The Black Horse

The Black Horse as the title doesn't say, I'm actually talking about the famous Kala Ghoda Arts Festival of Mumbai. I had first seen the pictures of this festival three years back. Trust me, as per photos, I thought what a boring event, I could only see the photos of horses, tangas and nothing new. At that time, I never thought the photographer could be bad too (Sorry Mister, if you read this :P)

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival live between 2nd February to 10 February of this year, is a kaleidoscope of music, dance theater, literature, films, workshops and so on. It will not bore you but will amaze you with its uniqueness.

As I entered the venue, which was actually a real street - I thought it's just a replica of Dilli Haat, but I don't say it very often - I was Wrong! It was very unusual in the pieces of art that were showcased there. Below are some of the pics that will atleast give an idea of the talent Mumbai has!

Bollywood without which Mumbai is incomplete - Lights, Camera & Action!

The Ghoda, not a black one, made up of Cardboard.

(Can you count and tell me the bones this horse has? Don't bother, just kidding)

Dhanda hai but Ganda hai ye!

An Eye for an Eye - you really don't have to go to an optics to buy one. Suite Yourself ;)

Vespa trying hard to grab each and every opportunity to Market it's Wasp - I mean Vespa!

Chillar were never so precious.

The XXXXXXXL T-Shirt Up for Sale! 

Cycle Chalao, City Bachao!

The Never Ending Man doing Rajasthani Folk.

A Salute to the Rs. 100 note - A Real Picture of India.

Though it was a completely new experience for me, as each an every stall was selling something new, something unique. But if you want to buy your favorite item, carry a lot of cash - because yes, it is very expensive. I will advice you to carry your credit cards or debit cards because sometimes, police also cannot save your wallets. Enjoy!

Mumbai + Photography = Just Friends

Famous Sea Link of Mumbai (Edited using Instagram)

I never hated Mumbai neither did I like it.
I never hated Photography neither did I like it.
Now ... I'm living in Mumbai and clicking/editing photos most of the times. Beat IT, beat IT!

My Past with Photography:
I have always been in front of the camera. This was not because I was a glamour ka bhooka, call me shy please, but it was because the photos clicked by me always were shaky - too shaky! I don't know how! I remember focusing more on getting a steady hand than taking the complete picture itself. My friends used to call me "Suttebaaz" (naah, I never smoked!). I had the talent of clicking a shaky or a smoky photo using a camera with an anti-shake feature! Something that I always was proud of! Infact, even if I got a steady picture - the picture was bad because according to my photographer friends (uff!) they had spacing issues. Long story short - I sucked at clicking pictures :P

My Past with Mumbai:
What Past? I have no past with Mumbai - the only past I remember is coming here with my family and drowning ourselves at Juhu Beach. Thank God, I was too young! I saw a clean Chowpatti. After that, whenever I mentioned my travelling plans to my parents - they threatened me with their house arrest plans!

My Present with Mumbai & Photography:
People who have been followed my blog, would have a clue that this is a city where you can only watch a local train running with you like any other car but you can never catch it or race with it. But you can only capture Mumbai in photos. This Maximum City looks so beautiful in pictures that you can't resist not clicking one! Though my shaking with the anti-shake camera is being handled by my savior husband as he clicks steady pictures (he loves showing off his camera) and I edit them or make them beautiful.

Nothing can beat the sea with the sky reaching buildings or the fog surrounding the buildings in the morning with a clear sky. Something that Delhi will never get (Sigh!). 

One More Emotion

I have seen that face million times in the past three years. Still that face seems so interesting every time I look at it. The face with which I live today and should know how it reacts to each and every situation but still it never fails to amuse me with its reaction.

I have always listened to Romantic songs. They were good but have always felt that there was something missing. You ask me now how does a romantic song feels and trust me, you will get an elaborated answer. Now that we are talking about songs, I have just realized why I always liked slow and sad songs, always thought they were so complete and each and every emotion used to stuck to me for a while. You won't believe if I will tell you that I havn't listened to any sad song in past 2 years back to back. Is it because you have someone in your life now? Wasn't there someone else in your life earlier. I mean you always have your family. But why still you want that someone special to know what exactly life means, what exactly happiness means, what exactly being complete means?

I have always had these scattered thoughts. I have always been a confused one. I have always stood in front of a window and never knew what I was thinking but still I was thinking something. I have never gone to bed with no thoughts. My head was always so full of thoughts - Job, basketball, being happy, being fat and so on. Now, I just go to bed with no thoughts with such a clear head that I over sleep sometimes.

Does Tension drives you? Tension was the one that used to wake me up in the middle of the night or because of which I never used to sleep! Now I don't remember a night when I havn't slept peacefully. It is not that I don't want to work now or I am not ambitious now or I just want to sit at home or I just want to make food for that face. Its just that I don't want to miss any emotion on that face when he is home. I can't leave that face and suck up in the office.

His face is a bright light in that journey of happiness which I'm so lucky to find!

Call me Love Stuck, Call me that person who has turned completely poetic after her marriage, don't care till the time that face is with me - the face of my love, my best friend, my greatest crtitic (yes, he tells me what all spelling mistakes I have done), my husband - My Vikram Singh Rana!

Not Just Another Beach

Not just another Road Trip.
Not just another Sunrise.
Not just another Sunset.

Not just another Beach!

It is THE Kashid Beach.

Kashid Beach 163 kms away from Marol (Mumbai), 65 kilometers ahead of Alibagh (another beach in Maharashtra) - I thought will be just another Chowpatti (Chowpatt). First description about Kashid Beach was the Beach where you can park your car on the Beach itself - sounds cool na?!

It's not in Mumbai - my husband kept telling me that!  A bunch of oldies, all 25+ (I'm the youngest of the Oldie Gang, Yayy!) sitting inside a Brio on a Saturday night decided to get up at 5o' clock on the Sunday morning. Did we get up? Or didn't we? And to tell you all - we did manage to get up (I myself couldn't believe because I was up at 4 a.m.) We decided to give my new car Brio the feel of fresh air, feel of the beach, feel of a Road Trip!

The things we decided after we all 4 were ready to start:
1. Use Google Maps for the Way
2. Have McDonald's Breakfast.

Things which Google Maps decided:
1. No McDonald's Breakfast
2. Sauf  wali Coffee in the Dhaba (Don't even try it!).
3. Drive through the Ghats!

Thanks to Google Maps, we had a traffic free and the most amazing drive till Kashid (please note, only in the morning). We missed the most awesome McDonald's breakfast (I had even started dreaming of Mc Muffin Sausage burger). The next update of Google Map should have all the locations of McDonald's too. And this time a guy should say - Turn right for McDonald's (why should boys have all the fun :P).

We literally parked the car on the beach, had the complete bottle of sunscreen on ourselves and ran for the salty water and the banana ride! It was only when one of the friend decided to jump on my shoulder instead of in the water during the banana ride that I realized Water Sports can turn dangerous. I almost thought I had lost my arm and my husband thought he would be thankfully saved from all the new dishes I'm trying on him :P

In the name of  Water Sports, the beach had just two rides (both were awesome - see picture), ponies and so on. People were playing cricket, football, handball and so on on the beach (how cool is that!). We also tried maroing each other with a football and the other aunties and uncles (read beautiful girls and stud boys :P). You will fail to find  a decent  restaurant there so it is advised to take the food and drinks along or else you will have to enjoy the maggie or pav anda like we did.

Our return journey was not so exciting with me with a strained shoulder, my husband with a steering and a break, and our friends with the urge to sleep but still is an unforgettable trip like every unplanned trip are!

Flashing Lights of a Different City

Mumbai is known for its night life. Trust me its true - Mumbai is beautiful during night (for the first time, I'm praising Mumbai - my husband should treat me for this :P). I have never got a chance to roam around the Delhi roads during night (yes, my parents were strict, read very strict). How much I want to wander the roads of Delhi during this winter season, but the colors of Mumbai made for it. Below are some of the captures, not completely at night though. Don't criticize the photography - not all are clicked by me ;)

You would have seen this in many Bollywood Movies, the famous Baggi (Looks like Amitabh's Baggi with all the Bulbs)! 

Mumbai Nagariya - the view from Marine Drive, it was truly magical.

Hotel ... Taj Hotel (trying the James Bond style 'coz of all its hype)

If Delhi has India Gate, Bombay aka Mumbai of Gateway of India (looks deserted at 12:00 midnight, probably there was a Dandi charge :P)

Grillopolis, Fine Dining Restaurant in Andheri West - well organised and well spent time on New Year's. (Hogged till 1:00 a.m.). The Gate was too flashy as per Delhi's standards.

Disclaimer - Too expensive (Rs. 30,000 for 4 people) but got a free Champagne bottle (too much for a free Champagne, eh?!)

BandStand during day time.

Tip : It's better to visit this place during night!

The Colorful Gola of Chowpatti or should I say, Chowpatt Chowpatti!

Tip : It's literally Chowpatt Chowpatty. Do NOT go there during day time!

Unending Paper Dosa of Balaji Restaurant.

Warning : Only eat this if you like Coconut Oil (a LOT of Coconut Oil, you know what I mean!)

Chrismassy and Crowdy Mall of Mumbai.

LIVE Sea Food at Mahesh Lunch Home : Yes, my friends ate these LIVE in front of my eyes!

Angry Birds, Just not a game at Candies, Pali Hill. Were addictive like the Game!

So Called Town

For those who havn't read my last article - I am very new to Mumbai, for those who did and already know - I am new to Mumbai (forcefully highlighting). So one evening my husband asked me (forcefully highlighting that I'm married too) do you want to go to the town? Do we live in a village? I ask while feeling very low classed! So I was told, we live in "Suburbs". Duh! And we thought India is only divided in States and Union Territories.

Anyways, so we end up in "The Town", saw where Mr. Ambani lives - tried making some jokes on how his kid would take a plane to Singapore just to buy his briefs from a local market!

By the way this so called Town does look different from the Suburbs, more like organized Mumbai! We went to this Famous Leopold Cafe (my husband was too excited about it, the photo specifies the reason). Now, I think that's the only reason, we went to the Town!! On a weekday, I had expected less people, less noise and trust me I have always been told that I should stop expecting, it would be easier to accept!

OMG! I could only hear noises. People just talking, talking and talking. I guess Mumbai people were never told by their parents to not to talk while eating!  My husband was sitting just next to me, still I could not hear anything! Did I tell you, we had to wait too (just for 15 minutes)! Looking at the crowd, I had expected the waiter to be in a hurry but surprisingly he explained how each prawn dish was different from the other prawns dishes (I should STOP expecting!).

After looking at the never ending Menu (took long 10 minutes), we ordered Mediterranean Prawns and Mango Shake and more. I have to tell you, the service was quick and the waiter was very friendly. You also get a small katori of peanuts absolutely free!

Yes! It was a meal worth all the noise, travel and the wait! If my husband is given an option of visiting this place everyday, he will not miss it as it is very easy on pocket too!

My brain says - you should atleast go there once, that's what is Mumbai about!  

Sleeping in the Dream City

And I landed in Mumbai jobless with no roof of my own and not a rupee in my pocket. No! I never wanted to be Madhuri Dixit, neither did I come here to be a heroine or a model for that matter.

But I came, because my husband got transferred here (Alas! why do people get married, I still wonder). Just a month old, our marriage and I have already visited 3 cities and a country! Certainly my husband is a traveler. Ok! enough of my history - no I am not getting Old!

Mumbai - a city of dreams as is called because you usually sleep and see as many dreams as possible while travelling. Yes, it takes months (read hours) to reach your destination. First couple of my days in Mumbai, staying in Andheri East in a Guest House named Bharat Avenue at Marol (Military Road) and we decided to travel to Marine Drive (just because I kept saying Mumbai is boring, poor my husband!). We took a local from Andheri East Station, each ticket costing us Rs. 21. When I used to be in Delhi, I used to abuse Metro a lot but trust me, now its the most convenient mode of travelling! Local is just like travelling in remote areas :P

Anyways, we did reach Marine Drive - a long road with the ocean on my right side. Its a long stretch of road with a place to sit along the ocean. You will find friends, lovers, families sitting there and chatting all night. We kept walking along the road for half an hour to reach the end. The view was breathtaking. You look back and you say - yes! it was worth it (if it would have been a windy night, it would have made the experience excellent).

Don't worry about the food as you will find the chai walas, the paani walas and the famous bhel puri walas on your shoulders. We waited for the wind and clicked zillion photos (our usual routine) till 1:00 a.m. and decided to travel back by a taxi rather than a local. The taxi costed us Rs. 500 (being a Delhite and giving so much to a Taxi wala was too much as per my standard). Till then I never knew the Mumbai's Auto Rickshaws are Delhi's Cycle Rickshaws and Mumbai's Taxis are the Delhi's Auto Rickshaws. Better late than never - atleast now I know, I say!

Keep tuned in as there will be more on Mumbai soon! Never landed in Mumbai just to sleep.