Governance the Golden Peacock Global CSR Award for its initiatives in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The BSE is a 28 storey building in downtown Mumbai, at the intersection of Dalal Street, Bombay Samachar Marg and Hammam Street. Outside the building is a large screen which displays the stocks of all the listed companies to indicate the increase or decrease of the particular stocks for trading purposes. The trading days are Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 3:30pm. On trading days, brokers, traders and investors crowd in numbers outside the building for performing various transactions. This manner of trading is unique to Bombay Stock Exchange and happens nowhere else in the world. The site is full of anxious looking men and women. One can clearly look through their anxiety when there is bull or bear in the Market. The ups and downs in the Sensex bring a gamut of emotions together. The securities/insecurities come inescapably with this game of trade.  For many people it is an obsession. Making money is the primary obsession but more importantly it’s the obsession with ‘gambling’. It’s a gamble with both time and money. Essentially, the stock exchange, decides the fate of an individual, because either you rise or you fall deep.

The BSE, in this sense of the world is truly iconic and will continue to remain an icon in the Indian capital market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1.      Gupta, Abhishek Kiran “Mumbai – An Icon in Indian Real Estate”. Retrieved on 02, August, 2010 from http://www.accommodationtimes.com/real-estate-news/mumbai-an-icon-in-indian-real-estate/

Colaba Causeway (Sreshtha Chatterjee)

The hub of splashing fabrics, kurtas and stoles; an assortment of the trendiest jholas, mojris, lamps, antique clocks, showpieces and wall hangings; a colourful mishmash of oxidised and silver junk jewellery, off-beat earrings, rings and trinklets, Colaba Causeway is a complete winner on the list of any adolescent girl’s dream shopping destinations! As one perambulates across the ‘anaconda-ish’ street, even with a few measley bucks inside her pocket, one cannot help perking up with interest, knick-knacking and picking up these charming and alluring articles as one goes along the way.
A melange for touching base and having the most wonderful time with friends; Be it with Soccer and Expresso Coffee at Café Mondegar or the staple Chicken Chilly and a tower of beer at The Leopold’s, Colaba Causeway is perhaps the most perfect reflection of cosmopolitan Mumbai, and taking stalk of the number of foreigners who are unfailingly seen dotting the place; This Mumbai icon is certainly a progeny of the phenomenon of globalisation.
Situated in the affluent piece of the city, South Mumbai, downtown Churchgate; Colaba Causeway is unmistakably one icon for the city to boot, and praise in glowing terms. Striking in the most unconventional kind of way, and certain to hoist anyone’s instant attention, loud yet muted, pricy brands juxtaposed with the typical Mumbai street shops, that are mushroomed one after the other, colourfully punctuating all the big eateries, food stations, pubs and brand outlets, effortlessly beckons the shopper in you, and gives you enough of a fillip to become a patron of the place, and return to it, several times again. Colaba Causeway certainly exudes that quintessential flavour of the city in more ways than one, and is truly a cultural melting point.
The place is frequented by locals and tourists alike, to procure the best stuff at the most reasonable prices, through prudent bargaining, pushing and plugging. Causeway stretches for approximately a kilometre, and is piled with stalls on both side-walks, displaying attractive scarves and stoles, trendy chappals and bags and a whole galaxy of accessories. It is the one of the places in Mumbai, where you possibly cannot go wrong with trends! It exhibits and garners the right colours, right style, right elegance one needs for that season.
“I love the Causeway culture. It is light on my pocket and right on my attitude,” exclaims Radhika Puri, a 22-year old engineering student.
The most popular amongst these kiosks of accessories, are the ones which sell semi-precious stones and beads, because they customise and cater to their buyers in a way that they can create their own pieces of jewellery, by choosing the beads and stringing them together, helping them create their own fashion statements.
Just congruent, are the shops of meticulously woven shawls and stoles, which are undoubtedly difficult to miss. Also strewn along the stretch are the chappal stalls, which keep themselves abreast with the latest fashion trends, and have an overwhelming range and variety in styles and colours.
“Sometimes it is so difficult to choose just one. There are wonderful designs at such affordable prices. I spend nearly thirty minutes at one stall to just pick up one,” seconds Rashi Bose, business journalist based in Mumbai.

However, it is not just women one sees shopping and patrolling the place, but also, men bargaining at the accessories outlets for metal bracelets, belts and other articles. They are also customers at the stalls selling glares and cheap stylish wrist watches.
“I come once in a while to Colaba to know of the latest trends and of course, I do pick up an accessory or two, on every visit,” says 22-year old Vedant Jhunjhunwala.

Another conspicuous element of Causeway is that these stalls march bang opposite the expensive, sophisticated branded stores, like Nike, Adidas, United Colours of Benetton, Levis, etc, and it is rather interesting to see both co-exist and manage a camaraderie, which perhaps results from a healthy competitive set up, and makes the place ever so endearing.
However, it is not just about the good experience, or the pleasant vibe of the place, Causeway also teaches you bargaining skills (if you are among those who cannot negotiate prices!) or refines it (if you are among those who is an ideal accompaniment for friends on their shopping expedition!).
And what is a shopping spree without some gastronomic adventures? Colaba is also, of course, loaded with the best food courts and dessert bars, to salvage that ravenous sweet tooth and satiate those inexplicable cravings for lip-smacking fast-food!

For a relaxing chat over some beer and relishing snacks, Café Leopold and Café Mondegar provide an ideal setting. For Italian indulgements, Café Churchill is the place to be. If one wished for a delectable dig in chicken, Bade Miyan, situated behind the Causeway is a must-visit. Also, should one chose to buy the most obnoxiously delicious North Indian grub, Delhi Darbar is an absolute must. And to end on a ‘sweet’ note, a visit to Theobroma and Mad Over Donuts(M.O.D.) placed right next to each other, are basic rituals one must follow!
Certainly, all these incredible facets have made Causeway transcend all class, age and gender divides and become a classic icon, the city can certainly boast about.

Bollywood (Manasvi Ghelani)

Movies, Camera, Lights, Dance, Glamour, Actors, Characters, Film, Colours, Locations, Industry, Box office and one can go on and on with words that start moving around ones head when the word ‘Bollywood’ is taken. But above all is Mumbai. It houses Bollywood and its characters.

Just recently I was reading an interesting book ‘Film as Art’ by Rudolf Arnheim and it kept me glued to it until its last word. Soon after that I watched Inception and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai.  My whole idea towards watching films changed and I started treating it as Real Cinema. It became Bollywood for a reason.

           

I was then eager to know the history of Bollywood. So for starters I googled and realized that India leads the world in the output of films, with more than 800 Indian films produced annually. Our first hindi movie was "Raja Harishchandra" by Dadasaheb Phalke and our first film with dialogues remains "Alam Ara" by  Ardeshir Irani in 1931.

           

My dad always spoke about Raj Kapoor and his films like all hindi movie lovers. So I thought I should watch a couple of them too. I got dvds for “Mera Naam Joker” and “Bobby” not only because these were easily available but also because I have been a Rishi Kapoor fan myself as a child. Raj Kapoor, I saw has brilliantly directed the two movies and taken Bollywood at another level. His contribution to cinema is prestigious.

Needless to say as to why was he honoured with “Best Director of the Millennium” by Stradust Awards and was named “Showman of the Millennium” by Star Screen Awards in 2002.

Then came the Amitabh & Dharmendra phase. I was in awe of Gabbar though. The duo created history and their all time famous Sholay ran in theatres like forever.

Since I have grown up enough to acknowledge movies, Shahrukh Khan was the king of Bollywood. I was also a part of the audience that watched his happy ending clichéd movies. But then it was all about the beautiful destinations Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions shot at.

Some renowned directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rakesysh Omprakash Mehera, Madhur Bhandarkar, Mani Ratman came with a bang and gave us some brilliant movies. Some dealt with love differently, some had mythological concepts while some displayed reality. All have come up with never ending series of hits at our box office.

  

Film story, characters, costumes, production are not the only components of a Bollywood film. They require soothing music and melodies voices. Sincere gratitude towards, R.D. Burman for his amazing contribution to music composition and our nightingale, Lata Mangeshkar who lent her voice to our Industry. Then Lataji and R.D. Burman pair was loved by one and all.  The rest then followed the lead gave us some beautiful songs that we can go hummmmming all day.

Bollywood, is the home for talent and money. Many individuals each day come all the way to out city of dreams, Mumbai from various locations just to make it big in Bollywood. It gives genuine talent a chance to prove and that’s what makes it attractive. To top it all, each year we have several award functions, that motive the existing talent and urge new talent to take a step towards it. Bollywood gives artists opportunities, unemployed the work and economy the money.

Just yesterday I was wondering why did I take this long to decide and take a stroll down a place which is located just 10 minutes away from my place, Bollywood a.k.a. Indian Film Industry. Its called the Film City. Amazing movie sets, costumes and characters were all over the place. Directors yelling on top of their voices, stars taking like forever to get ready for their shoots, camera man adjusting the lens and praying that the rain god takes the rest of the day off, troops of dancers rehearsing. It was indeed a colorful sight. This was the real world that made Real Cinema. I thought to myself, that it was a very good idea to study Bollywood closely and let my delusions of Hollywood taking over our Bollywood eyeballs away someday came to a rest.

References:

www. google.co.in/images

Vada Pav (Antara Gupta)

The vada pav is a lip smacking snack which is the most popular and regular snack of Mumbai. You see it so much in Mumbai that you won’t  be able to recall how it became a part of your conscious awareness.  For a Mumbaikar, if someone does not know what is a vada pav, its almost unbelievable. Hence, we can imagine what an integral part of Mumbai’s life the vada pav has become.

Although there seems to be no copyright for the vada pav, and it is hard to pin point who and by whom was it devised, in terms of origin. As per the Hafta Magazine( Deconstructing pav bhaji), the vada  pav was created by  snack vendor Ashok Vaidya outside Dadar station in 1970. What made it so readily accepted in Mumbai is the fact that it is cheap, filling, tasty and easy to carry. The vada pav got easily accepted because it could squeeze in with fast paced life of Mumbai. A person, who mostly misses his breakfast on the run to make it in time, can quickly grab a bite on the go, by buying a vada pav. This is the reason why we see more number of vada pav stalls in and around the station area. Sandip Patil, who runs a vada pav shop outside the Ghatkopar station for the past 28 years says that he makes about 250 vada pavs per day using potato aka. Batata, besan, masala, the  pav is bought from a local bakery. One ladi of pav (comprising of 6 pieces of pav ) costs about Rs. 7. While it seems that anyone can open a vada pav stall and make a living, which is not true in the finance city with a vast population. Sandip says “We use to get ticket for vada pav stalls from the BMC, with time specifications divided into morning evening and afternoon slots, but that has been stopped about 12 years ago, now the BMC extols money from the vendors which is roughly about Rs. 250 per month, but it differs from one shop to the other.”

Jeetendra kumar Gupta who owns a private shop near the railway station since 1948 highlighted the same thing that BMC permissions are required for owning a vada pav stall. He said that most vada pav stalls sell vada pav, bhajjiya pav & samosa pav exclusively. He said that it helps in keeping a check on the number of vada pav wallas, as, if the number of owners keeps increasing, it will be a loss for the vada pav wallas.

Mukul Mondol, an IRCTC stall keeper said that the price of vada pav use to be Rs. 4 about five years back, now it has gone up to Rs. 6 as the prices of pav has increased. The railway stall keepers are just involved in selling the pav and the product is made by a different group of people. Mondol says “ vada pav and samosa pav are equally popular”. So our love for Mc. Donalds does not reduce our liking for the vada pav- also refrred to as the Indian Burger.  While Mc. Donalds caters to the middle class and upper middle class section, attracting large no. of college going youth wishing to “hang-out” with friends, or spend some time with their girl friend/ boyfriend, the vada pav caters to mostly working class of the city, irrespective of class, caste and community. 

If Mc. Donalds is an example of globalization, the vada pav could be an epitome of indigenization. Hence, the Shiv Sena wanted to use the vada pav signify the marathi manoos. One of the Shiv Sena’s most ambitious schemes-to generate employment through vada pav handcarts-got a nod from the BMC’s improvements committee on 10 march, 2009. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray launched Mumbai's favourite streetfood - vada-pav - as the party's branded "Shiv vada-pav" and promised to make it a “global” phenomenon.

Even the vada pav has not been excluded from being branded in the era of globalization. An instance of this is the retail chain of ‘Jumbo King vada pav’. Jumbo King has separate divisions for catering, business development, franchisee relations and marketing. As per the Jumbo king website, they sell 40,000 vada pav per day within Mumbai, and about 450-500 have been sold by the Ghatkopar outlet itself. Sachin, while working in their franchisee, said” ‘butter vada pav’and ‘schezwan vada pav’ are the most popular out of an outlay which has been combined with cholle and cheese”. It is very interesting to note that the owners this fastest growing vada chain is owned by non-Mahrashtrian Dheeraj & Reeta Gupta, who have graduated with MBA degrees from Symbiosis.  An interesting food for thought is that the Vada pav is very indiscriminate about who makes it, who owns and who eats it. The makers and eaters of vada pav are celebrities, labors, house wives, corporate honchos, students, journalists, social workers, doctors, engineers, gangsters, street children, pavement dwellers - rich and the poor, women, men and children. So the baptization of Mumbaikars & non-mumbaikars onto the city is done by the non pretentious, simple yet appetizing sada vada pav.

Jehangir Art Gallery (Saloni Gajjar)

As a visitor in the city, the first impression that one grasps of the Jehangir Art Gallery, is that of a shy and modest building flanked by trees, standing serenely in a corner of one of Mumbai’s arterial roads. As one walk towards its unadorned entrance, groups of foreign tourists flocking in for a glimpse of this ‘tribute-to-art’ monument is a sight galore. This austere building, designed by G.M. Bhuta has enthralled art lovers from around the globe, since its inception. It was built by the funding of the 2^nd Baronet, Sir Cowasji Jehangir, and inaugurated on the 21^st of January 1952 by the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr B.G. Kher. In fact, Sir Cowasji Jehangir as well as the earlier generations of his family was responsible for wholly or partly funding a number of reputed institutions in the vicinity such as the Elphinstone College. Just ten days after its inauguration, that is on 31^st January 1952, the then Governor of Bombay, Raja Maharaj Singh opened the inauguration exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, which was also the 61^st annual exhibition of Bombay Art Society.

The gallery is located at Kalaghoda, behind the Prince of Wales Museum, in south Mumbai near the Gateway of India and is managed by the Bombay Art Society. This building, being more than half a century old, underwent a renovation about two decades back to cater to the changing style of the art world. The Bombay Firm of Architects, Rahul Merhotra Associates were appointed for the project and they finished it promptly between the months of August and November of 1990. The Gallery now boasts two halls with state-of-the-art modern amenities, suitably equipped for exhibitions of the visual arts- the Auditorium has 2700 sq. ft. of floor area and 180 running feet of hanging wall space and the Exhibition Gallery, which can be divided into three sections and can be hired fully or section-wise, has a floor area of 3700 sq. ft. and 370 running feet of hanging wall space. A few other additions were also made during this renovation, such as the Dr. Homi Bhabha Art Reference Library was started for reference and research on visual arts. The library houses a collection of rare and valuable books on art and also subscribes to leading international art journals. A lending library of original works of art was also started with a collection of paintings donated by Sir Hirji Jehangir in 1975-76. A sales room of prints and publications was also established some years ago with the aim of providing gallery-goers with art publications and reproductions of outstanding merit published by various renowned publishers.

Apart from this, the Jehangir Art Gallery also functions as a very interactive body for art enthusiasts. Every so often, it organizes art appreciation courses that are open for public participation and are at affordable prices. They are aimed at strengthening the rapport between artists and the common public, mainly designed for laymen who enjoy art. The Gallery has also organised several programs on art appreciation, art history and art criticism. The Gallery also sponsors an annual exhibition known as the ‘Monsoon art show’ to showcase works of artists of proven merit. These are on a grand scale, visited by thousands of art lovers and great artists, making it a mega event. In fact, this year’s Monsoon show began on the 12^th of July and was a roaring success as always. A scheme of honouring senior artists of distinction through prestigious shows has also been initiated as a source of enjoyment and/or inspiration for art lovers and artists. The café Samovar on its premises which was started in 1966 has been a very integral part of the gallery.

As of now, that is, 31^st July, the exhibition gallery is showcasing the paintings of a veteran artist, Navin A. Dhagat. He is a Gujarati by birth, and is an Art Master trained in Fresco and Mural techniques. He has won hundreds of awards at various shows and also does a vast number of shows in various cities of India every year. His current exhibition portrays a mix of acrylic on paper and/or canvas.

In spite of all its splendour, the gallery does have some shortcomings. One of the main problems that it faces is an acute shortage of space for its own facilities and expansion plans. To address this problem, the gallery has launched different projects from time to time to augment funds without diverging from its objectives.

References: 

Jehangir Art Gallery Book.

Shivagi Park (Raksha Mallya)

                    

    Shivaji Park is considered as one of the largest parks in Mumbai. It is situated in Dadar west on Gokhale Road. It is a historical place as it has been here since 1925, from the British age. It was established by the Bombay Municipal Corporation. Many social gatherings are held here, but what are more often to be seen in Shivaji Park are the political rallies. The other grounds that are historical are August Kranti Maidan and Azad maidan.   

    Shivaji Park has been named after the Great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji. It is the centre place for all the activities. The main entrance of this place has a bust of Meenatai Thackeray, late wife of Bal Thackeray and a long pillar with small carvings in them. The ground serves as a recreational purpose along with serenity. The park also consists of Samarth Vyayam Mandir (gymnasium), Nana- Nani Park, Children’s park, Udhyan Ganesh Mandir, Shivaji Park gymkhana (club) and a Library.

   The park even has a fair amount of space which is used for cricket practices and Scout related practice. The young boys are usually seen practicing their early cricketing shots in this ground. One of the cricketer who has spent the most crucial cricketing practice here is none other than the God himself, Sachin Tendulkar, who is a local boy for this place. Vinod Kambli, Eknath Solkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Ajit Agarkar are amongst the other few who have marked their career from here.

   Its not only the game of cricket that is mainly played here, even football is practiced here.Some of the teams that practice in this ground are Arsenal Mumbai Supporters Club, Prodigy FC, Adarsh FC, Dadar  IX, Kenkre etc.

  The other places that are around this park are not on finger countings, they are vast. There are many food joints which attracts the maximum number of crowds, especially in the evenings. Places like Gypsy (Authentic Chinese), Tibbs and Move n’ Pick (Frankies and Sandwiches), Aswad and Prakash to binge onto the typical Marathi cuisine, Café Coffee day and Barista to get on with some warm conversations happening, Naturals and Baskin n Robbins to keep you cool. We get the best pan from Shraddha Panwaala who’s around the park till 12 in the night.

  The Mayor’s house is situated to the west of the park and itsa beautiful house where currently Shraddha Jadhav stays. The next closest is the Dadar chowpatty (beach) which gives a fantastic view of the sea and the Bandra-Worli Sea link which can be seen prominently. The Dadar College of Catering, Hinduja Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi swimming pool, Sena Bhavan too. They are in and around the park.

   There are a lot of buildings autour the park which are very expensive and highly looked fater places. Many people want to own a house in dadar. Dadar is like the ‘Heart’ of Mumbai, being in the centre for both Suburban n South Mumbai it attracts people in huge number. Some of the famous personalities who stay here are Raj Thackeray, Manohar Joshi, Anup Jalota and the others.

  The place is most crowded on Sundays when all the elderly couples and young lads get free time and spend it on the “katta” (a wall that is lower than the normal ones so that one can sit) or take a stroll on the wide circumference of 1.17 kilometers and mostly it’s in the morning that we see the people taking walks.

  Priyanka and Pooja are eighteen and fifteen respectively, Hegde sisters visit the park very often and they love the place. Priyanka says, “This place is like a stress buster for me, I used to study a lot for my board exams and whenever I wanted a good break, I usued to take a walk here and refresh myself and get back to my studies.” Nodding her head in accordance with the elder sister was Pooja who said, “I like to hang out at this place with my friends. I spent my friendship day here today and it’s a great place to celebrate because you have the food joints around and you like to take a quick bite too.”

Madhav Bhandarkar, an 80-year-old said, “I still come here for swimming in the Mahtama Gandhi swimming pool to keep myself fit and fine. I take a walk sometimes. It’s a great feeling to stay very close to such a beautiful place.”

 What was noticed this time around was that some metal bars had been supported to the rain trees that surround the park, which is a very good idea to save it from the strong winds blowing that way.

  This place is the ultimate one for people from any age. It’s sure that the person who comes here once will fall in love with this place.

  Reference :                            

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivaji_Park                

                         

Victoria's Legacy (Tonella Coutinho)

With over a 115 years of history, the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus popularly known by its previous title Victoria terminus is bustling with life .It was named in honour of Queen Victoria .However it was renamed after the popular Maratha King Shivaji.Instead of paving its way into the Port City’s heritage, it has magnificently managed to weave itself into the daily life of the average Mumbaikar.

Victoria Terminus is probably the city’s most famous icon .The fact that it is probably the first icon that a traveler entering or leaving the city sets eyes upon. ‘I remember my first arrival at the doorstep of Mumbai .It was an absolute cultural shock. The people whizzing past me as I bumbled along with my innate ‘Goan Sussegad’ gait sent me into a tizzy’ says 22- year- old BMM student. Nicole Fernandes.This is a common experience to all first time visitors, considering the fact that an astounding 3 to 3.5 million people pass through it daily.

It joined the illustrious ranks of other monuments, when declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO .Going back to its glorious past. The splendid structure was the brainchild of British Architect, Frederick William Stevens. Built over a span of 10 years, its structure was inspired by Scotts St Pancras Station. It construction cost a dear sum of £260,000.

Its intricate and enormous form never ceases to awe any passerby who spares a glance at its magnitude. In the nomination document to the UNESCO,C.S.T/V.T ‘became the symbol of Mumbai as a Gothic City’. What makes it even more unique is that it’s the amalgamation of the efforts of the British architects and Indian artisans. This can be seen with the British symbol of the Lion and the Indian Tiger resting at the entrance. With all its intricacies it is any artists delight. The statue of progress at the top of the one of  a kind dome  ‘ is a tribute to the vision of those who built it’. Another interesting fact is that the professors and students of the JJ School of Art designed and decorated .Dr C London describes it as representative of the life of the city in microcosm.

From its Gargoyles, stained glass windows, regal busts of the board of directors to the Star Chamber give the sense of standing in a work of Art.

The terminus is a city in itself. With everything available under one roof. It has a very complex organization. One can avail of everything from eats to mosquito bats and shoes. There are cobblers just incase you need that extra shine before work. Within that organization lie unorganized elements like the begging, rag picking and the like. Like all stations it has its unique garbage disposal with its in-house rodents.

‘My first impressions were total chaos’ says Linda an Italian event organizer on a vacation in India .  ‘But what amazes me is the organization in the chaos

.

However with the influx of the masses in the city of opportunity increasing day by day, this change has started to take its toll. One of the main results of this is hygiene or the lack there of .With so many people going through and fro it becomes a near impossible task to keep it clean. Post 26/11 security has been beefed up .There is a slight tension in the air .But it has no effect on the days proceedings.

‘It gets difficult to run one of the busiest stations in the world’ says Sanjay Wangde ,Deputy Station Manager .We also end up bearing social responsibility of the ticketless and homeless people and children who end up coming to this station and have no where else to go .We see to it that they are handed over to the NGO’s.‘This is my home’, shares Uttam Kange a coolie who has spent the majority of his life carrying other people’s baggage. ‘My job might be tough but C.S.T is part of my life’.

However the bookseller, Sharma is not so convinced that the station is the best in India. ‘woh sirf ek naan hain.There is a lot that needs to be done . ‘It has been pushed beyond its capacity. Peak hours are a maddening rush which really tests your athletic ability. The rains add to the havoc’, says Nihal Gaikwad ,a daily commuter who passes heads to VT everyday from Nerul.

While the iconic structure continues to be part of our daily existence in Mumbai .There is a number of issues to be sorted out to keep it that way. With all its shortcomings, it is and always will be an integral part of Mumbai. However comes Kasab, rain or shine, VT has stood the test of time.

Reference:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/945

http://www.scribd.com/doc/15622622/FW-Stevens