Beyond the City Lights

A Sri Lankan Train Ride

2011-04-24T19:38:00.001-07:00

A couple of friends and I made a trip to the Pearl Island of Sri Lanka last week. We stayed in Unawatuna, a beach in Galle about 116 kms from Colombo. On the way to Unawatuna, we drove down to the South Coast. However, on the way back, we decided to take the train.

While the train was rather rickety, the sights and scenery throughout were breathtaking. For the most part of the ride, the sea was in full view. At a few points I could see the waves lashing up against the tracks. All of this—the sea, the breeze, the sights—made the crowd and the heat so much more bearable.

A few tips—to get the best seat, which is the window seat of course, get in quick (these trains get pretty crowded). The train travels North from Galle to Colombo, so the best seats are on the left side of the train. The windows are large and completely open without grills. So hang onto your stuff!

Galle to Colombo

Another Hidden Sanctuary (III)

2010-12-06T06:54:00.001-08:00

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A piece I wrote for The India Tube…

http://www.theindiatube.com/travel/the-sagar-upvan-of-colaba

Fireworks at the Queen’s Necklace

2010-11-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

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Even Obama’s visit can’t stop a Bombayite from enjoying Diwali and Marine Drive knows this like no other place in South Bombay. Security maybe tight in SOBO and the police might be out in hundreds. But Diwali is Diwali at the Queen’s Necklace, and no Obama is going to stop people from enjoying themselves.

I didn’t know about Diwali at Marine Drive, until yesterday when Alex and I went over to the well-known stretch to watch scores of adults and little kids come out to light a gazillion fireworks. It seems like every year the fireworks market throws up something new. The fuljaris and fountains and chakras are classics, but the rockets have been modified along with the bigger ones that light up the sky with a thousand rays and sparkles.

Marine Drive is a definite to-do on Diwali, something I shall try to make a yearly event!

Crack crackety crack!

2010-11-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

7am! I’m awake and groggy. The crackers have started, the sun is streaming through my flimsy curtains. It’s Friday and it’s a holiday! One of the few joys of working in India, you get more holidays here than in any other country.

Diwali again, and love is in the air. It’s been Diwali here this whole week. People are in a nicer disposition. They even look nicer, cleaner, and so well groomed. The women have been wearing the bestest of the bestest sarees and some men have even shaved. Public transport is oozing with people in a good mood; this having made this whole past week so unusually pleasant. Even last evening’s sudden downpour didn’t hamper the festive spirit.

Regardless of religion, Diwali is probably the only time of year when everyone looks happier. Serial lights hanging from every surface actually lightens up the night, the diyas look beautiful, and the rangolis add that splash of colour to an otherwise boring, routine life.

The weather as well has started changing; it has gotten cooler, making those long commutes a little easier, especially if you happen to travel a couple of hours each day to work. Getting off a crowded bus and walking doesn’t get you thinking ‘oofff’! iPod on LOUD, wind blowing, traffic noise drowned out, it’s actually a pleasant walk.

For me, the best part of the season is the city’s streets. The lights really do make me happier, there is something beautiful about them. Even the loud garish ones don’t seem too bad. And have you ever noticed how the serial lights on disco mode strung from the shadiest shops and bars make you want to bob your head and tap feet? Haven’t done that ever? Take a walk down your market street or the main road, and experience this once-in-a year joy.

Happy Diwali People!

Of lights and sounds…

2010-11-04T09:01:00.001-07:00

I was playing around with my iPod today and thought about recording the stretch from Andheri-Kurla road to the West. To all you Bombayites living elsewhere, here’s a piece of your city at Diwali…

…and here’s another

Bombay-Bharuch

2010-09-27T08:26:00.001-07:00

I wrote this piece as part of a class assignment… I got a little dreamy whilst writing this, so forgive my over-sentimentality if you detect any.

I’m on my way to Jhagadia, a small village in the block district of Bharuch in Gujurat. I’ve never been to Modi-land before and I feel a little apprehensive; the riots of 2002 and the few movies that followed left a deep discomfort in my mind.

I have volunteered to travel the 355km distance from Bombay to visit a Children’s Home for Tribal girls, where I will be conducting a Needs Assessment. Needs Assessment, an all time favourite word in the NGO world! I’m unemployed, in need of adventure and looking for work. So why not make a combination of it all?

Mumbai Central- the station I get my passenger train is filled with all types of people, although the majority are male. I can hear a garble of languages, and I’m not sure if it’s a dialect of Hindi or Gujurati or mix of both, for all I know it could be Urdu. It’s a fascinating scene of dress and colour; crisp white pyjamas, bright chiffon saris, knitted skull caps, stark black bhurkhas and what not. My mind takes me back to the Hindu-Muslim conflict and wonders how frightful this same journey must been not so long ago. But it seems like things have changed, if only superficially. Faces don’t look fearful. A sense of the all forbearing Indian train camaraderie settles in as the train starts moving, and I turn my thoughts to the world passing by.

I am engulfed by a childlike feeling of excitement, having got the window seat, and almost wanting to stick my hand out to feel the July rains. The scenery constantly changes as the train moves from city to town to village, concrete to huts to green fields. I can’t recognise the trees nor all the kinds of fields I pass, but nonetheless it’s all a beautiful palate of green shades. For a city girl like me, this is a feast. The monsoons transform a parched land into a blanket of lush beauty.

I can see farmers, men and women, working the fields, going about their day. I try to imagine myself doing that kind of work and it all appears very fantasy –like. It’s the kind of picture that makes you want to give up the city and move a thousand miles away only to live a basic existence. But the train keeps moving from town to village reminding me of how difficult it would be to give up the urban.

The old man sitting by my side throughout this time keeps to himself. And I think, finally someone who can leave me, to me. I’m not keen on small talk on journey that is for the most part, quite pleasant. But my impression of this seemingly nice old man changes as my journey draws to an end. Half an hour before the train reaches Bharuch, my stop, the man stretches across me and with a good portion of gusto, spits out the paan he’d been chewing. A little of this red mix of saliva and betel nut ricochets off the bar and lands on the window sill, exactly where I was resting my hand. Eewww! This shouldn’t be surprising, and yet I think, why god why? Why are we a race of such despicable filths! I do the only think I can think of, move away from the window and pretend this hasn’t affected me, all the time fighting the urge to scream.

I’m in a dilemma. I can’t seem to pucker up the courage to tell him of his wrong. For one he’s older and the other, my Hindi is inadequate to politely say what needs to be said. And so I leave it. My experience with most older people tells me that you can’t change something that has been reinforced in one’s mind for decades.

So I focus on my destination, my search for other adventures. Ones that will hopefully, hold more pleasant moments.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya…

2010-08-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

…Formerly called The Prince of Wales Museum. According to Sumanya, the existing name sounds so ‘un-cool’ that even the authorities had to add ‘Formerly Prince of Wales Museum of Western India’ to the title. Nonetheless, I quite like saying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya! It sort of poses a challenge to ones tongue really. And once you’ve succeeded in pronouncing the mouthful of words without hesitation, you can almost taste a sense of vain accomplishment. Of course that wasn’t the intention in changing its name. That's an entirely different story.

A week ago a couple of friends and I visited the museum to roam about its long corridors and enjoy one of Bombay’s iconic structures. Now if you have visited any tourist attraction in any part of India, you will have noticed the huge difference in entry fees for Indians and foreigners. True to form, this museum is no different. A foreigner’s fee is 300 rupees while an Indian can enter at a cost of 25. The only saving grace for a foreigner is to be a student and to hold some sort of student identification document. Then, the fee is a mere 15 rupees. The foreigners pass however, comes with a free audio guide, available in several languages.

On entering you are expected to leave water bottles and umbrellas at the door and go through an airport like security check. A conveyor belt moves your bag through an x-ray machine accounting for hidden weapons and sundry. After that, you have a good few hours of walking and browsing ahead of you. If you do happen to make a visit, do not miss the old grandfather’s clock standing to the right of the entrance. The clock numbers you will find aren’t numbers at all, but in fact Tamil alphabets; quite an interesting piece.

On entering the foyer, we hear a ruckus. Apparently a group of tourists took a picture against the backdrop of the ground floor and was told that photography would cost an extra 200 rupees. Of course this must have insulted the man’s sense of Indianness. How dare he be asked to pay for something that should rightfully be free!!! And so he felt no apprehension in shouting at the top of his voice at the indignity of having been asked to pay for taking a picture.

Ignoring the loud voices we move on, walking through ancient Buddhist ruins of centuries past, exhibitions of paintings and artefacts donated by several of the city’s wealthiest industrial families. Prominent among them are the Tata’s. Huge paintings and showcases filled with beautiful objects adorn the walls and the museum’s space. Many of the exhibition halls were closed either due to maintenance work or as a result of the lack of an exhibition.

In a bid to keep people entertained, a kiosk like structure stands at the end of the exhibition on the Harappan Civilization. Here you can digitally piece together an ancient looking pot or make your own bookmark with the help of stamps. Of course, a small donation box is kept at the side of the bookmark stand to encourage people to help maintain such exhibitions.

After speaking to my seasoned Bombay friends, I find that many have never visited the museum. In truth, there is much more that can be done to liven up the place; it barely reflects the country’s history or cultural heritage. Nonetheless, it is still worth a visit.

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Going Red

2010-08-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

In a bid to refurbish my bedroom, I am undertaking the task of painting a hand-me-down coffee table red. Only, I will be using this coffee table as a bedside table. The plan is to make it look pretty in contrast to the otherwise very brown and very boring furniture, save of course my ‘Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ like looking armoire. Once it’s all done, I will place an ornate lamp stand on it, purchase a fitting shade and be content with my handy work.

Being a complete newbie to home projects, I sought advice from several well-experienced quarters on how to go about such a task. I was told

a) I would need to scrape the black polish off

b) Brush on the primer

c) Scrape that off

d) Brush on some more primer and scrape it off again (optional)

e) And finally, paint on the red. (this is my favourite part)

And so last week, in what seemed like an incessant downpour of rain, N and I finally went to the shop and bought the required material. Even here, I was advised to go to a particular shop and speak to the owners who tend to the customers themselves. It so happens that this shop (the name of which I do not know) is famous. I was attended to by a very forbearing handsome young chap who I had no problem in conversing with; you see his yummy looks made this whole experience so much nicer. For those of you who wish to know, the shop sits one lane in front of (or behind, depending on which direction you approach it) the very decent looking public toilet on SV Road in Old Khar.

Now this endeavour ought to give me much joy. Or so I thought…

A week later I finally start this project. Sand paper in hand I started scraping, only to find that it wasn’t going to be an easy task. The black polish has thickly seeped into the wood. A mere stroke barely grazes the surface. So I put a little more gusto into it, taking out all my frustrations on that poor table, careful of course not to break it. This to just about grazes the surface (apparently my strength does not match my frustrations!). A little longer and voila I can see the brown wood. This is about a centimetre of the six inches by one inch piece on one side of the table. Much more to go.

Two hours, a red faced me and one blistered thumb (not kidding about the blister) later, I have completed about 10% of the table.

Suddenly I find myself rethinking the entire project. Along with the other advice, I have also been told to take it slow, enjoy the process. And so I shall, I shall put the pain of the blister behind me (as much as it hurts even while typing this) and take it easy… Spread the ‘enjoyment’ over a few days, so to speak.

Pictures of the ‘before and after’ will be up as soon as it’s done. Cheers to all the home project enthusiasts, and to the people who do this for a living, I have newfound respect for you.

Of Monsoon Boons and Banes

2010-08-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

July, the month of showers!

Its been a glorious July! Its has! Last year’s rains didn’t quite get Bombay’s water supplying lakes up to the desired levels. And so the city faced a grave summer. By May 2010 newspapers reported lake levels to be going down further, dangerously lingering at the minimum mark. The BMC announced water cuts of 30-50%, which affected even the affluent of the city who normally aren’t touched by these troubles.

And now with July having brought in water in abundance, as of 1 August 2010, lakes have reached up to 86% of their required levels. People are breathing a sigh of relief. (or are they?)

Unfortunately for many, Malaria and the flu have hit the metropolitan hard. The papers report cases showing symptoms of Malaria have gone up by almost 70% in the last two years. Hospitals are over run with patients. Every year the city is plagued with the dreaded M. Yet every year, the authorities instead of having improved upon services knowing of what is to come with the monsoons, seem to constantly have a reactionary attitude. Almost like ‘lets wait and see how bad it can get’.

Another instance would be the potholed roads. Take a ride (try the rickshaws for the full effect) through an inner road or even try a stretch on the multi-crore constructed highways and you'll know what a regular commuter experiences everyday.

A few days ago, Bombay’s Guardian Minister, Jayant Patil took three BMC additional municipal commissioners on a bumpy ride on the roads of the city. Newspapers report that he drove the car himself, careful to go over or rather dip through every pothole he could find only to literally, drive his point through. End result; a profusely apologetic trio and an assurance that the problem would be fixed within 10 days. (This was on 29 July, another 6 days to go, or do we already know what’s going to be done?)

Yes we need the monsoons, but with a little foresight and attention to the city’s infrastructure I’m sure we can do without its woes.

Bombay Then, Mumbai Now

2010-07-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

My colleagues at PUKAR recently gifted me the coffee table book Bombay Then, Mumbai Now; a concise but splendidly visual book to take you on a journey through the city’s history. The photographs are beautiful, giving the reader a fantastic image of the city that once was and how it has grown to be what it is today.

I started with Bombay Now that has an essay written by Naresh Fernandes. A book on Bombay will not be one unless phrases like ‘cultural melting pot’ and ‘packed like sardines’ are used somewhere or the other. In that, it typically describes the city as crowded, filthy and spirited. It contains plenty of facts that have been talked about in many a blog, book and print article. He does however start with his own experiences of this city, in particular the ‘film shuttlers’ and his home Bandra, that makes the essay quite enjoyable.

Reading on I find that one of the most interesting arguments on this city is very aptly articulated in this statement he makes…‘The suggestion that Mumbai has some magical, innate hardiness has absolved our administrators of the responsibility of actually fixing our problems. No matter how bad things get, they seem to suggest, we have an infinite capacity to cope. But now it’s all too clear that we're wearing thin.’

We are wearing thin!

Bombay Then takes a look into British ruled Bombay up until the mid 1900’s. Unlike Naresh, Jim Masselos takes his reader through a very well crafted picture of Bombay when the ethos of the city was taking roots. He describes a city that once boasted of its beauty in architecture, pride of its citizens in the city and more importantly, its cosmopolitan culture; all three of which over the years seems to have eroded. Nevertheless, the description of the city’s history does make you wonder at its growth and transformation as industry grew through the years. You cannot help but feel nostalgic at the city's better planned past and only wished for it to have continued to the present day.

BOMBAY THEN/MUMBAI NOW: Jim Masselos, Pramod Kapoor, Naresh Fernandes, Chirodeep Chaudhuri; Roli Books Pvt. Ltd., M-75 Greater Kailash II Market, New Delhi-110048.

Hidden Sanctuaries II

2010-06-09T20:12:00.001-07:00

Following up on the Hidden Sanctuaries series, the pictures below are of a convent in Byculla, Religious of Mary Immaculate, Regina Pacis. The sisters here run a day, night and open school, a working women’s hostel, a hostel for girls in college, a children’s home for underprivileged girls and a social centre for migrant domestic workers. All these activities are spread across a the fairly large campus and not an inch of space is wasted. The land originally belonged to Premchand Roychand, one of Bombay’s Merchant Princes, famous for building the Rajabai Clock Tower at the University of Mumbai along with the library. This used to be the ‘weekend get away’.

It now sits smack in the middle of the city, surrounded by high rises, the JJ Flyover, Gloria Church and many other important landmarks. I can’t resist saying here that while the address now reads ‘Seth Motishah Lane’, it is infamously known as ‘Love Lane’, a name that one can’t help but smile at…It has quite the musical tone.

The nuns here (like every convent I have ever known) have maintained the premises well, keeping as much of the original structure as possible. The main building which houses the Chapel, the nun’s refectory and the reception has now been declared a heritage structure, and is currently under restoration, so those pictures will be added at another time. The other buildings have been renovated and the gardens improved upon. The stables have been converted into special classrooms, storage rooms and a parking space.

If you would like to make a difference to child’s life here at Regina Pacis, go to http://www.theworldnow.com/cal/startingsponsorship.htm or alternatively, contact me on marinhaf@gmail.com

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Hidden Sanctuaries

2010-06-05T21:10:00.001-07:00

Known fact, Bombay can get on your nerves. It can make you yell silently, it can make you cry dry tears and it can make you sweat blood. The city is fast, crowded, smelly, tough and ridiculously noisy.

However, every so often you will come across a place that seems to scream peace. Starting with this post, I will be putting up pictures of places I have visited in the city that are beautifully maintained, have large open spaces, huge trees and not too many people.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences is one of India’s premier educational institutions. The album contains pictures of the new TISS Campus at Deonar in Bombay.

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Jane’s Walk 2nd May 2010- Girgaum, Bombay

2010-05-03T23:53:00.001-07:00

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…Tabula Rasa

2010-04-29T20:02:00.001-07:00

Into the night that feels so bare,

I look for a glimmer of resilient hope,

The force of laughter is so void, its all a guise for this heavy soul

We wander through a lifetime of riddles

We search for an elusive pot of gold

I wait for no one to walk this path,

I walk it, on my own

Invictus

2010-03-02T05:20:00.001-08:00

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

-William Ernest Henley

Applications Invited

2010-02-20T23:23:00.001-08:00

PUKAR Youth Fellowship Programme 2010-2011 invites youth from the city of Bombay to research their concerns, their lives or their neighbourhoods. Its a fun way of exploring this city, experiencing its vibrancy and going beyond the norm. If you would like to know more about the Youth Fellowship click on the hyperlink.

Whatever helps me sleep at night

2009-11-25T08:35:00.001-08:00

TV serials, passing trains

Hopes for the future, changing seasons

Getting high, drowning sorrows

Lost in plans, found in the present

Is this my pill? Is this my remedy?

Music for the soul

2009-11-07T19:59:00.001-08:00

This is a friend based in London who I had the pleasure of listening to only a few times. But I’m sure glad that she’s got her stuff up on YouTube!

Rekha Paunrana

And here again, live at ST. LUKES, LONDON

When the monsoons transform a village hamlet into an haven of greenery

2009-08-23T10:14:00.001-07:00

A few pics taken on a short visit to Jambhulpada. Although the morning was spent in some very unpleasant heat, the afternoon saw some beautiful showers and made for some very welcome respite.

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Borivali National Park and Kanheri Caves after the monsoons

2009-08-16T22:19:00.001-07:00

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The participation continuum

2009-08-07T03:00:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I learned of the participation continuum, a theory/idea probably coined by a management guru, although it did have elements of the non-management thought. It makes sense that one would like to see their groups’ development through a grid like this one, although to put human behaviour into such a framework seems rather unreasonable.

The idea of this continuum is that groups generally go through several stages before reaching the ideal level of each member having an equal say and stake in the group’s purpose. (The word used is ‘empowered’, which in my line of work has come to be quite meaningless)

It starts with the first stage of ‘assumed’ , where the members have an assumed relationship which with each other. Each person takes for granted the capacities and abilities of the other group members. It then moves onto ‘informed’ where group members are now informed of the group’s purposes or anything else, but not given much say in matters.

The next stage is ‘consulted’. Here the group is given the opportunity to express themselves but isn’t requested or informed about giving feedback. So basically it remains a one way working relationship. Following being consulted, the group moves into ‘involved’ where members can express their views, partake in decisions but still work within a prescribed framework and boundaries.

Involvement moves into ‘engagement’ which means that group member takes responsibility for decisions made and there is equal decision making and action taking power. So one would wonder after this has been achieved what else is left??? Well that's where being ‘empowered’ comes in.

Empowerment is the stage at which members not only have decision making power but have control over processes as well finances.

In a simplistic view, one would then infer that empowerment would be having control over finances. I say this only because that seems to be the basic difference between being involved and being empowered in this context. To me it makes no sense moving into empowerment simply because involvement in its explanation is ‘it’. I would think that being involved in a group’s purpose would entail being part of every decision, financial and non-financial and that, that in itself would be ideal.

Opinionated news reporting

2009-07-14T23:29:00.001-07:00

Last night I happened to turn on ‘@ 9’ on NDTV with Pranoy Roy. The first issue that was being discussed was Mayawati’s spree of building statues of herself and her party; how the general public is reacting and what other political parties have to say about it. The second issue later was how a young couple from Rajasthan eloped and married within their clan (which is not traditionally accepted), and how the village panchayat has issued a Rs. 1 lakh reward to bring them back, dead or alive.

Both issues are quite heated topics and my angst (if one can call it that) is not with the subjects themselves but with the remarks that Mr. Roy made. It has always been my understanding that news reporters asked questions, elicited answers and at the end of the clip summarized. When I was a kid, I actually looked up to Mr. Roy because I felt he reported well. Facts were clear, language was easy to follow.

Last night however he made quite a few very judgmental statements, bordering on cynicism on India, on a news broadcast. It made me wonder about news reporting. What exactly has it come down to? Emotional reporting at horrifying events? A reporters opinion rather than clear facts? or simply, random statements?

Jogeshwari’s very own Bandra

2009-06-24T02:27:00.001-07:00

A small piece of information I came across today while visiting a colleague…. About 25 years ago, the government moved an entire slum dwelling in Bandra to Jogeshwari, providing only land and not housing. Since then, this spot in Jogeshwari East has come to be known as the Bandra Plot. So at Jogeshwari station when you hear rickshaw drivers calling out ‘Bandra’, you’ll know why!

Smart cards and street smarts

2009-06-17T23:30:00.001-07:00

A few days ago I was meeting friends for dinner for a birthday celebration. And as Indian Standard Time goes they were predictably late, although the predictability didn’t help the long wait.

I was waiting for them at Dadar Station, which in my mind is the busiest station that ever existed. People whizzing in and out, running for trains, changing direction, screaming at people bumping into them, children running about the place while their parents figure out which train to take and the heat getting on everyone’s nerves.

I decided to perch myself right under the fan that was generating the strongest breeze and which also happened to be belting out the loudest noise. As I waited for tardy friends (who I hope will read this post) I noticed two kids (a boy and a girl) standing near the newly installed Smart Card Ticket Machines. They in turn were surrounded by a huge crowd waiting for their tickets. As the crowd dispersed, I heard the boy scream ‘local ticket yahan milega, local ticket yahan milega’. (Local tickets available here). The long line of commuters waiting to buy tickets at the counter soon ran to them.

So what exactly was happening… One of them was operating the machine and the other was collecting the money in a little box. At first I thought the two were probably charging a commission on each ticket. So I moved closer to figure out what was happening. But when I inquired with one of their customers, it turned out that they weren’t charging anything for their services.

When the crowd around them had dwindled to a few people I asked the little chap what was in it for them if they charged the the same rate… and this is what he said… For every 500 rupees of tickets they sell, they make 50 rupees from the ticketing counter. That works out to a 10% commission. 50 rupees on every 500 may seem little, but at Dadar station there is no dearth of commuters waiting to buy tickets and it seemed like their 500 top-up lasted all of 15-20mins.

Before I got a chance to ask any more questions, there was another crowd of commuters waiting for tickets. Who exactly it was who was paying them this commission, I don’t know… How old were these kids, I’m guessing approximately anyway between 13 and 15yrs. I was just struck by the ingenuity and tenacity of it all.

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To Khopoli and back.

2009-06-06T21:42:00.001-07:00

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Khopoli is the last station on the Central line of the Mumbai Railways. From Dadar it takes approximately 2hrs and 15mins to reach depending on whether you’ve taken a fast or slow train. The frequency is rather tiresome as there are direct trains from CST only every 2 hours. I know that the Mumbai Railways is one of the best in the world in terms of frequency and coverage, however with the boundaries of the city constantly expanding there are a lot more places that desperately need to be covered.

A group of us trouped to Jambhulpada a village about 22kms away from Khopoli station on Friday as part of our Action Research project at PUKAR. Our purpose, to find out how the two groups who have been part of the Youth Fellowship Programme have been doing. The two groups have been working on the subject of Katkari Tribals, the indigenous people of India. Their small projects have many findings that range from exploitative conditions to their living environment and more prominently their lives.

The trip in total required eight and half hours of travel time, and as long and as tiring as it was, it was equally nice once we were actually there.

Meanderings and Ventilations

2009-05-22T02:21:00.001-07:00

Today I was actually out of the office and into the city. I had an interview to conduct and it took me travelling from Bandra to Prabhadevi. I usually travel by train wherever I go but this time I decided to take the bus considering it would drop me to the point I needed to be at.

Buses in the last few years have taken on a new avatar, Advertising. They initially started using the outside of the buses to carry ads which was followed by using small spaces inside the bus and now its grown to using Acrylic Bus Handles to carry advert messages.

I think that’s fine even though they are a tad uncomfortable to actually grip. But the newly installed TV screens which play repeated adverts takes the cake, constantly playing repeated ads for inane TV soaps to ads for toilet cleaners.

What got to me the most this time was an ad for a Reproductive Centre. It had some guy giving the commentary while the background music was the signature tune from Forest Gump the movie. Another ad for an Animation Institute used a picture of Alexis Beidel, star of a popular US American-Drama show. Copy write laws seem completely non-existent in this city and I’m pretty sure across the country as well. It isn’t uncommon to find a small time hair and beauty salon flaunting a picture of Aishwaraya Rai ‘Bachchan’ on their headboard, like they were her personal hair stylists.

Anyway, getting back to the bus, I sat the forty minute exasperatingly hot journey listening to repeat after repeat of the same ads completely annoyed that authorities make money at the expense of a passenger’s peace of mind. I wonder if they ever stopped to think if we would get irritated by loud speakers blaring nonsense right above your head (or into your face when standing). Isn’t it bad enough we bear with it on long distance journey’s?

Time Out wrote an article on the rudeness of the city, of people monopolising dressing rooms to bhajani mandals in the trains gifting you a cranky mood for the remainder of your day. I think BEST authorities need to read that article.

Not everyone wants to pass their time on the bus listening to senseless ads.

Summertime and the living is not so easy…

2009-05-15T03:06:00.001-07:00

Summer in the city can be quite unbearable with the heat and humidity getting to you. Most will describe it as hell. For those of us unfortunate to be here, enduring the relentless heat, we try to find ways to escape. Weekend getaways, air conditioning, movie theatres and sprawling malls. Consumerism at its peek in a flailing economy.

Yet on my daily route to and from work I find that traffic is more bearable and trains are less crowded. My colleague tells me its the summer holidays, people are away, everyone’s in their ‘gaon’. Hmmm, that would make sense. Suddenly I feel the heat is more bearable, realising that I have a little more space in the city. Road, train, standing! Its space. I am actually enjoying the train ride and the roads. Maybe it won’t even be so difficult getting a movie ticket in the suburbs on weekend night.

Summer time and the flowers are in bloom. It struggles to covers the ditch and shit smell that can overpower miles of blossoms. And still early mornings seem blissful. Cool, fragrant and quite. Yet, I yearn for the monsoon and its refreshing scent of wet earth and cool breezes.

1st May Jane’s Walk in Girangaon, Mumbai

2009-05-08T02:22:00.001-07:00

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Jane’s Walk- Girangaon Mumbai

2009-04-27T03:25:00.001-07:00

Jane Jacobs was an urban activist and writer who helped stay several urban renewal projects which were a danger to the local neighbourhoods in North America. On the 1st of May 2009, several of the Jane’s Walks will be conducted across the globe in an effort to bring people in touch with their neighbourhoods, environment and their city’s history.

PUKAR will be hosting a Jane’s Walk through Girangaon (Village of Mills) in Mumbai on the 1st of May 2009 at 5pm. Meeting point is Bharat Mata Theatre, Parel. The closest station is Currey Road on the Central Railway and Lower Parel on the Western line. The walk will cover iconic places that have contributed to building the social culture and economic strength of the city of Bombay and will last for not more than 2 hours.

For information on Jane’s Walks, go to http://www.janeswalk.net/

For further information regarding the walk through Girangaon you can contact me at marinha@pukar.org.in

And I almost forgot… Its free and open to anyone interested in participating.

Firaaq

2009-04-02T23:58:00.001-07:00

Firaaq (2008) meaning separation, tells the stories of the horrific Gujurat riots in 2002 that shocked the world. The film portraits the lives of several people and their families and the effects of the riots on the physical, emotional and psychological dimensions.

Of all the characters in the film, the story of Mohsin, a small boy victimized by the violence, was the most haunting for me. From the very start of his role to the very end of the movie, his face and body language rendered his situation in its most bare state. Having worked with children who have been orphaned as a result of violence, I could feel his sense of helplessness and loss. If you’ve had the fortune to have been brought up at home with parents and family to support you and look after you, it can be hard to imagine life without them. Needless to say, having your family taken away by mindless violence is even harder to comprehend as a growing child.

Although a little one sided in its depiction of the victimization, the film is thought provoking and it left me feeling upset. Upset that violence to many is a means of solving problems. Religious violence has now grown to language violence and even sectoral violence.

The MNS ruckus that occurred in 2008 in Maharashtra could have (and still can if not dealt with more seriously) grown to more than smashing taxis, rickshaws and shops. Are we going to allow more riots? Are we going to sit back and watch more devastation? What is it that we can do as a part of civil society?

Building a working democracy

2009-03-29T02:35:00.001-07:00

GoG, Group of Groups, is a new citizens initiative comprising of 51 citizens groups, non-profits, concerned organizations and so on, who are working towards a four point agenda… transparency, accountability, democratic governance and representative democracy.

The group was convened by Rahul Bose with a group of others who found that the response to the 26/11 attacks was overwhelming yet very disorganized. The GoG in that regard will take things a step further and try to garner a political will amongst people to ensure that the Government is held responsible towards its people.

One of the first moves towards this was (and still is) a signature campaign asking CM of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan and Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan to ensure that the Maharashtra Govt. implements the directives passed by the Supreme Court in 2006 in the 1996 case of Prakash Singh v/s Union of India regarding police reforms. The police reforms if implemented two years ago would have helped the police deal with the attacks much better. The reforms also ask for a accountability of the police officers themselves.

On the 26th of March, volunteers and members of the GoG stood outside CST getting people to sign letters that will be sent to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Chief Justice of India. One of PUKAR’s youth groups conducting a research topic on ‘Problems of families: Mumbai Police’ volunteered collecting signatures for the campaign. There were 7o f them all young students from Patkar College.

People friendly cities

2009-03-19T01:47:00.001-07:00

Walking around in Mumbai is one of the most difficult things to do. Sidewalks are a contested space; hawkers, pedestrians and animals always vie for a firm footing. Since independence, the development of our country has consistently been on the path of aping the west. So, if large scale industry, high rises and increased highways and roads were seen say in the US, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that India would follow suit.

The common citizen is very rarely given a second thought in this whole ambit of ‘infrastructural development’. In our city, the only people able to afford private transport are the upper strata of the city’s population. Owning a private vehicle is very much an aspiration of the burgeoning middle class and still out of reach even with increased car purchasing options. Two wheelers are still the preferred choice although even those are relatively unaffordable. Considering this, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the majority of Mumbai’s citizens rely on its efficient but yet insufficient public transport.

At PUKAR today, Faizan Jawed, a recent graduate in architecture, screened his work on the role of public transport in sustainable humane habitats. The last four months has taken him to cities across the world, cities that have shown considerable progress in people oriented transport. He showcased cities that have taken to the bicycle culture like fish to water, prioritizing quality of life. His film talked about cycling and walking as two major methods of commuting that have helped ‘green’ up cities and improve the quality of air.

Interestingly enough, the efforts towards minimizing vehicular traffic and maximizing people friendly roads, came from a strong public will which gave way to a political will.

However, public will is difficult to generate when historically, money and politics have had (and continue to have) a powerful hold on infrastructural development. Like with all issues, where there is money there is power, and money turns the wheels of politics. So industrial tycoons will always work hand in glove with politicians, lobbying for capitalistic policies that favour exclusive development over inclusive development.

Constructing highways and expanding roads to accommodate growing vehicular traffic serves a section of the population able to afford private transport. It doesn’t mean that public road transport will increase with wider or better roads. Enhancing public transport and creating citizen friendly commuting policies will do much more for the city and its people, rather than symptomatically injecting a cure for its explosive traffic problems.

Revolutionary indeed.

2009-03-13T01:40:00.000-07:00

One of Hollywood’s latest contributions to the world of cinema has been a hard hitting yet poignant film Revolutionary Road. The film explores (at least in my opinion) two very important elements of life; happiness and love. If you have watched the film you will know what I am talking about.The film revolves round a middle class couple raising their family in suburban America, who are suddenly faced with the unexpected problem of monotony and emptiness.

After having watched the film yesterday, I started wondering how life in Mumbai has evolved for many who have been brought up here. Our suburbs look and feel different from the city area, but are still very much a part of the city. So the question of living in a quiet locality is out of the question, unless of course you are fortunate to live in one of Mumbai’s quaint villages. We grow up dependent on noisy fans and honking vehicles to lull us to sleep. We cherish every moment of privacy we get and every inch of personal space we are offered.

We are reared on a charted course, much like that of an average middle class American say back in the 50’s/60’s. Graduate, find a good job, get married, have children and bring your children up to live the same charted course.

When do we see the light of a revolution in ourselves?

When do we realize that an ideal is what we make it out to be?

On the Virar Fast…

2009-01-15T02:20:00.000-08:00

Mumbai’s Virar fast local is a well documented subject. The Virar fast invokes images of crowds, women yelling and Bhajni Mandals. My experience encompasses crowds and women screaming!

I got into the 3.32pm Virar fast at Bandra Station on a Sunday afternoon. The previous two trains were cancelled and therefore, I knew I was in for one fantabulous journey. The train approached the station and everyone on the platform readied themselves for the start of a battle. Babies in arms, bags around necks and hands ready to grip the handle, women jumped on the train. (I speak of only the women here, my attention was completely on alighting the train and not on what was happening on the other sides) With the rest of the crowd, I jumped on as well and managed to squeeze myself into a seat, big hips withstanding the pressure.

The crowd not subsiding, I tried looking out the window. Between the countless women standing and partially blocking my view, no lighting inside the train and a lady falling asleep on my right shoulder, I saw how wonderfully the scenery changed.

The city became less apparent and the vast spans of water bodies and fields grew larger. The air seemed lighter even though women in the train failed to stop yelling at each other. In the midst of the colourful language being bellowed out and children crying for some breathing room, there was a calm of acceptance. An acceptance which spoke of this being life on the Virar fast...Deal with it or get out, time and this infamous train wait for no one.

Link to Mukul Kesavan's Article in The Telegraph

2008-12-05T01:22:00.001-08:00

Shachi sent me this link. The article I think is very well written...

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081204/jsp/opinion/story_10201347.jsp

Trains by night...

2008-12-04T21:59:00.001-08:00

Picture borrowed from Rohan's collection...

A Thought about the Aftermath...

2008-12-03T22:10:00.000-08:00

Last week’s events numbed me. I couldn’t think, I could barely sleep, I could barely keep my thoughts from straying back to the attacks.

Like everyone else my eyes were glued to the news channel and for those 60hours my thoughts were baffled.

A week later and the out cry from Mumbai’s citizens has been phenomenal. Protests…. Peace marches…. Human Chains….. Letters…. Blogs…. And so on!!!! People are pouring out into the streets raising their voices against the attacks, fighting both, an incompetent government and terror.

Its not the first time Bombay has faced such horrific events. It’s certainly not the first time the city’s citizens have had to face such shock. And yet, the response to this particular attack has been phenomenal. South Bombay yesterday saw professionals, well dressed and well educated walking the streets, screaming slogans in an effort to voice their opinions.

The question in my mind is not why the Government was caught sleeping yet again… Its where were was this outcry, this magnitude of people, this response when the trains were blown up in 2006… when Bombay was flooded … Buses were blown up????

Is it because people will support what effects them? Have we become such an inhuman set of citizens that we won’t give our time for anything that doesn’t affect us?

Rahul Bose had some interesting things to say on Tehelka...

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=Ne061208bose.asp

A brief encounter with history and politics...

2008-11-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday last saw me trouping around 23 undergraduate students from the University of Chicago. I had been preparing for this day for the last month, reading up on the places and even visiting the areas. It was a journey of rediscovering the city and its magnificent history.

The places that the students would be visiting were Girangaon and Dharavi. So I started with the most basic of preparation steps… the Internet. It took me by surprise to find out how little information was available on Girangaon, the Village of Mills. If one reads about the history of Bombay, the textile industry was the corner stone of the city’s industrialization. And yet, after the longest mill workers strike and the vast contribution of the mill workers and their efforts to the city’s development, the recognition is almost negligible.

On the other hand, Dharavi- “Asia’s Largest Slum”… as most people know it, has no dearth of information available on the web. Go ahead and type the words Dharavi and Girangaon into the Google search engine… the results…

Dharavi- 176,000

Giranagon- 1550

The difference is huge! Why then does such a difference exist, when both areas have had a significant contribution to the city’s commerce? One major reason could be because of the fame Dharavi has received for being a “slum”. In reality, Dharavi is multifaceted industrial city within a city. It serves as a manufacturing unit and a habitat for people across India, who come to Bombay to earn a living. A living which is not necessarily available in other parts of the country. With the increase in real estate prices and Dharavi sitting on one of the most prime areas, politics has ensured that Dharavi now gets a “Redevelopment” package.

As diverse and heterogeneous as Dharavi maybe, it still bears a few similarities to Girangaon, which is principally Marathi.

One, most people came to find work. In Girangaon it was the workers coming from drought stricken areas across Maharashtra. In Dharavi, people came to find work from across the country; both starting with migrant workers. Secondly, both areas are now home to working class citizens, who work hard to stay afloat in this cut throat world.

What this essentially signifies is that Bombay is a symbol of relief from oppression, a chance for employment, a hope for survival.

It is through this search for survival, people come together, form communities and identities. Living together forges a bond, based on language, festivals and so on. In all of this, caste also plays a major factor. It determines one’s identity and even in the city, can decide one’s future.

The Giranagon area is now changing from mills and chawls to swanky offices and malls. The once quaint skyline is being overtaken by cosmopolitan structures. If the authorities have their way, this will also be Dharavi’s fate. The residents and people of the area are fighting hard against the plans. They aren’t fighting against redevelopment per se; they are fighting for the right to determine the development of their own homes and neighbourhood.

Is that asking for too much?

PUKAR in association with the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum is hosting a special Multimedia Presentation on Girnagon from the 8^th of Nov to the 1^st of Dec ’08 at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. The museum is in the same grounds as Rani Baug, also known as Victoria Gardens, Byculla…This exhibition is worth your time!

Above....Mirchi Gulli in Lalbaug

Above.. One of the students trying to get a look inside the gates of a mill.

The pictures up on this post were taken by my colleague Alexander Koecher. Thanks Alex for letting me use them! :)

Gola on Google.

2008-11-04T00:53:00.000-08:00

The new avatar of the timeless Gola...

The day the RAJ arrest hit Bombay...

2008-11-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

A deserted Bandra station at peak hour...

Mumbai's auto rickshaw and taxi strike

2008-10-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of pictures taken at Khar Station of people lining up for the bus... The effects of a one day Auto rickshaw and Taxi strike...

Bombay's shock value...

2008-10-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop on Participatory Communication and Action, where different people across India came together to learn how communication plays a key role in our work with people and how those very methods we use reflects our belief system.

At this very workshop, I met a person who described himself as a middle class urban guy, brought up with traditional middle class values, something I was very familiar with. He told me about how his travels have taken him to places he couldn't imagine and to cultures he was so new to. And then he asked me a question which got me thinking... Does Bombay have any shock value me?

Bombay to me is home... A potpourri of everything one can possibly imagine... A place that one can hate for its sheer mobs and love for its bold variety, both at the same time.

So if diversity and differences in everything be it cultures, languages, gender definitions, food... is all you've ever grown up with, can a place still hold some shock value for you?

What do you think?

Being a first timer...

2008-10-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with the idea of setting up a blog since I first heard about it. I've just never had the courage. The idea of having your thoughts exposed to the entire world was (and to a certain extent still is) rather scary.

Since joining PUKAR, a Research Collective, I have been given a new impetus to get this started.

So here I am, ready to talk about my views on the maddening/chaotic/fast paced/ invigorating city I call home... MUMBAI.