The Year That It Was in Mumbai-(2011)

Mumbai is the city that is unpredictable. It attracts, it distracts and sometimes it disappoints.

The year 2011 has been good except for its tail……

Sadly very disappointing to Anna Hazare at the end of the year, although there was lots of activity at BKC complex but the attendance was sparse. Ah well, people in Mumbai are busy, (work first, unless unemployed). Normally, when they have no time to stop and say hello to their next door neighbor, how would you expect them to wait in hot sun for a rally, shouting slogan? Nah, they cannot even if you offered them free Biryanis.

But the awareness of this movement has spread, they do support anti-corruption bill and will only be too happy if the Lokpal bill is passed, only please don’t expect them to skip their work/commitments and join the rally.

Not that they don’t skip their work, they do….to watch cricket match.

Remember theday (April 2011) when India won the world cup?

Throughout the day we sat, watching the live telecast with family and friends, nail-biting, although there was lots of food in the house, a special meal to suit everybody’s taste but still, nails were tastier in the times of stress. There was one big street party at the end of the day, on winning the world cup and this was day they didn't complain of being stuck in a traffic jam

Mumbaites are passionate about everything, they will support a socialcause if it is on non-working day..

Remember the day  (February 2011) when 350 women from Mumbai took out the rally to Lavasa to spread the breast cancer awareness? The message was loud and clear that day ‘Cancer is curable if detected early’. It was an event to help promote women empowerment.  I made seven new friends who share the equal passion for blogging and we explored the city of Lavasa, enjoying two full days.

Mumbai, the Bollywood nerve of India had its celebrity mourning moments. 

There were thirteen celebrity deaths that included veteran Bollywood actors like Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, Navin Nischol and Goga Kapoor and filmmakers like Surinder Kapoor, Shamin Desai, Jagmohan Mundhra, Mani Kaul and painter MF Hussain as well as singers like Jagjit Singh, Bhimsen Joshi, Suchitra Mitra, Bhupen Hazarika.

The death of all these has created irreplaceable viod in various fields of filmmaking.

Not everybody is safe in Mumbai city, some innocent civilians also lost their lives.

Remember the bomb blast at Zaveri Bhazar in July 2011?

Helpless Mumbaikars stranded on the roads, with no clue of what they had wronged. The news spoke of the bomb blasts at the crowded areas, about injured people being rushed off to hospitals, some limbs chopped into pieces flown into different directions, and angry people on the streets. The whole stretch of road was bloody. The bomb blast was triggered by a timer and nobody had seen it implanted there? On crowded streets of Mumbai, nobody had noticed the bomb being implanted on a scooter at Javeri Bazar, on the top of the bus-stop at Opera house or under the tiles on the road at Dadar. People went on with their business unaware of the danger being built up and terrorist were successful in their destructive and inhuman act.

Hoping the New Year brings some memorable and peaceful moments, thank you for visiting my blog regularly and….

Wishing you a happy new year 2012

Christmas at Bandra in Mumbai

Twinkling lights reflect from every windshield of the passing car. Rows and rows of car juggle, swirling between auto rickshaws and the big red buses. I walk on the side of the road, lost in the sea of people around me, all in the festive mood.. The loud sound of traffic distracts me from my reverie.  Going to the other side of the road takes too much time.

The footpath is occupied by hawkers on either side of the road by hawkers who are happy of the booming sale; even a loose, crumbled garment fetches a price. A sign displays the message as ‘No Hawking Zone’ but hawkers don’t seem to care. They scream to catch the attention of the passing crowd. The signal turns red and I am happy to cross over to other side of the road.

A street urchin crosses my path and offers me some trinkets for the Christmas tree; I refuse and pause to see the woman dressed in red sari behind him. She dons red hair band that have long spikes resembling the horn of a reindeer. In their hands are bunch of red caps with white furry borders. A group of young girls surround her, snatching the caps from her hand and trying on their head. One girl pays for three caps and walks away contented with her purchase.

Its Christmas time in Mumbai and Hill road in Bandra is full of shoppers. People shop for Christmas decoration and sweets. The road is lighted up and a perfect place to go for shopping and feel the Christmas mood.

NCPA in Mumbai is in news again…..

I am so glad to know that we will see an affordable, sea-facing café at NCPA. hope to see something like this .....

 During my visits to Europe, I have always loved that café facing the sea front; it’s the place so inspiring, while you watch the sunset across the sea, you sip your coffee and the poetry dancing around your lips.

 Mumbai has water on all three sides, I wish there were many more café like these, I would love to just sit under the colored umbrellas and enjoy the breeze, I wouldn’t mind pani-puri or pav bhaji stalls too.

 “The NCPA Café will be an informal space,” explains Khushroo N. Suntook, the centre’s chairman and a founder of its associated Symphony Orchestra of India. “Audiences, families, arts aficionados, youngsters, students, artistes can come to the NCPA and have a pleasant day—performance or no performance.”

 Few months ago when I had attended ‘Crossword and Vodaphone Award’ I had complained about unavailability of food during late hours and this café is the welcome change.

 Economics dictates change. But more importantly, the NCPA’s energy may work to usher in a new stage of the centre’s relationship with its native city.

 “We are moving away from the beige in our walls and our work,” Suntook says, “and moving towards more colour and vibrancy.”

Supriya Nair discusses NCPA in Live Mint Lounge in her article ‘Moving away from the Beige’

This is a good news for artists and other people who come to this theater or by the sea shore at this end of Mumbai and I hope they will offer food at reasonable rates. Finger-friendly food like kababs, frankies and pastries are always all time favorites and the younger crowd prefer dim sum and Chinese starters .

So, watch out on January 22, the date slated to open, a place to go on Sundays and other relaxing days thereafter...

Thespo 13 - An Event not to be missed.

If you are in Mumbai and love theatre, Thespo 13 is something you might not want to miss.

There are various events lined up during the second week of December at Pritvis theatre, Juhu and at NCPA, South Mumbai, the details of the event can be found at QTP The Script 

QTP was created in 1999 and its’ activities include Plays, Live Events, Casting, Workshops, etc.

"Last year, when the festival was facing extinction, the community came together to 'save' the festival. Friends of Thespo was born, and in honour of the crowds that supported us, we have dedicated this year to them... therefore it is Thespo 13 - Theatre Tera Mera. 

 Thespo 13 will be held from 13 to 16 December at the Prithvi Theatre and 17 & 18 December 2011 at the NCPA Experimental Theatre. The days are packed with exciting workshops, live band performances, platform performances and the much anticipated Full Length Plays!" 

For everything you need and want to know about the 13th edition of India's Premier Youth Theatre Festival, just click onto: http://thespo13.blogspot.com/

have fun!!!