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

Ganpati Bapa Morya (Shivangi Bhotika)

On a rainy Sunday, people like to sleep late or go for breakfast to their favourite restaurants, but it was surprising to see most of the people of Mumbai shouting enthusiastically “Ganpati Bapa Morya” The whole atmosphere was of a divine serenity state. When one goes there, one feels at peace even if there is noise or chaos, the feeling in the temple and the closeness that one can feel towards God cannot be described in words.

This temple of Ganpati Bapa not only attracts common people, but it also attracts famous celebrities. The news of Rahul Mahajan and Dimpy Ganguly’s split was all over the news, and so, to get public attention, this newly wedded couple was spotted at the temple with media around them, trying to get their picture. The end news that was out, the next day in the paper, was of Rahul Mahajan and Dimpy Ganguly at the temple to thank god for saving their marriage. So Ganpati Bapa helps every one, be it the rich or poor.

This place is not only a place where people go to worship, but also where many other people, like the poor section of the society earn their living, like some sell flowers, some sweets, some offer to help people to get a ‘VIP darshan’, some offer to keep shoes and some even offer to hold umbrella if one is standing in the line and it starts raining heavily. This is amazing because people just find employment opportunity in any way or state or place. If one has to see the spirit of Mumbai, one should definitely go to ‘Siddhi Vinayak Temple’. The joy and enthusiasm with which people go to the temple is incredible and it’s really amazing to see them.

As the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi is coming closer, people of Mumbai are getting more and more enthusiastic and they have already started preparing for it. It’s just the beginning, during the festival there is no place left for people even to stand, there is a mad rush in the temple. People fight just to get the glimpse of the god.

This place also brings different people together, while waiting in the line and when one is all-alone one tends to start talking to a stranger and get to know that person in the bargain. “I am new in Mumbai and I have got married here and I have come here with my husband for the first time and I really like the place.” Says Priyanka Gandhi an IT consultant. Sidhivinayak gets a donation of 100-150 million every year and this makes it the richest temple of Mumbai. It is also found out the trust of the temple mismanage the donation.

Therefore Sdihivinayak temple is the heart of Mumbai and in a way it brings the people of Mumbai together.

Cutting Chai (Akshatha Hegde)

One of the little things that can get you excited about Mumbai as an outsider were these little tea stalls that was there almost every corner of every street. Decide to take a walk and try out one of the most generic beverages know to mankind.

You can’t really pick the spot but there is something in the aroma or the way the froth of the chai moves up and down in sync with the chai wala’s expertise at mixing the tea but you can’t help but be drawn to this captivating sight and soon enough tea is all that you are craving for. The chai wala sat by a tree in Worli near the TV towers which is quite typical, with the barest of utensils with a stove burning lightly despite the pouring rains. You should definitely ask for a masala chai full if you are addicted to spices. He will pour you a cup instantly and a little boy brought it to me and then you indulge and take a sip and it tastes perfect. The perfect blend of spices and milk and sugar and of course the quintessential chai powder. As you stood by the road you noticed that most of the people who were having chai will be having it in these tiny cups which will be half the size of your cup. Once you see this you do get curiousand then you have to know why it’s a half cup and not full. glasses. When you finally overcome your fear of actually being an outsider and do ask you get to know that it’s called “Cutting Chai” which literally means cutting your chai in half. People in Mumbai are so caught up with their work that they have literally no time to waste away. But they never say never to a cup of cutting chai. At any time of the day or night people are always looking forward to have a cup of tea maybe with a little munchies to go on the side. There is a certain charm about stopping in the middle of whatever it is you are doing for a quick drink. As drink away to glory on your “full” cup you realize it’s not just the taste it’s the feeling that wells up when you are having a cup of tea. Its this sense of calm that wells up inside of you, gives you that much needed peace in this fast paced world.

The chai in itself is very simple to make with just little ingredients like sugar,milk and sometimes that something extra special ‘ingredient’ like ginger or lemon or Indian masala. We Indians are reputed for indianising just about anything from Chinese to Italian you get everything custom made into Indian stuff i.e. the good stuff. Its interesting to know that even though this humble drink originated from China, the British loved it and the Indians still swear by it.

You can never get enough of tea in anyone’s opinion from your grandparents opinion to our generation. There is nothing in this world that matches the feeling you get when its pouring cats and dogs outside and you take a walk and you get yourself a hot cup of tea and just stand and watch the world go by in a swirl of colors and raindrops. The feeling is indisputable. There may be a lot of coffee lovers out there but you guys should know this much, you are definitely missing the good stuff of life and it doesn’t get better than having something like chai during the rains.

Be it four in the morning of nine in the night no one argues when it was time for a cup of tea. It’s not only that there is also an instant bond that you form with your regular chai wala where he knows exactly the mix that you like even before you open your mouth to place an order. The telepathy is despicable. His precision at knowing exactly what you need to cheer you up after a long hard day cannot be replaced by anything in this world.

If there is one thing every mumbaikar has to be proud of its there uncanny ability to have chai at any point of time be it day or night. If it goes with a vada pav its even better. Put together a bunch of colleagues or friends and voila! it is perfect rendezvous. Mumbai might be famous for a lot of things like Marine Drive, Colaba, Gateway and how can anyone forget the famous vada pav but in my personal belief the cutting chai which is so right in its name is what gives flavor, aroma and the much needed comfort in the city.

Muchhad walla: the king of paan (Nimisha Barua)

Popularly known as ‘muchhad walla’, Jaishankar Tiwari, is the man behind the amazing and mouth watering paan (betel leaf) in Mumbai .Born and brought up in the Tiwaripur village of Haldia district of Allahabad, Tiwari first came to the city in 1977, when he was barely seventeen years old. He had to look after the family business, that is, their paan shop, which was initiated by his father. His father Shyam Charan Tiwari started the business forty years back.  Their paan shop, on the Kemps corner, South Mumbai, is today known by every one in Mumbai as the ‘muchhad shop’.

A characteristic feature of the paan sellers here at muchhad shop is that they all maintain big and long moustaches that almost touches their ears. This tradition initiated by Shyam Charan, is religiously followed by his sons and grandsons even today. And this could be the obvious reason as to why all the paan lovers in the city know them as the muchhad paan wallas. Taxi drivers, the residents living in and around the area, the shopkeepers or even the young crowd of students; the muchhad wallas are known by all.

The shop is a home to a variety of paans like kalkatta, maggai and benarasi. Of all the three types, the kalkatta paan is always on a great demand. Another striking feature of this place is its variety in the paan preparations. Some of the all-time favorites of majority of the customers are the muchhad special meetha (sweet) paan and the chocolate paan.

“Serving the customers in the best way possible” is definitely the driving motto behind their successful business. The Tiwari brothers often draw immense satisfaction in serving their customers with the best, at all times. For many of the regular customers to the shop, believe that it is the “family-like service” that attracts them most to the place, apart from the very obvious, paan. The brothers are known to treat their customers like god and maintain friendly and family like relations with them. Often after a treat of meetha paan, the customers are offered a jar of water to wash their hands while humming a religious shloka for the goodwill of the guest by one of the brother .Warm and friendly gestures like these often attracts a good bunch of paan lovers, especially the students, in the evenings. Radhika, a regular customer to muchhad says “I love coming to this place, simply because of the variety in flavors. Since I’m a student, I come here very often with my friends whenever I feel I need to do something crazy. The evenings are the best time to visit the place”. Many of the customers also feel that the “paan are priced at very reasonable rates and the ingredients used here are pure and genuine”.

In the list of regular buyers, the college students and office goers features the most. Also not to forget, in the list many Bollywood stars like Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Neil Nitin Mukesh, to name a few, often come here to take a bite of the muchhad special paan!

The Beggars of Mumbai (Niharika Horo)

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Poverty is but the worst form of violence”. A considerable amount of Indians, still live under the poverty the line. They have to work during the day, so that they can afford a dinner at night. Such is the state of India. Poverty has been an age-old issue, which is not given proper treatment even today. As the saying goes, “the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer”. Even in this technologically advanced era, we yet have to tackle issues like poverty. One of the greatest examples which reflect the poverty of India, are the beggars of Mumbai.

The beggars of Mumbai are also called the “Eight Wonder “of Mumbai. You can find them on the streets, at traffic signals, taxi stands and train platforms. As the term “Beggars” suggests their daily activity includes begging. They actually in literal terms afford a living by begging on the streets. They have been amongst the original inhabitants of Mumbai. You go to any part of Mumbai, you will find them. They don’t make for a good sight, but are also unavoidable. The “Mumbaikars” have to interact and tackle with them everyday.

They make an integral part of Mumbai’s population. The beggars have a long history with Mumbai. One can rightly say that the beggars came into existence, when Mumbai got its independent identity (as a developed city) or even before that. These beggars can be classified into various sub-sections. "There are many categories of beggars in Mumbai. Most of them are children, some of whom are used by gangs and coerced into begging," says Vijay Raghavan of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences that works with beggars on a regular basis. They vary from old aged individuals to young toddlers who can’t even speak properly. Most of the beggars are physically handicapped or exploited young children who are forced into begging by their parents.

In Mumbai, it is considered as a family tradition. One will observe that there are families who have been into begging since years. It is become like their standard occupation. Most of these beggars are uneducated, drug addicts or migrated individuals from other parts of India. Some of them are even forced into begging, if they can’t afford a living for themselves. One also observes a hierarchy in the beggars. There are various levels of beggars. As mentioned above, begging is also a kind of occupation. Even beggars have posts. The beggars also have to pay tax, in colloquial terms what is called as “Hafta”, to the local goons.

Their lifestyle includes getting up early in the morning and planning their schedule for the day. The beggars have their own internal unions, who manage their work and accounts. The “Begging Industry”, is like any other work organization where it has employees, in this case it is the beggars. Like they say, every coin has two sides to it. The beggars are not as underprivileged as they appear. In fact they are one of the fastest growing economic sectors in Mumbai. They are an industry worth 180 crore and the figures are increasing every passing year. There are some famous beggars, who actually earn 1000-1500Rs every day.

It is observed that the beggars, own investments and properties in and around Mumbai and also in their native villages. It is fast growing profeesion. The beggars have literally become addicted to begging. In one of my interaction with a beggar, he said, “ “that now begging has become a part of my life. I have become immune to the humiliation by people and have actually started to enjoy begging. And will continue doing so.” This is the attitude which is commonly observed amongst the beggars. It has become one of the easiest way of earning money. They don’t even wish to upgrade or educate themselves. They are now set in their lives and enjoy what they do to earn an living.

There have been a number of movies, documentaries and articles showing the lives and lifestyles of these beggars. Some of the famous works include Madhur Bhandarkars’s “Traffic Signal” and Danny Boyle’s, “Slumdog Millionarie”. Both of the movies have shown an extraordinary and diverse picture of the beggars of Mumbai. They have highlighted the various highs and lows in the lives of the beggars. The biggest home for the beggars in Mumabi, is at Dharavi. One will find the most number of beggars here.

There are various institutes “Astitva”, “Ashirwad”, “Barefoot” and “Beggars Home” like which willingly want to help these underprivileged people. At the end of the day they are also human beings. And they also have every right to the three basic necessities of life, ie food, clothing and shelter. In order to eradicate poverty, one of the key initiatives is to improve the life of these beggars. It only take a step, and a lot can been done for these beggars.

___________________________________________________________________________

BIBLOGRAPHY


1) www.kmat.com?bhiksha


2) www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com


3) www.digisol.org?webroot/institutes

Aarey Milk Colony (Teerta Shetty)

The very moment you have a feeling having fresh milk, the only place that comes into your mind in ‘Aarey Milk Colony’. Between heavy traffic and pollution, Mumbai also has some beautiful rejuvenating Gardens, one of which is Aarey Milk Colony. Aarey Milk Colony, founded in 1949, is situated in Goregaon East, a suburb of Mumbai, it falls on the main Ghodbunder Road. The Aarey milk colony is one of the most modern and largest milk colonies in the world. The milkman clans here have been in the trade for decades. Aarey produces nearly seven lakh liters of milk a day, and is a boon to Mumbai as it absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide from this polluted and congested city. Apart from being a milk producing center, it is also known for its greenery and beautiful surroundings. The garden is spread over 3160 - 4,000 acres of land and is a good place for tourism. The hill on the entrance to the colony enables the tourists to have an exceptionally beautiful view of the enchanting landscape. Aarey Milk Colony is one of the many attractive tourists’ spots in Mumbai and it is well known for picnics and get - together. It has milk plants, gardens, a nursery and a lake in the vicinity that attracts visitors and makes it a suitable location for a holiday or an excursion. There are snacks counters selling fresh milk, milk products and other food items at reasonable prices. The colony has been used a number of times as a site for film shootings, and now there is a section allotted for the shoots called ‘Film city’, which is an equally well-known tourist spot.

Mumbai’s bustling dairy colony is one of the city’s few remaining green carpets and wildlife heaven. Spread near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the doting landscape is an example of serenity giving way to the splendid water bodies, lovingly sharing space with all kind of species getting as close to the nature as one can get. It is a conglomeration of 126 species of birds, 86 species of butterflies, 46 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians, 34 species of wild flowers, 16 species of mammals, 5 species of scorpions and several species of spiders.

It also has a small section called ‘Chota Kashmir’ which is a great tourist attraction and a lot of school and college picnics and excursions are organized to this place. The scenic natural beauty of Aarey Milk colony reminded many environmentalists, of the heavenly Kashmir. This prompted them to name it Chota Kashmir. Since this area has become a growing tourist spot, the Government has introduced a toll section and the number of vehicles moving in and out of the place has created a lot of pollution. The environment which once was that of serenity and purity is now polluted.

According to experts, the main objective to erect such a colony was, to supply better quality milk to the citizens of Mumbai at comparatively cheaper rate and maintenance of these animals on scientific and modern animal Husbandry practices. 30 stables are constructed having a capacity for housing 500 to 550 animals in each stable, in the Colony. Each stable has been provided with hay godowns, chaff-cutting sheds, calving lines and residential accommodation for the cattle owner and their staff. At present, Aarey Milk colony has got the capacity of accommodating 16079 cattle in 30 units.

The recent hussle bussle because of the news of the government wanting to open up a tourist zone in Aarey has shaken up the locals and dairy owners along with environmentalists. The government is of the idea of converting the green jungle into a concrete jungle by setting up and developing an entire township with housing societies , entertainment zone with Bollywood style studios, roller coasters and merry-go-rounds, an underground aquarium, commercial buildings ,etc, apart from the dairy institute. This will bring about a huge difference and the beauty of the colony and its rich flora and fauna will be lost eventually, and since it is a no-development zone area and home to several endangered species, Mumbai will be left with no greenery or habitats neither for the endangered species nor for humans.

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Bibliography


Simit. Bhagat (2010, July 30). Aarey Of Problems. The Times Of India.


http://dairy.maharashtra.gov.in/index.php?page=ceo


http://www.mapsofworld.com/cities/india/mumbai/aarey-milk-colony.html


http://www.indiatravelite.com/mumbai/aareymilkcolonyintroduction.htm

Life in Suburbs (Akansha Khanna)

Talking from an outsider’s perspective, Mumbai is a city of dreams. It is a city, where, on an everyday basis, large numbers of people migrate from their respective native places, with a hope of achieving their goals. This city is in many ways similar to an all year round fun fair, a ‘mela’. Entry is free, but to play its games, you have to ‘cough up’. You pay ten to try your hand at a game that gives its winners a hundred, you come to have a good time, thinking you will make a quick buck and then get out of here, but it does not always turn out quite like that. You are soon battling for survival, convincing yourself that you will have some luck at the next game you play.

       It is no wonder then that, Mumbai is a Mayanagri. I used to come to Mumbai every year in my summer vacations and did every possible thing to stay here but luck never favoured me for this. Despite struggling almost every day to reach my college on time I feel good, I wait for the next morning to be up and going, again through the turmoil .But why? I was never like this in Delhi. This is because this city gives me and so many other people a zest for living, working hard, pulling up our socks and starting to work, no matter what may be the obstacle. The most beautiful part of this city lies where there is Haji Ali, Siddhivinayak and Mahim Church, the three signifying the mixed culture of this city.

Mumbai has been demarcated as north Mumbai and south Mumbai. The north Mumbai known as the suburban district and south Mumbai as the town area. According to Wikipedia, “The Mumbai suburban district is a district state, of the state of Maharashtra in western India.  Its headquarters are in Bandra. It has three administrative divisions Kurla, Andheri and Borivali. This district occupies an area of 369km. The jurisdiction of Mumbai suburban district is from bandra to bhayandar , from kurla to mulund and from kurla to trombay creek. The current population of Mumbai suburban district is 8,587,561 according to 2001 census,”

Bandra known as the queen of Suburbs is best known for its linking road where street shopping is done. Simi Parekh says, “Bandra is the best place for shopping I really love street shopping also we are able to bargain so well”. Janak Arora says, “Andheri is a very good place since there has been a metro construction going on, soon it will have the property rates shooting up”. The life in suburb is so much fun also because of all the new joints that have been opening here such as theatres. Here the movies are most watched in these theatres rather than those in town since it is expensive in town than the suburbs. Life in here is much more cheap and fun instead of town that seems far more unaffordable and boring. However there have been a large chunk of population that has to travel from suburb to town and vice versa.  Rekha Kamdar, a daily traveller via locals, says, “I have a car but it takes hell lot of time to travel from suburb to town therefore I have to travel by locals”. Preethi Rait, another traveller, says, “The traffic in Mumbai is terrible, especially because of the metro construction, it has become really impossible to travel by road”. There have been many such people who really felt it to be impossible to reach on time by road from suburb to town or vice versa for which sea link has come up as a boon. Sea link has been one of the greatest achievements of Mumbai also one of the greatest developments of this city. Because of this link so much time is saved while travelling.

Talking about the streets of Mumbai suburb though is not as clean and wide as that of the town but it has its own charm. The streets out here are narrow, dirty, messy and always full with traffic even then the life the sense of amchi Mumbai can only be felt here. The street food of Mumbai suburbs is absolutely to die for. Having talked about street food requires a must mention of the food stalls opposite to the Mithibai college in Vile Parle . There are around twenty stalls in a row selling vada pav, masala dosa, grilled sandwich, pizza, cold drinks, sev puri etc. And what not is available there. And the most important thing to know about these street foods is that these are much more expensive than the food that we get in the restaurants. Places like Juhu beach have added to the beauty of suburbs and has been one of the most visited places of Mumbai. Another place called Lokhandwala complex is a popular shopping destination, among the people of Mumbai and outside Mumbai. It is an extremely posh area and mostly celebrities prefer residing here than the town. One more thing about suburbs is that the actual essence of Mumbai lies in the auto rickshaws , which are in here and are often used for representing Mumbai.

Street Shopping (suhasini Samson)

'When I shop the world gets better and the world is better but then its not, and I need to do it again' -  From Confessions of a Shopoholic by Sophie Kinsella. 

The first thing that comes to everyone's mind when they think of Mumbai is the locals, Chowpatty,  Marine Drive, the street food and street shopping.

According to a survey, 63% of the world’s population believes the best way to de-stress is retail therapy. Mumbai, the fashion capital of India, just knows how to bank on this factor, right from the international fashion stores to our very own Mumbaiya street shopping, this city has it all.

Colaba Causeway, Bandra- Linking Road and Fashion Street are the most popular street shopping places. Though the standard of living in Mumbai has rapidly increased in the past ten years, the prosperous increase of the street stalls around Mumbai shows the peaceful co-existence of street shops and international brands. According to a young college student, street shopping is “Sasta, Sundar aur Tikhao.” The street shopping is a part of Mumbai's lifestyle. Vijay Rathod, 32, Shop owner, says, “We have been in this business since a very long time. We have had a few minor problems but never any dull days,”

Generally shopping is associated with women, but moving beyond that stereotype, you see many men shopping at these places. All the shopping places have become an integral part of Mumbai since almost two decades. Bandra, the so-called Queen of Suburbs, not only has the high end stores but parallel to that is the side walk stalls, which adds to the thrill of shopping.  Apart from Bandra the other places are Zaveri Bazaar, Crawford Market, Chor Bazaar, Fashion Street and Lokhandwala Complex. The plush areas include Breach Candy, Kemps Corner, Warden Road and Napean Sea Road.

Abdul Khan, one of the stall owners, has been at Colaba Causeway since fifty years. He says, “It is an experience in itself to watch new people with new tastes wanting different things and to learn to cater to customers with different likes and dislikes,”

 There is a general perception that shopping is just for recreation and entertainment but in reality its way beyond that, India is the manufacturing hub for all the well known International brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, FCUK, Diesel and Gap. There are a many export rejects that come into the market and these are sold in bulk at very cheap prices to the vendors, who in turn make profits out of it, which supports their livelihood. The business is at its peak during the months of July and January. “Not only the locals, the business is very largely dependent on the tourists, the location being the plus point.” Adds Khan.

These vendors have established their business over the years and feel it is rather difficult for someone new to come to this field. Colaba is a shopping haven, right from clothing material, electronics and imports goods it has everything. Rajesh Shah, 38, who owns a handicrafts stall says, “A lot of foreign tourists like buying handicrafts and also ask me  questions about the craft, They buy souvenirs and gifts for friends and family,”

Shopping in this city is an experience in itself. At the lower end of the spectrum is the vendors and the other side are the branded showrooms. A group of young girls, indulging in heavy retail therapy, said, “The roadside stalls are the best when you want to follow the latest fad and still not burn a hole in your pocket, buying expensive branded clothes.”

Indians are very economical people so street shopping serves the purpose rightly. The best part of street shopping is the bargaining. It is inherent in every Indian to haggle. It is almost like a ritual when you are shopping, a game played between the buyer and the seller. Street shopping is a very important part of Mumbai, with the way the economy is growing, it is a scary thought to imagine street shops being turned into full-fledged shops. Mumbai would be lost and incomplete without its street shopping.