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.

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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