Moosehead dude cycles into Bandra!
Anyone who has wandered around the streets of Bandra can’t help but stumble across some rather remarkable art on building walls, hidden along winding lanes, tucked away on the corner of a convenience stall.
Multiple arts projects find home in this western suburb of Bombay… one of the more recent was part of the Celebrate Bandra festival where St+art brought together a mix of Indian and international artists to create a new series of murals to brighten the buildings of Bandra… (more…)
Avehi Abacus at Mumbai Marathon
Yesterday all over Mumbai folks woke up with extra aches and pains but satisfied smiles despite feeling stiff all over!
Sunday was the 12th annual Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM). One of the largest marathons in Asia and India’s largest non-profit fundraiser platform.
Clearly I’m not currently marathon material at the moment, however my partner volunteered to support the Avehi Abacus Project by participating in the 6 km “Dream Walk”. (more…)
Sanctuary Asia Awards – Inspiring and humbling affair…
Drive anywhere in Mumbai these days, you will see large billboards with DSP Blackrock featuring incredible images of tigers and the company’s support for the Sanctuary Wildlife Awards.
Sanctuary Photography Special Mention – Aditya Singh’s In Safe Jaws
It is easy to be cynical in this world yet I must say Sanctuary Asia magazine and its annual award ceremony was an incredibly inspiring, moving and deeply humbling affair.
We were fortunate to meet Bittu Sahgal at a friend’s wedding – a remarkable human being whose genuine passion for preserving nature’s creatures and habitat is infectious!
Beautifully hosted by the enchanting Dia Mirza, the entire ceremony saluted the stories of so many people making a difference.
A few highlights: (more…)
Bandra’s Equal Streets
Sunday morning I woke to a cool breeze and inclination to go for a stroll.
Now normally this means risking life n limb, dodging all kind of vehicles on the road and trying not to trip on sidewalk hazards.
However that was all before Mumbai joined the ‘Equal Streets‘ movement.
Each Sunday from 7am until 11am, one side of two main roads in Bandra are closed to motorised traffic for community activities. (more…)
The pool ‘princess’ and her adoring audience
I’ve always known how to swim. My sister and I were in a pool from practically the time we were babes. And it has always been a joy to jump in and start swimming… without a care in the world! A quiet peaceful time of contemplation, random musing or even brain ‘radio silence’.
Growing up with a father who was professor at the University of Manitoba meant access to their olympic size pool. I never knew anything else so just assumed all pools were big, cool, pristinely clean, bright and full of people enjoying their laps.
To discover people splash about in small hot pools chatting was bizarre. I mean come on, pools are meant to enjoy a blissful swim… Beaches are where you combine swimming and play but a pool? Pools are to be in the solo zone, a happy place for focused fitness! (more…)
The wedding that wasn’t then was…
While waiting at Delhi airport for our flight home after a wonderful wedding weekend, the Maharashtra state election commentary was on the TV.
I had a flashback to the Indian national elections in April 2014 and an unexpected impact on another friend’s wedding. (more…)
My 1st class flight to nowhere!
Mumbai’s new T2 (Photo: see sources)
Clutching passport, Emirates 1st class ticket, bags, grab a trolley, rush into the new international terminal. Hurrying up, navigating security check of ID and ticket at the entrance, finding where our check-in counter is… impatiently waiting…
1st class flight
Except it’s actually a fake ticket, fake flight and in reality just a fascinating simulated airport experience!
I, along with some 1600 others, spent our Saturday helping test out the new Mumbai International airport terminal. When my friend asked if I could play the role of a weary jaded international passenger… the obvious response was ‘Hell ya!’
And that I did with other friends – including one who got to pretend to be sick. Except she actually was sick with a slight fever and generally feeling crappy. I, naturally, got to play the role of a concerned friend, yelling at the poor lady trying to check us in while the systems were down as we waited and waited for medical attention. I used my imperious best “This is simply not acceptable! Who is your superior?” All duly recorded on camera… I groan to think of how my manufactured nastiness will become fodder for training years hence on how to placate upset travellers.
For those not familiar with Mumbai’s airport – there are a few interesting elements to keep in mind. While the volume of passengers for the international airport may not seem like much in the global rankings, it is quite remarkable considering both domestic and international share one main runway in the middle of Mumbai’s suburbs.
Aerial view (photos: see sources)
Mr GVS Reddy, developer of the project has been quoted as describing the complexity of building a new terminal while both the existing airports remain fully functional as being akin to “… conducting an open heart surgery on a marathon runner, when he is in the middle of a marathon.”
With a vision of making the airport one of the best in the world, Terminal 2 has been built with a four-level terminal with an area of over 4,39,000 sq. mts. With new taxiways and aircraft parking designed to cater to 40 million passengers annually, it certainly has promise.
One of the walls which is 1.2 km in length and 18 feet in height will have the largest public art programme in the world as 6,000 pieces of Indian art from the 8th to the 19th Century will be curated on these walls. The sneak peek was definitely one of the highlights and while none of the photos below are mine (yes – I strictly followed the ‘do not photograph’ policy of the test participation rule), there were definitely a few highlights and lowlights.
Highlights? The flower ceiling lights and art – don’t miss the wrestler’s (ahem) torso with a reasonably endowed ‘package’ in a bright red loin cloth! (Again.. apologies no pics!)
Check out the ceiling lights (Photo: See sources)
Lowlights? The lack of power outlets in boarding gate, longish walk from arrivals to immigration and the toilets. I’m sorry but in a new airport, who on earth decided to have stairs to the Indian toilet leaving zero room for a strolly? Bad enough with the Western style toilet which is also small and where your bag can perhaps perch on your lap, but I’m sorry, squatting and holding a carry-on bag do NOT work!
All in all it was a fun but exhausting day. Who knew it would be so tiresome to pretend to be traveling!
Sources:
- Economic Times: Mumbai’s Airport’s T2 set to outshine Delhi’s T3
- Rediff: Swanky T2 Terminal
- Wikipedia: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
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House Cooling/Warming Part 1 – Mumbai masquerades
Given a choice between socializing at public establishments or private homes – my vote is ‘house party’! And while average flat sizes in Mumbai are modest, there are some that are designed with ‘entertaining’ in mind!
We recently attended a ‘house cooling’ party in Mumbai. It wasn’t at all like the one I had in Winnipeg before moving back to India. Mine was a simple affair where the focus was valiant efforts by one and all to empty the house of assorted bric-à-brac and demolish the booze cabinet! No one was permitted to stay with empty glass or leave empty-handed.
In the recent Bandra variant, there was certainly food and booze aplenty however it also featured a burlesque masque theme! Tonight is the same friend’s ‘house warming’ party and am looking forward to kicking off the “B-b-b-b-birthday celebrations – quintuple style” courtesy of his hosting skills! (more…)
Bonus time in Bombay – Jakarta I’ll be back again soon!
Today I was supposed to be in transit to Jakarta… but I’m instead waking up in Bombay. What happened? Did I miss my flight? Was there some major life tragedy that derailed everything? Nope! Just a simple delay in the launch date for the project which means more time home rather than away. (more…)
The Business of Socializing
Social gatherings bring business + pleasure?
While much is written about the business of business cards, culturally appropriate ways of exchanging in a formal business context, the lines between professional and personal interactions often blur in Bombay. Perhaps it is because Bombay is the capital of both film and finance in India – a beacon to hopefuls with dreams of fame and fortune – be it in Bollywood or banks.
Everyday Asia 