Bhau Daji Lad Museum

Housed in the verdant Victoria gardens, which is now named as the Rani Jijamata Udyan (Rani Bagh), Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum owes its name to Dr. Bhau Daji Lad who devoted his life to this museum.



This 135-year-old Bhau Daji Lad Museum at Byculla Zoo has been restored by National Trust for Arts and Culture Heritage. It had bagged the UNESCO Award of Excellence in 2005.

Victoria & Albert Museum is the oldest museum in Mumbai built in 1872. Now renamed as Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, this is the place where you could find great many archaeological relics, maps and photographs that relate directly to Mumbai's history. The museum is a rich repository of some the most valuable articles relating to Industrial and Agricultural interest.

Among the cherished collections worth a peek are clay models, costumes, finely wrought silver and copper ware etc. The museum has some of the rare photographs of old Bombay and evidences from colonial past of India.

You could plan a visit to the museum on any day from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm, except on important public holidays when it is closed.

Source: www.bombay-mumbai-hotels.com

Watch out for Dahi-Handi Festival in Mumbai

On September 3rd and 4th.A must-watch-place to watch out for is Dahi-handi festival in Thane. Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has joined hands with Sangharsh, a Thane-based NGO, to promote Dahi handi fest as the Govinda Festival.


Dahi Handi festival is a popular ceremony, celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and glee. Dahi Handi is an enactment of Lord Krishna's efforts to steal butter from Matka (earthen pot) suspended from the ceiling.

Dahi Handi generally takes place on the second day of Janmashtami. An earthen pot containing a mixture of milk, dry fruits, ghee is hung around 20-30 feet high in the air with the help of a rope. Silver coins are hung along with the rope, which are later distributed as prize to the winners. Enthusiastic young men, form a human pyramid by standing one on top of the other, trying to break the pot. Onlookers throw water on the young men in order to prevent them from breaking the pot. Breaking of the pot is followed by prize distribution. Devotees believe that the broken pieces of earthen pot will keep away mice and negative powers from their homes.

Dahi Handi is celebrated with fervor, especially in the twin cities of Mathura - Vrindavan, Dwarka and Mumbai. Young men in Mumbai yell 'Ala re ala, Govinda ala' during the ceremony.

This year, the winning team will get Rs11,11,111, while DJ Aqueel will spin signature tracks. About 70 teams will compete to reach the 45 feet high dahi-handi, egged on by over two lakh spectators.

Source: Hindustan Times.

Attend the reading & discussion on "The Making of Samovar" How a Mumbai Cafe became a metaphor for a generation by Usha Khanna.

Date & Time: Friday, 24th August 2007, 7.00pm.
Venue: Crossword Kemps Corner
Topic of Discussion - "The value of spaces in a city that nurture and foster creative and intellectual discourse".

Panelists - Eminent Author Gregory Roberts, Noted Journalist Malavika Sangghvi & Columnist Anil Dharker
'The Making of Samovar' is about the making of Mumbai's legendary Cafe Samovar, that has served for over four decades as the watering hole, salon, dining hall and meeting place of its leading intellectuals and artists. Cafe Samovar has been the hotbed of creativity, nurturing artistic genius and providing an environment for the growth of some of the greatest names in the arts in India. Nestled on a humble corridor in the Jehangir Art gallery, Mumbai's premiere art institution, Samovar - through its proprietress the indefatigable Usha Khanna - has been privy to some of the art world's best-kept secrets.

When the history of artsy -bohemian Mumbai is recorded, a chapter will surely be dedicated to the Cafe named Samovar.

About the Author:

Written by Usha Khanna; directed & designed by Devika Bhojwani and edited by Malavika Sangghvi it is a one of a kind, treasured tribute, a delightful read and a page turning glimpse into Mumbai's world of art and intellectuals.


It begins in a kitchen in Rawalpindi in 1927, with the birth of the author, traces her involvement with the Freedom Struggle in Kashmir, her marriage to a young revolutionary, her tryst with Parisian cafe society, where she first experienced art cafes on the Left Bank; her exposure to new-wave art-house cinema, and every thing else that inspired her to create Mumbai's first and best loved artsy bohemian cafe Samovar- the haunt of artists, poets, film makers and students.

TiE World Conference on 7th and 8th September at Taj Land Ends.

TiE World is a 2-day local conference organized by TiE Mumbai with an objective to unlock the value of “experience and collaboration” through Pure Experience with insights into key entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities that traverse domains, geographies, scale, size & connectivity !!

If you are a student or professional and interested in entrepreneurship, TiE World is an ideal platform to get plugged into the entrepreneurial eco-system.

At TiE World, you can interact with successful and budding entrepreneurs as well as local and overseas investors.

Sessions on ‘When to Start-up’ would be of particular relevance to you.

If the entrepreneurial eco-system is of interest to you or if you are involved with entrepreneurship in any way

Experiences will be shared across areas like

Entrepreneurial Lifestyle e.g. starting up, Exit, etc....
Enterprise functions e.g. people, Finance, etc...
Attitudinal issues e.g. Failure
Socioeconomic areas e.g. Women Entrepreneurship
Future vision e.g. opportunity trends and patterns

For registration details please visit http://www.tie-world.org/register_form.asp

People in Mumbai city will always surprise you!

In Mumbai we have interesting people and the best ones you get to see when you are traveling by bus. In Mumbai, we have public buses that are very comfortable. They have six seats reserved for ladies, two seats reserved for senior citizens and three seats reserved for physically challenged. This makes the ride comfortable for the privileged lot, especially during a rush hour, at the end of the day, when you are too tired to hang on to the overhand handles or to the seats. This is the time when the lucky ones are seen counting their blessing as they see a seat emptied just for them.

On Saturday, while I was enjoyed my ‘only ladies’ seat, a senior citizen entered the bus from the front door (Senior citizens, pregnant ladies and handicapped enjoy the privilege of entering the bus from front exit) he looked for empty seat, but the bus was too crowded. He came to the seat that was reserved for senior citizens. There was an old lady sitting next to a young lady. The old man demanded that the young lady arise and give him the seat. But this lady refused, saying that she was a lady and he should not ever ask a lady to get up and offer a seat to a man, however old he may be. The old man got angry and he confronted the woman saying that when he occupied a ladies seat, he was asked to vacate it, so he was entitled to ask her to vacate it when she was occupying a senior citizen seat. The young woman refused to comply. The old man got angrier and summoned the bus conductor to solve the issue and the lady was forced to get up and offer her seat to the deserving candidate.

The man, fully satisfied at his victory, enjoyed the ride, but I think he was not used to winning too many battles, so time and again he looked around and saw more uncomfortable passengers. He saw a lady with three small children, trying to balance herself and her three children, but not succeeding. Her one child leaned against his back and other fell when bus took a sharp turn. This kind old man got up and passed on his precious seat to the lady with three children, while he, himself, traveled the rest of the journey as a standee.

On both counts he was a winner!

Wedding Fair in Mumbai

Mulund, a suburb of northeast Mumbai

Mulund is Close to Thane, this area is one of the prosperous suburb of northeast Mumbai. The region is accessible by Mumbai suburban railway on the Central railway line. It has a population more than 8.5 lakh and thus have an extra importance and flavour by its history ranging from ancient era to the 21st century

Enlarge to read the details


Source:http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/

MERU-the on call Taxi Service

Date: Friday, June 15 To: Thursday, August 30

Meru shall provide umbrellas to passengers to enable them to reach their destinations without a worry for the rains.

Meru shall also provide first aid kit to all passengers in case of any unforeseen injuries owing to the monsoon.

Meru has now started advanced booking for its customers from Andheri, Vile Parle, Santa Cruz, Goregaon, Malad, Vikhroli, Chembur and Powai in addition to its existing network from South Mumbai to Bandra and Kurla.

V-Link, a leading fleet management company, recently launched ‘Meru’, a world-class metered call taxi service in Mumbai in association with India Value Fund, a premier Private Equity fund from April 2007.

The monsoons have hit Mumbai city with a sudden ferocity, which has left people unprepared. Meru has taken the initiative to offer all its passengers an umbrella if required to protect them from the rains to reach their destination without having to worry about the monsoon. Right from the launch, Meru has provided first aid kits in the cabs. This will come in very handy during the monsoons. With increase in the fleet size of MERU and keeping the customer centric focus in mind.

Meru can be booked 60 minutes in advance and the cab will come to your doorstep.

V-Link currently offers an advance booking system for Meru, which allows a customer to book for a cab by dialling (022) 4422 4422 or logging onto www.merucabs.com and get a cab at their appointed location.

Business & Trade Fairs in Mumbai in the month of August.

If you are in Mumbai this month and are interested in business and trade fairs, you could drop in at following venues:

SME Expo Logistics 2007, organized by INIS Enterprises Private Limited and will be held at Nehru Centre from 16-AUG-07 to 18-AUG-07

SME Expo Logistics 2007 is a platform for the SMEs to explore business opportunities and network with the stakeholders within and outside the logistics industry. It also provides them with an opportunity to get acquainted with the latest and most innovative products and services.


The Culture Collection, organized by Introduction Trade shows at World Trade Centre from 23-AUG-07 to 26-AUG-07

Introductions Trade Shows brings to you an opportunity to reach out to your target audience at a refined exhibition which will bring together 150 exhibitors under one roof with diverse range of Art & Design lifestyle products catering to the niche audience of Mumbai. It will offer a perfect blend of creativity and perfection, carved out by artists, craftsmen & designers from all over India & abroad.


India International Jewelry Show is organized by The Gem & jewelry Export Promotional Council at MMRDA Exhibition Ground-Bandra Kurla Complex from 30-AUG-07 to 03-SEP-07

The India International Jewelry Show (IIJS) offers a unique opportunity to view the brightest and best that the country has to offer. India's biggest jewelry show, it is fast emerging as one of the Asia's largest jewelry trade show also.


Pen World is organized by Introductions trade Shows at Nehru Centre from 31-AUG-07 to 03-SEP-07

Pen World is the most comprehensive International Trade Show on Writing Instruments & Allied Products. Pen World will be the best ever show spreading over 4 days which will bring together the entire country's rapidly growing Writing Instruments industry under one roof.

India International Stationery Products Trade Fair (IISOF 2007) is organized by Introduction Trade Shows at Nehru Centre from 31-AUG-07 to 03-SEP-07

India International Stationery Products Trade Fair (IISOF 2007) will provide an unequaled opportunity to the manufacturers and dealers of Stationery and Supplies for Office & School, Social Stationery, Graphic arts materials, Writing Instruments & related products to introduce and promote their products and services to the entire business sector of the vast Indian & overseas Market, who will be visiting this mega event.

Gifts India is organized by Introduction Trade Shows at Nehru Centre from 31-AUG-07 to 03-SEP-07

Gifts India will be by far & away India's Largest Trade Show on Corporate & Personal Gifts & Premiums now in it's 13th YEAR. It is also the season's rightly placed & undoubtedly the most popular show year after year. For all related manufacturers and dealers, 'Gifts India' is the number one marketing vehicle for business in Indian & International Markets.

India Oil & Gas Review Expo (IORS Expo), organized by Oil Asia Publication Pvt Ltd will be held at Hotel Taj Land End, Bandra from 03-SEP-07 to 04-SEP-07

India Oil & Gas Review Expo (IORS Expo) is focused particularly on new products and technology so far not introduced in the Petroleum industry. While other exhibitions in the same sector exhibit stalls of just contractors or service providers - IORS exhibition will highlight the Next-Gen equipment and technology - so essential for the growth.


India Retail Forum, organized by Images Multimedia Private Ltd will be held at Renaissance from 04-SEP-07 to 06-SEP-07

India retail forum (IRF) is the most substantive intellectual & information exchange for the retail business in the Indian sub-continent. The forum is aimed at presenting the business of retail in the region to the global business audience, with the objective of inviting understanding on and investment in this massive marketplace.


Furniture & Furnishings Fair, organized by Introductions Trade shows will be held at Nehru Centre from 06-SEP-07 to 10-SEP-07

Furniture & Furnishings Fair will form the complete picture of products required for designing home exteriors & interiors. Leading companies will be showcasing a variety of products such as furniture, furnishings, bed linen, floorings, tiles, modular kitchens, premium bathroom fittings, extravagant lighting & its accessories.


India International Travel Mart (IITM Mumbai), organized by Travel Media Networks will be held at World Trade Centre from 08-SEP-07 to 10-SEP-07

India's one of the prominent International Travel & Tourism Mart, India International Travel Mart (IITM) brings people together to promote Inbound, Outbound and Domestic Tourism in unique style. IITM offer unlimited opportunities for everyone to Explore, Market and Publicize their destination/ product/ organization at one place.