The maximum city

"A city that never sleeps still called the city of dreams." The cosmopolitan glory and the mesmerizing views of the seashore engulf the unforgiving nature of life that breaths in the narrow streets of the city. After a 2-hour flight journey, we arrived at the airport and this city was celebrating the Muharram and Ganpati Visarjan at the same time.  From what I have seen in the movies and what I have heard about the experiences of others, I had a preoccupied mindset regarding what I was about to witness. I was sure about the intoxicating weather, the maniac traffic, the kaleidoscopic skyscrapers, the Dabangg Mumbai Police, the squalid Slums, the lifeline of Bombay: Local trains, the incredible Dhobi Ghats & the six-sigma certified Dabbawalas and so much more,

View from the waiting area for the arrival of cabs/taxies

I have been to airports in other cities in India, but the difference here, I noticed was the separate floor in the adjacent building to the airport for the arrival of cabs/taxies. On the way to the hotel, the balmy evening with the fresh breeze from the sea calmed my exciting nerves. As it was time to cross one more thing from the Bucket list: to experience the vastness of sea and tranquility of beaches. Next morning we ditched the pre-planned visit to Matheran (Hill station near Mumbai) and decided that for the next 2 days we are just going to explore Mumbai. Like every city, Mumbai will also give two contrasting tastes within one city i.e. the Northside (usually the messy) & the Southside (the Classy). The Bandra-Worli Sea link bridges this divide for Mumbai. 

Day 1: We decided to explore the Northside i.e. Aksa Beach, Madh Island, Versova, Juhu Beach and finally the Bandstand. 

I have always believed that when the destination is not off-beat than choose the timings when half the city is sleeping and for the matter of fact most of the Mumbaikars are night owls. The Western Ghats which are known for its captivating sunsets, but to me, serene mornings have their own beauty. We hop on to the Auto rickshaw and to my surprise, unlike Delhite's Autos, the Autos here actually run on meter and the drivers are keen to share their knowledge about the city. Most of the places here in Mumbai are famous not necessarily because they are worth visiting but they became popular because of the Bollywood. Same goes for the Aksa Beach which became the part of must-visit beaches after the song from the movie "God Tussi Great Ho".  (Traveler’s Alert) Most of the beaches here are not clean at all due to the amount of waste dumped daily in the sea. You might experience the foul smell of rotten dead fishes and a lot of trash kissing the shoreline along the waves. And, if you visit during the festive season you might be baffled to see your God's idols lying in bits and pieces on the shore. Despite all its wrongs, Mumbai and people here are full of exuberance and nothing could stop these kids from playing & standing tall against those strong splashing waves. 

In the hustle and bustle of the life here, people look for quick-budgetary-filling food options. During those 2 days, I tried Vada Pav at many places (from the street joints to Airport lounge) and realized that it was as simple as any other street foods yet very few people have mastered the art of making it right. The quickest, pocket-friendly and on-the-go-snack that you can enjoy anytime and anywhere.

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For the morning walk, we had the whole beach to ourselves and to feel the shifting sand beneath our feet as we stood there to gaze into the boundless sea. We spent some time collecting the Seashells of different shapes, size and colour. After that, we boarded the cheap-crowded-fishy smelling ferry as it was supposed to take only 10% of travel time as opposed to the road. The next in the things to do list was the Juhu Beach and the iconic Prithvi Theatre (again recommended by the friend). The restaurant & bookstore inside this 40 years old theatre makes it the go-to place for the esoteric crowd that can read/talk/watch the cinema for hours while enjoying the reasonably priced variety of food. (Alas!! we were too early for the Shows that run normally in the evenings but the food was great)

When I saw the weather forecast in the morning it was supposed to be mild rain showers in the afternoon but the heat waves led to the change in plans. We searched for the nearest cinema hall and luckily found the seats for the recently released Horror comedy "Stree".  The eerie yet humorous plot throughout the movie and the bemusing end made sure that our afternoon was well spent. Now it was time to experience the north-south divide I talked about earlier. Even the experienced Auto rickshaw driver could not give (or might not want to give) the convincing answer regarding why the Autos are not allowed beyond the Bandra-Worli Sea link. Finally, we decided to go to the Bandstand- Mumbai's famous lover's point. The Bandstand Promenade is a kilometre long walkway that ends at the Bandra Land's End, where Bandra Fort, a Garden, the Sea and the house of Superstar Shahrukh Khan (Mannat) all meet. One of the things I noticed was that surprisingly people were standing in a queue to get onto the bus.  It was time for us to call it the day so we took the cab to the Hotel to keep this trip as offbeat only. 

Day 2: It was time to cross the bridge and explore Southside ( Haji Ali Dargah, Maratha Mandir, RBI Headquarter Building (personal choice), CST Railway Station, Gateway of India, Elephanta Caves, The Taj and the Marine Drive)

We rented the Ola cab for the day, unaware of the fact the parking charges in Mumbai (especially the Southside) will burn a hole in my pocket. We were delighted to witness the engineering marvel Bandra-Worli sea link that weighs equivalent to that of 50,000 African Elephants. Our first stop was Haji Ali Dargah, an Indo-Islamic architecture connected to the mainland through the causeway which gets submerged during the high tides. This shrine draws people from all faiths and watching the city from the shire with the waves all around is usually an experience visitors tend to remember. (If you are interested in Qawwalis than try scheduling the visit in the evening).  

Hardly any institutions have such an impressive success with the decentralized system than the Dabbawallahs of Mumbai. I got to know about them from the Ted Talk and since then I am a big fan of the accurate coding system for delivering the tiffin boxes using the same local transport. As a tribute to their service, a glittering statue stands tall at the Haji Ali chowk.

Not many food outlets were open by that time so we decided to have our breakfast at McDonald's (They had Burger with Masala Dosa patties and believe me it was delicious).  It was around 10:30, still, an hour before the show of blockbuster DDLJ would run for the umpteenth time in iconic Maratha Mandir. Therefore, we decided to take a roundabout and move to our next destination i.e. the grand CST railway station, the symbol of imperial architecture marvel included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With its sheer size and the amount of detailing, it is very hard to capture its beauty in one shot (Even more beautiful with the lighting effects in the night). 

Now it was time to witness the Gateway of India (Fact: It is known as the symbol of Triumph as well as the downfall of the British). To beat the afternoon heat and crowd, taking the ferry ride to the Island was the better option.  I got a little sceptic regarding the way tickets for the ferry to Elephanta Cave were being sold by the hawkers (not through any Kiosk/ticket window). But when I enquired the policeman, he assured me you can buy the tickets from anyone, they all are authorized. It was approximately one hour ride to the Island (11 km from the mainland) and to enjoy the panoramic view from the top of the ferry one need to pay a premium charge of just Rs. 10/-. 

Far from the noisy and crowded city, this was a totally different experience. Somewhere in the middle of the limitless sea which looks calm yet, you can feel the power stored beneath the surface. For the first time, I felt the magnitude of the Mumbai Harbour and the humongous ships (that can easily accommodate the population of my village). From the jetty to the foothill, you can take the toy-train ride of 10 minutes (Rs. 10/- for to & fro journey) & save your energy to climb the 120 steps to reach the cave.

 The history of these mysterious caves is unclear but the stories about how they were discovered are interesting. While coming back, the artefacts made of precious stone/pearls lure you to buy at least one as a token of memory. 

Finally, when the day and the trip was coming close to the end it was time for the royal treat at the grand hotel The Taj Mahal. (The security checking there must have increased after the horrific incident of 26/11 Terrorist attack.)

Its beauty is as perfect from the inside as it is exquisite from the outside. I have been to other fine dining restaurants but the impeccable service here fascinated me the most. After the dinner, a long walk at the Marine Drive appreciating the sea and skyline was like a cherry on the cake.

During the night time, few places here find a new life & look more alive than ever. Be it the Marine drive that transforms into Queen's necklace, the Banda-Worli Sea link with its architectural beauty or the CST railway station as an antique gift from the history. Engrossed with all kinds of thoughts, the cab drove back to the hotel and thousands of city lights were reflecting off the window. Mumbai, the city full of stories gave us a wonderful memory to cherish throughout our lives.