Lot of film stars gathered on the fourth day of fashion show…….

Influenced by the Carnaby Street look of the 60s, with style popularized by designers like Mary Quant and models Twiggy and Jane Shrimpton, Anita Dongre set the ramps rocking with the beat of that era. She presented sharply tailored dresses of feminine touches with subtle embroidery placements. Ending the show with a glamorous velvet skirt and strap blouse for actor Isha Koppikar, Anita Dongre had the right styling directions with wearable well finished garments which can please lovers of timeless fashion.

Kiran Uttam Ghosh had her stylish inspiration 'Ethelecctic' collection of quirky western and Indian wear from a lovable geek of Archie series, Big Ethel. The colors were sober, but the line of ensembles was stylishly eye catching, very wearable and unconventionally combined to present a new fashion statement. According to Kiran Uttam, Veronica may be the Valentino of Archie gang, but for Kiran it is Big Ethel with all her oddities who is her hero that has given rise to a truly fun but very wearable and saleable line of Autumn/Winter wear.

Sanchita Ajjampur’s choice of glittering embellishments was very interesting as gemstones, crystal, and a mélange of embroidery stitches decorated the garments with dragons and warlike tattoo figures. Accessories were perfectly styled and were an integral part of Sanchita's collection as she added on leather thong belts, totes with basket weave handles. For some head-turning clothes, a Sanchita creation is a must in every woman's wardrobe.

Young designers dazzle the fashion show…

Ten talented young designers, Nimita Rathod, Digvijay Singh, Anuj Sharma, Vivek Kumar, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Debarun, Aneeth Arora, Vivek Karunakaran, Kunal Rawal, and Nachiket Barve , presented a spectacular show at the Aza Gen Next extravaganza at Lakme Fashion Week proving that the future of Indian fashion is safe in their creative hands.

Sanjay Malhotra collection titled ‘Lucky Charms’ was a mélange of garments ideal for the Autumn/Winter 2007-08 season for the woman on the go who loves the perfect choice of fabrics and colour. He works with apt fabrics that have eye catching designs with elegant yet stylishly sober colors to match. Sanjay’s style forte was the many jacket dresses and slim line coats that were well tailored and finished. Here was an ideal collection that will definitely charm the women who are on the look out for some classic yet trendy Autumn/Winter creations.

Anupama Dayal unveiled her collection titled ‘The Giant’s Garden’ with her happy, fun-loving inspiration full of color and style. She used the oversized floral patterns to embellish her creations in a pleasant mix of colors and sizes bringing to life the birds and flowers in Oscar Wilde’s story Giant’s Garden. Where Anupama scored was with her mix of prints and colors that merged in perfect harmony for each of the garments that created a glamorous bouquet of fashion.



Having researched the life of Empress Theodora carefully, Wendell Roderick’s creations for Autumn/Winter 2007-08 went through the full gamut of the lady’s life from virgin, mistress, empress and saint—each presented in a unique color story and styling details. The show stopper was a solitary black satin silk sari with a floating ribbon pallav. Men’s wear was seen occasionally—a sherwani, a taffeta jacket, coarse silk jacket, hand-woven herringbone silk shirt with looped dhoti pant and twill sarong. Accessorizing the garments with innovative chrome closures, clasps, shoulder accents and placket interest, Wendell Rodericks’ Empress Collection was undoubtedly a very subtle regal line, which will tempt women to add to their wardrobes.

Neeta Lulla makes a debut at Lakme Fashion show…..

Neeta Lulla, created a collection that carried a strong message. She presented a fashionable ode titled 'Woman' dedicated to the girl child. She kept her glamour quotient in tact as she took the audience through the various stages in a woman's life (from young to a glamorous lady of the future) with her creative all-western garment line; in a color spectrum of solid and prints that wove in every hue, in soft fluid feminine fabrics to match the theme of her collection. Her finale model choice was very apt – former Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen with her daughter Renee who put a perfect end to a show which not only had everything that revolves around fashion and style, but also a message that will make a social impact.

Pria Katari Puri's inspirations came up with a glittering collection of bridal wear which had all the style, beauty and elegance which a girl dreams of for her wedding trousseau. The prints reflected the beauty of the old Topkai Sarayi Palace and the Turkish motifs from the Art Deco period. Pria's fashionable journey went through fabrics that were rich and fluid – silk, chiffon, satin, tulle as well as lush velvet and lasered lace in metallic tones. Colors matched the glory and grandeur of the theme with white, orange, gold and rich metallic tones of copper, bronze and antique silver which were embellished further with sequins, crystal and dazzling silver jewels. Detailing was restricted to tassels, fringes, silk thread and crystals.


This was probably the best collection presented by the designing duo of Dev R Nil. With a patriotic theme—60 years of India's independence when the country is poised to move into a different level—the designers who titled their presentation ‘Sixty’ had a fabulous line of dresses, blouses, jackets, tops and beautiful saris all blended into a perfectly cohesive look in fabrics like taffeta, georgette, stain and jersey. Here was a line of garments that Dev R Nil can proudly present on any ramp; The Indian and the international.

The Murjani Group brings the label to India.

Watch out for French Connection popularly known as FCUK! For here comes the first international brand from the UK and it is all set to steal the hearts of Indian men and women when it launches in April 2007. The snappy men's and women's line with its cool styling will appeal to the fashion conscious of the country. From the classic raincoat to colorful art deco prints on a tulip dress, to a jumpsuit, the women's wear line moved smoothly with a timeless universal appeal for buyers. , If one was to judge by the thunderous applause the collection received at the end of the show, the FCUK label will certainly appeal to a cross section of men and women of all ages with its simple timeless clothes.

The Abduction of Psyche by William Bouguereau pushed the imagination of Swapnil Shinde to come up with a collection that was feminine, yet classic with just the right amount of embellished touches. Swapnil worked with diverse fabrics of romantic colors that ranged from chiffon, shimmering georgette and satin Lycra, brocade, cotton and linen as well as suede, which was used for jackets as well as trims for the dresses, giving a trademark detailing to his dresses of elongated sides of skirts. Swapnil’s blend of the classic and the contemporary for his creations will give a modernized line to his buyers.

Anand Kabra’s collection ‘The Orange Scarf 1927’ was woven around a beautiful multi-orange hand painted swirl and cube design, which appeared discreetly throughout his collection. The garments varied from dresses, pinafores, skirts, blouses, jackets and even saris, which were tastefully embellished. He presented saris in innovative drapes like setting the pallav through the placket of the jacket or teaming them with a jacket, or adding just a faint shimmer to the borders. Working predominantly with silk, chiffon and twill, Anand’s creations were a pleasant blend of classic yet contemporary silhouettes.


Narendra Kumar visualizes the men of modern liberalized India in some of his very interesting and creatively styled clothes. Detailing was visible in every garment from faux lapels to elongated button holes with grey silk piping, to three-button jackets with shimmer on the side, velvet shawl collars, quilting for long jackets, silk pullover sports jackets, and trimming with leather and rivets. Making a surprise appearance on the ramp with his models, Narendra Kumar proved that his clothes are for men and not only the models as he ended his showing with a statement—the clothes are the stars.

Rahul Mishra and Firdos Samar presented their perfect Autumn/Winter sonata of fashionable black and white garments for men and women inspired by the game of chess. The Chess collection revolved around black and white with just a hint of brown and navy, featuring checks and solid bhagalpuri fabrics in houndstooth and tweed weaves. The silhouettes were more 70s in nature with an accent on shoulders for both men’s and women’s wear.

Abhishek Dutta’s label, ‘Adnormal’, was a collection of contradictions on all fronts—whether it was fabric, styling, color or patterns, they all fell together in perfect harmony. Garments were replete with zany attitude, lots of patchwork, embroidery and detailing that pushed the styling limits to the maximum for men’s and women’s wear. Here was grunge fashion that had a lot of kitsch, but it worked very well for Abhishek’s collection created for the masses, classes and youth who now have a collection that will suit their sartorial requirements.

Sepia by Priyadarshini Rao made its maiden appearance on the ramp on the second day of Lakme Fashion Week.

Priyadarshini knows her market and the needs of her buyers well; therefore, her label Sepia is already a hit in the short time that it has been in the store. The label presented a collection reminiscent of the vintage years in muted tones but with touches of contemporary styling that took it to a more edgy fashion level. Here was a line of garments that could move effortlessly from day to evening wear, made from soft fluid silks and georgettes with detailing that was tonal yet interesting as satin stripes, water color prints, burnouts, and silks were teamed with denims and jersey.

‘Rishta’ Arjun Saluja’s label had a very futuristic look, that moved through the dimension giving a star-wars-like feel. To prove his creative instincts to the ultimate limits, Arjun stuck to a colour palette of just three tones—brown, grey and ink blue in fabrics that were natural but textured with amazing detailing. Bringing in vintage silhouettes, which had appliqué, hand painting, prints and stitching techniques Arjun had jackets, skirts, dresses, long gowns and a few men’s wears. The garments had a distinct military touch, which was brought into a futuristic zone with the styling

Kaushie Adiseshan presented her label ‘Pink Elf’ as one label, two fabrics and three inspirations. Working around the three inspirations of euphoria, rapture and bliss, Kaushie named each garment after a female goddess from Greek and Indian mythology. Also keeping the shades under control—Bliss had mainly amber tones, Rapture had lots of red and Euphoria was drama in black

With her vast experience of retailing in the USA, Europe and the Middle East, Gayatri Khanna’s Art Deco line will be a hit around the world in the coming season.Presenting a formal line of women’s wear, Gayatri Khanna opened the show, using art deco as a theme, with a white/gold butterfly sleeve mini then added some pink/blue printed jersey slim skirts and gowns, and a wine satin will-power bubble. The embroidery glistened as it decorated the garments on neck, hem, straps and sleeves.Her finale creation, worn by Yana Gupta, was a splendid black/gold embroidered butterfly cape over a gold gown, which would be a dream outfit for any woman craving to make a show stopping entry.

Known for his controlled inspirations for his collections, Vineet Bahl created a beautifully crafted line for his Indjapink label called ‘A Walk through Fall’. Vineet’s fabrics were softly textured as velvet, silk matka, chiffon, georgette and even suede was worked on to give a more ornate feel and look. Keeping his silhouettes short ‘A’ line, with a few maxis added, Vineet had enough show stoppers to make the ensembles one of the prettiest on the ramp.

Nandita Mahtani's 'Ananya' label kept its promise with the most tantalizing regal dresses, brocade coats, velvet minis/jumpsuits, chiffon embroidered skirts and double-breasted coat dresses. Royal fashion needs only the best and Nandita got it all together in perfect proportions with her inspiration drawn from Maharajas with a 60s twist. But for the finale it has to be a "Maharaja" who will end this "royal" presentation. So show anchor, director, stylist, and designer, and now, model—Karan Johar took to the ramp in a black velvet achkan with an impressive pearl brooch

Sisley makes a debut at the Lakme Fashion Week,

The Sisley label is one of the trendiest in Europe and sets the fashion pace for smart, elegant, ready-to-wear.

They presented its Spring/Summer 2007 women's and men's wear that will be hot sellers. A newcomer to the Indian market, Sisley's styling is cutting edge, which will enable the wearer to make a unique fashion statement with its mix and match options.

The women's wear was divided into four lines—Sexy Puritan, City Blue, Ethnic Chic and French Open. Here there was a cross-section of minis, figure hugging dresses, blouses, trousers, jeans, semi formal wear, sweaters, jerseys, and rhinestone touches with occasional floral creations inspired by the 60s thrown in.

Sisley not only has a wide range of garments for both sexes, but a line of accessories like bags that range from back packs and courier bags to pretty evening clutches. Shoes are part of the Sisley story—so there were wedges, cord, leather or raffia—and belts added that zing to the garments designed in plaiting, knots and interlocking. Caps, scarves and costume jewellery completed the Sisley line, which gives a complete wardrobe solution for men and women.

Sonam has proved that season after season he can keep the beauty of global themes fashionably alive with his skilful touches. Sonam Dubal's collection titled ‘Echoes of the Nomad’ took the audience on a fashionable global journey through the beauty of Uzbekistan, rural Australia, into peaceful Tibet, North Africa and Central Asia.

Shyamal and Bhumika’s Autumn/Winter 2007-08 collection titled Geometry was a fine, controlled collection with just the right touches of styling and drama. The adornments of the garments is what Shyamal and Bhumika scored, as they added handwork detailing and embellishments, which gave a perfect union of theme and craft in just the right proportions. Shyamal and Bhumika’s fashionable lesson in Geometry will definitely thrill the fashionistas in the coming season

Giving a new fashion statement to the tribal prints of Saura, Godaba and Bonda from Orissa, Nikasha Tawadey’s Urban Myth collection was a perfect line that blended rural motifs with urban styling. Keeping to the western wear format, Nikasha’s embellishments were unconventional with beads, chains, coin work, shells, animal claws and chains, which matched the theme of the collection yet fitted in admirably with the layered smocks, jackets, some sexy off shoulder draped tunics. Blending craft and stylish women’s wear will make Nikasha Tawadey’s Urban Myth line one of the intelligent collections of the coming fashion season.

For Autumn/Winter 2007-08 Giovanni's collection was a marvel in knit—he showed his expertise as he manipulated the yarns into unbelievable moulds and drapes. Giovanni's haute couture knit line will undoubtedly appeal to lovers of avant grade fashion of a very high international fashion order.

The stunning show by Gitanjali Jewellery and Vikram Phadnis' creations, set the mood for Lakme Fashion Week.

Lakme Fashion Week opened with a dazzling collection of Gitanjali Jewellery featuring the designs of Asmi, D'damas, Desire, Gili, Sangini and Nakshatra perfectly showcased with the beautiful creations of Bollywood's ace designer Vikram Phadnis.

Vikram's styling was pure western wear in jacquards, taffeta, silk, and knits in black and white with touches of grey and silver embroidery that dazzled with bead work, zari, sequins and thread work. It was set for some high voltage ornaments and style.


The necklaces and earrings, which adorned the models, were breathtaking in their style as luxurious lacy collars, pendants and necklaces glistened with diamonds and cascades of earrings

His finale was a show stopper as actors Perizad Zorabian in a sari, Minisha Lamba in a halter mini and Geeta Basra in an opulent lehenga, blouse and dupatta wearing the most stunning diamond sets from Gitanjali Jewellery collection walked the ramp.

From 27th to 31st March, Mumbai elite crowd will be busy with Lakme fashion show.

Lakme Fashion Week is a joint initiative by Lakme and IMG, the global leader in fashion weeks and event production.

LFW has been conceived and created with a vision to "Integrate India into the global fashion world and redefine the future of fashion". LFW is organized twice every year.

Lakme Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2007 will be held from March 27th to 31st 2007 at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai. New successful initiatives like 'Emerging Designer Category' and 'GenNext' was unveiled for the first time in India at the inaugural LFW 2006 with an aim to provide a platform for promising young talent.

Both Lakme and IMG have been pivotal to the success of the Lakme India Fashion Week over the previous seven years.

International brands will make their presence felt quite strongly at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) this time. FCUK, Giovanni Cavagna and Sisley are the three international names that are participating in Mumbai’s fashion week.

LFW is an ideal platform for all leading fashion brands to come together and celebrate style. It also gives the brand an opportunity to connect with the Indian consumer and bring to the Indian fashion scene the latest international styles and trends which will further strengthen our position as a truly global fashion brand.

Many people feel that Mumbai has star and money power. It has more than enough pull to draw in celebrities, media and of course, lots of business to LFW.

Neeta Lulla will make a debut at LFW and it will be something to watch out both off and on the ramp.”

Bus Journey in Mumbai city

Why can’t people, who have small children, sacrifice their outings?’ I wondered as I looked out of my window.

I was happily enjoying the bus ride, when momentarily I glanced at the standees that crowded near my seat. Amongst them was this young lady who cuddled a baby in her one arm and held the small hand of her 2-year-old son on the other side, simultaneously balancing the jerks of the bus and almost falling on the fellow passenger. My co-passenger immediately offered her the seat which she accepted with a smirk and plopped down on the seat next to me. The strong smell of vomit from her baby was very nauseating, I wanted to vomit too. The baby was fast asleep and lay against her mother’s shoulder. Her soft warm fingers caressed my shoulder carelessly with the movement of the bus. Her 2-year-old son squeezed into the narrow gap between the seats and stared at me. Nursery rhymes played in my mind as I smiled foolishly trying to get his attention, but the child seemed too tired to smile. I offered him a road side view from my window seat but he was not in good mood. He stood thus, between her legs, almost dozing, not knowing that his destination was one hour away.

With every jerk, he banged his head against the back of the seat.

One bang, two bang, three bang…..bawl……!

His mother rubbed his head lightly and tried to shield his head with her palm. The bawl stopped and the child was calm again. The baby on the shoulder was uncomfortable now and she tried to shift her tiny head, rubbing her wet nose against her mother’s neck. It was time to change the position of the baby now. The lady lifted her one leg and spread it across the seat, overlapping my thigh, and cradled her baby on the crook of her thigh. This removed the support of her son, who now fell down.

Bawl!

I wanted to offer him one sweet from my purse, but I was afraid that his mother would misunderstand me and might think that I was trying to drug her child.

“Stand up!” she shouted sternly in her native dialect.

She helped her son to get up and leaned him against her leg, her son held on to her arm.

The baby was not happy with this new position and stretched, lifting her buttocks up in the air and moving her arms angrily above her head and squealing. The woman started vigorously shaking her leg, trying to pacify the baby. With her vibrating leg, my thigh vibrated too. My free massage session had begun but baby’s squealing would not stop. Her son watched as his mother snuggled the infant closer to her breast, and covering her baby with her dupatta, she extracted her breast from the bra and thrust the nipple into the baby’s mouth.

Thus baby’s dinner time was taken care of. Thank God, women can carry basic necessities of an infant with ease! There is no need to sterilize the bottles, or boil the milk just pluck, thrush and feed! Voila!

The bus moved at a lightening speed and I was enjoying the stinging breeze. Suddenly there was a sharp jolt as the bus came to screeching halt.

Thud!

Her son’s head bang hard against the seat. The baby was confused as the nipple oozed milk on her nose, on her cheeks and on her eyelids.

Squeal! Bawl! Squeal! Bawl! Squeal!

Shut up! Screamed the mother in her native dialect as she widened her eyeballs and stared at her son. I could almost see the fury rings from her nose!

There was unsynchronized harmony of sounds. All the passengers in the bus were distracted from their reverie and all looked in the same direction, first at children, then their mother and then at me. Why me? What did I do? Hello! I am innocent. Blame it on the driver, who is driving so rashly. Blame on the children, who are hungry and tired. Blame it on their mother who is so brave! Stop looking at me!

I started reciting ‘Hail Mary, Full of Grace……’

My destination was still fifteen minutes away. I contemplated taking a taxi for the rest of the journey. But how do I find my way from this trapped position? Lift this lady’s thigh away from mine and enrage this baby and her mother!? I dare not!

I continued reciting “Hail Mary, Full of Grace…’ as I closed my eyes and blocked off all the mixed sights and sounds for the rest of the journey, wondering, ‘Why can’t the people who have small children, sacrifice their outings?’ huh?

Dadar-the Nerve centre of Mumbai

Dadar is one of the main shopping area of Mumbai where you can find all kind of things at reasonable prices. It is a small place in Mumbai with a railway station on the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It has Western Railway line and the Central Railway line on both the side.

Dadar is clearly demarcated into East and West by the railway line. Dadar East is better known as the Dadar T.T. here you can find the buses that go across the country. Dadar West is referred to Dadar B. B.. The shopping market in Dadar West Market is popular for shopping amongst the residents of Mumbai.

Dadar is a home to Shivaji Park and is a huge play ground for some of the best cricket players in the world including Sachin Tendulkar.

With the world’s largest retailer Walmart opening stores across the country by this August, Toys‘R’Us — famous toystore is set to follow suit. In fact, the United States-based toy and family product retailer is learnt to be close to finalizing a deal to lease a space in the retail mall at Kohinoor Mills in Dadar.

In Mumbai, many of the mills have shut down. The mushrooming of the malls has resulted from the redevelopment of the land reclaimed from the sale of these mills. The retail mall that is being constructed at Kohinoor Mills in Dadar has 35,000 sq-ft of space and four multiplexes of 70 to 300 seated will be constructed.

Apart from four restaurants and food-courts, about 20,000 sq-ft will be used to set up play stations and joy rides exclusively for children. To ensure a smooth flow of traffic, they will be providing parking space for 1,200 cars.

And you thought that shopping at Walmart and Toy ‘R’Us was possible only if you traveled abroad?

Are you in Mumbai this Thursday 22nd March?

If yes, then you can attend a Poetry Reading by VIVEK NARAYANAN on 22nd March at 6.15pm at Theosophy Hall (3rd floor), 40 New Marine Lines, Churchgate, Bombay 400 020

Vivek Narayanan will read from his new collection of poems, Universal Beach (2006), his reading conducted in the mode of performance with which he has come to be associated in literary circles. His presentation will weave together three elements: his own reading/ performance; a reflection on the practice of performance in the context of poetry; and recordings from other poets, which Narayanan will annotate.

Vivek Narayanan was born in Ranchi in 1972, grew up in Zambia, studied in the USA, and is currently based in New Delhi, where he works with SARAI, a new-media initiative of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS). His poems have appeared in Indian and international journals and anthologies since 1994. Universal Beach is his first collection.

for more enquiries contact PEN All-India Centre: india.pen@gmail.com

Are you in Mumbai this Wednesday 21st March

If yes, then you can come to Prithvi theatre at 11a.m. to 'Meet the Playwright': GIRISH KARNAD who will be in conversation with Shanta Gokhale

The distinguished playwright Girish Karnad's new play, 'Flowers', is based on a folktale from Chitradurga. It revolves around a priest whose life has become a balancing act between his passionate love for God and his equally passionate love for his courtesan; he is caught off-guard when, one day, they collide.

This dramatic monologue is produced by Ranga Shankara, and will be shown at Prithvi Theatre from 20 through 25 March. Rajit Kapur, who won the National Award for his performance, plays the central character. The play is directed by Roysten Abel, who won the Best Play award at Edinburgh for his interpretation of 'Othello'.

Requirement for opening a bank account in Mumbai

If you have decided to stay in Mumbai then you need to have a bank account. Banking can be complicated in Mumbai due to the constantly changing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations governing foreign exchange. Generally, most local and international banks are having 24 hours ATM services in all major cities but you are allowed to withdraw not more than 15000 rupees per day.

Depending on the currency and your country of citizenship, there are various types of bank accounts that you can apply for. If you are expatriates then you can apply for QA22 account. Currently, the QA22 allows the account holder to bank funds in local currency (INR) as well as foreign currency, withdrawals are possible in local currency only, but it is possible to withdraw money via ATM outside the country. You must remember to choose the saving account option internationally.

Following is a list of documents required for a QA22 bank account application:

Each bank have their own ‘QA22 account’ application form which has to be completed with all the information and you must personally meet with the bank official for an interview before your application can be accepted.

You need to have declaration of overseas sources of credit into account

You must have two copies of your recent passport-sized photographs.

Get the letter of appointment from your employer

You will need one US dollar to open the account.

You will also need a copy of valid passport and employment visa (E-type)

When you open an account with a foreign bank, do check whether it has a tie-up with local banks so that you can access money from the ATM, where your bank has no presence. Before you commit yourself with any bank, you must check their fees and charges.

If you wish to remit money home by way of Telegraphic Transfer or Demand Draft, you must complete your bank’s documents and several government forms, Form 2 Declaration-cum undertaking, Form A2 Application for Remittance Abroad and a copy of your monthly play slip. The amount sent must not exceed 75 percent of the monthly salary.

Many banks are allowing the transfer to international accounts via internet but still, the basic procedure has to be followed.

Do check to confirm that your money has been successfully transferred.

Addresses of Consulates in Mumbai

In Mumbai you will find the following consulates.

U.S. Consulate General
Lincoln House
78 Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai 400 026
Phone: (22) 2363-3611
Fax: (22) 2363-0350

US. Commercial Service
The American Center, 5th Floor
Sundeep Building
4, New Marine Lines
Mumbai 400 020-09
Phone: (22) 2265-2511/12
Fax: (22) 2262-3850

Consulate-General of Australia
36 Maker Chambers VI
220 Nariman Point
Mumbai - 400 021
India
Telephone +91 022 5669 2000
Fax +91 022 5669 2005

Consulate General of France
Hoechst House,
7th Floor,
Nariman Point (next to N.C.P.A.),
Mumbai 400 021
Tel (22) 66 69 40 00 , (22) 66 69 40 99
Fax (22) 66 69 40 66 , (22) 66 69 40 90


Consulate-Generalof China
8th/9th Floor, Hoechst House,
193 Backbay Reclamation,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021, India
Tel: +91-22-66324303/4/5/6

Consulate General of Italy
Kanchanjunga first floor
72 G.Deshmukh Marg
Mumbai - 400 026
Tel : 0091-22-23804071
Fax : 0091-22-23874074

Singapore Consulate
No. 101, 10th Floor,
Maker Chambers IV,
222 Jamnalal Bajaj Road,
Nariman Point,
Mumbai 400021
Telephone : 001-91-(22)-22043205001-91-(22)-22043209
Fax : 001-91-(22)-22855812

The German Consulate General
Hoechst House 10th floor
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
Telephone: +91 22 22832422
Fax :+ 91 22 22025493

Canadian Consulate General
4th Floor, 41/42 Maker Chamber VI
Jamnalal Bajaj Marg,
Nariman Point
Mumbai 400 021
Maharashtra, India
Tel: (91-022) 2287-6027-30
Fax: (91-022) 2287-5514

Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia
19, Altamount Road,
Cumballa Hill,
Mumbai – 400 026, India
Phone: (91-22) 23511678,23530940,23530900
Fax: (91-22) 23510941, 23515862

Consulate-General of South Africa
Gandhi Mansion
20, Altamount Road
Mumbai 400 026
India

Postal Add:
P O Box 1217
G P O Fort
Tel : 0991 22 389 3725/6
Fax : 0991 22 389 3735

Consulate General of Denmark
L& T House,
Narottam Morarjee Marg,
Ballard Estate
Mumbai 400 001

Tel: (022) 22614462 / 22685656
Fax: (022) 22703749



Philippine Honorary Consulates General
1st Floor, Industry House
159 Churchgate Reclamation,
Mumbai 400021
Tel: (+91-22) 2202-4792/2202-0375
Fax: (+91-22) 2281-4103


Consulate General of Switzerland
102 Maker Chambers IV, 10th floor
222, Jamnalal Bajaj Marg
Nariman Point
Mumbai 400 021
India

Phone
0091 22 22 88 45 63 / 64 / 65
0091 22 22 83 17 38
Fax 0091 22 22 85 65 66


Consulate General of the Russian Federation
42, Nepean Sea Road
"Palm Beach",
Mumbai (Bombay), India - 400 006
Tel.: (022) 2-363-36-27, 2-363-36-28, 2-368-14-31
Fax: (022) 2-363-04-03

Japanese Consulate
No. 1, Balasaheb Dahanukar Marg
Cumballa Hill
Mumbai - 400 026
Telephone: (91 22) 2493 4610, 2493 3843

Royal Norwegian Consulate General
Nowroji Mansion, 6th Floor
31 Nathelal Parekh Marg
Mumbai 400 039
Tel: 022-22842042 ,022-22842098, 022-22835987
Fax: 022-22046576

Beaches of Mumbai

If you come to Mumbai, you cannot miss the beaches of Mumbai. There are beaches all along the coast line of Mumbai that have shimmering sand, sun and surf. These beaches are like the soul of this city of dreams, where people enjoy their evenings.

If you are living on the south of the Mumbai, you can visit Chowpatty beach. This famous beach is no place for a sunbathe or a dip. In fact, there's not much going on at Chowpatty at all during the day, but in the evening it develops a magical atmosphere as locals come to stroll among the balloon sellers, nut vendors and beach entertainers. Eating bhelpuri at the collection of garishly lit stalls on the edge of the beach at night is an essential part of the Mumbai experience, as is getting a vigorous massage from a malish-wallah. Chowpatty is a great place to witness the annual Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in August/September when large images of the elephant-headed god are immersed in the murky sea.

Other attractions at the beach are shooting galleries, snake charmers, monkey trainers, balloon sellers and masseurs. Recently, a "Nana-Nani Park" has been added to the beach, especially for elderly people.

At the end of Chowpatty is the most famous pathway called Marine Drive, where people walk and sit in the evenings. It is also known as "Queen's Necklace" because of the dramatic line of street lamps lit up at night that surround the beach. Marine Drive is a fun place to be, here you can enjoy yourself by watching children playing with sand and vendors selling toys and food.

Located 18 km north of the city center is one of the largest and frequently visited beaches of India called Juhu Beach. This beach is one of the most exotic beaches on the shores of Arabian Sea. Areas near Juhu beach are one of the posh localities of Mumbai where bungalows of the famous film personalities are located. It is also the venue of many film shootings. Juhu beach is a famous hangout zone of Mumbai. The southern end of the Juhu beach is surrounded many luxury hotels and apartments.

A popular weekend spot, Juhu, also offers horse and donkey rides. Here you can enjoy yourself by watching dancing monkeys, acrobats, cricket matches, toy sellers and other type of Indian beach entertainment.

Generally it is not a very good place to swim, but it's an ideal snack joint, with various food stalls. If you would like to try out Bhelpuri or a Kulfi in Mumbai, Juhu is the place to be. If you want a fancier excursion, visit Juhu's many five star hotels, for a steaming cup of coffee and a splendid view of the coast.

Versova Beach is towards north of Juhu, which is a home to Mumbai's largest Koli fishing community.

The Marve and Manori beaches are located approximately 19 miles from Mumbai. These attractive beaches are pleasant for bathing. At Marve there is a 5-star resort hotel to spend a refreshing weekend.

Marve Beach is located in the Western Suburb of Malad. It connects the Essel World (Amusement Park) and Madh Island to the city through the Ferry Service.


On the way to these lovely beaches lies the Madh Beach. The area is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, and the Malad creek to the south. The area is accessed through a bus service (#272) from Malad or a ferry service through Versova. The area is a rural area inhabited by Kolis, East Indian Roman Catholics as well as by people from other communities too. Its proximity to the sea and secluded nature has resulted in hotels being set up here. Many of the city's rich have bungalows here. The area is also known for its rave parties. An old fort is situated in this area.


Gorai Beach can best be reached by ferry. You can take the ferry from Gorai creek (Borivali West) or Marve beach (Malad West). After crossing the creek, Gorai is just 4 kilometres away.

Some of the beaches in the north of Mumbai are perfect places to swim in solitude and enjoy the sunset.

Bandra- Queen of the Suburbs'

About twenty minutes away from international airport, Bandra is the Mumbai’s Greenwich village, a friendly, slow-paced neighborhood houses home-style eateries, cafes, some trendy restaurants and bars and crowded shopping district.

People living in Bandra don’t feel the need to go to any other part of Mumbai. They are the happy lot who find entertainment of all kinds in their own neighborhood. There are hills; there are sea-shores, jogging tracts, parks, theatres, films, shopping and eateries

Bandra is also the start of Bollywood’s bedroom community and most of the ‘glam set’ of models, fashion designers and starlets have found charming living quarters here. It has the famous stars like Shah Rukh khan, Salman khan, Arjun Ramphal, Rekha, Dilip Kumar, and many more stars.

It is linked to the southern part by flyovers and bridges and it is only 40 minutes away from the downtown hubs of Colaba and Churchgate in the south.. Bandra-Worli-Nariman sea link, which is under construction, when completed, will reduce the distance by 30 minutes.

A Catholic enclave until recently, Bandra retains much of its heritage and was under Portuguese control until 18th century. The remains of an old Portuguese fort, at Taj Land ends, still stands on the seafront overlooking the distant horizon across the Arabian Sea. It is still a great spot to watch the sun set and enjoy the pleasant evening.

Photo Essay : A night at Elephanta.by Prem Anandham

After escaping from office I directed myself to Gateway of India hoping to meet my friend from where we have to catch one of the special ferries which will take us to stage of Elephanta festival. The performers for the first day were Alarmel Valli renowned Bharata Nattyam dancer & the well known Pandit Hariprasad Churasia & co-artists. We got ur seat(small bed with a pillow) in the alloted space for our fees. It was comfortable seating, but nearly 30-40 feet away from the stage. The stage was having a small idol of Ganesh to the right & at the center it was the replica of the Trimurti of Elephanta itself.

Alarmel Valli started off the day with her performance. Her performance included a poetry from the Sanga Illaikiyam (Very old tamil literature period) of Kalitthogai.Her performance was very pleasant for the evening. Her talents were exhibited very well.

Then came Pandit & his group. His group included Vijay Ghate (on Tabla), Bhavani Shankar (on Paakavaaj) & Pandit's disciples. This is first time I'm attending Pandit's concert. Just relaxed & enjoyed it. Vijay Ghate & Bhavani Shankar did their job perfectly.

In complete it was a great experience being at such a place rich in heritage with some exceptional performances.
I would like to thank Prem Anandham for letting me share her file. For more of her photo essays please refer to her blog ….http://anandham.blogspot.com/