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6 Jul 2005 @ 13:24, by Bee
The British called the emerging city Bombay but in India it is called Mumbai. Right now in July 2005 it is the time of monsoon, the rainy season. It could start to rain at any time for an hour or for days. Mumbai is a city of 15 million people. It is a series of islands in the Arabian Sea that are connected by bridges and cause ways. The city traffic is extaordinary busy, organized chaos. There is a great sense of unity here and hardly are there any accidents. In all of the outer areas or suburbs of Mumbai there are countless motor rickshaws mingling with taxies, cars, busses and some trucks.
There is a ring of traffic circles around Mumbai center and it is there that the rickshaws are not permitted in. The main part of the city has wide streets and boulevards with well regulated traffic lights and patterns. It is clean and there are animals of all kinds who walk about in harmony with the humans and the traffic. Their droppings seems to dissapear rapidly. There is a great sense of unity here.
I have been here almost six months. I have learned to speak Hindi and many other things. There sometimes to me seems to be two Mumbai's. Day Mumbai and Night Mumbai.
Hurtling through the night in my chauffer driven car, I lean back and contemplate the night ahead. I am on my way to another party. This one is a private club in the basement of a five star hotel. The Rolex on my wrist shows 12 midnight. I am dressed as most Indian men in a long sleeved shirt, good trousers and black shoes, all blue for me tonight . In my breast pocket there are several fine Cuban cigars that are readily available and inexpensive here as compared to USA.
I arrive at the portacache of the hotel and the car door is opened and I am greeted by uniformed and turbaned doormen. "Good evening Saab." As I step out I am immediately joined by a guard dressed in an all black suit, white shirt and tie who states "Come with me Saab I will take you to the party." We descend in an elevator and when the door opens the music is loud and the beat furious. I follow the guard through a series of large, crowded rooms to the center of a room that has a group of people greeting who are the hosts of this party. We shake hands, hug and kisses for the womens cheeks. Normaly a westerner does not touch a Hindu women. These are all modern Indians and everyone in the room is talking in English. I open my hand and a glass of champagne is put in it. I sip. It is excellent vintage and quality. I see people that I recognize and smile. Some people call out to me by name and say" I saw your pictures in the India Times." Or, " Are you going to speak again." I gave a few talks at the University in Bangalore. I stop to talk(it is hard to talk above the music)with some beautifully made up women that I have met on Bollywood movie sets. It has been reported in the newspapers here that I am a Hollywood financier visiting India to finance some Bollywood movies. I don't mind the image at all.
The are constantly moving servants through the crowds carrying plates of exquisitely delicious food. The food is offered and then they move on. The food on the trays never stops coming. I finish my drink and another is put into my hand by an alert servant. I go out onto enclosed area that has an opening at the top to the sky even though we are in a deep basement. I put a cigar into my mouth and it is lit instanly by an attendent. I realize that unobrusevly I have a guard in my attendance. I don't mind. I am getting used to a different kind of life then I have ever known in the United States.
I have some more drinks, mingle some more. I have an embrace with my host and then I feel so loose that I start to dance in the open shoulder Hindi manner that I have learned. Others dance with me and I smile and laugh. I am happy. I leave the party about 5am. My car takes me home to Juhu. Guards escort me up the elevator to the flat. My servant RajK takes my clothes as I undress and go to bed. When I awaken late that day Boo my dog is sleeping on the end of my bed. When I open my eyes RajK appears with a big smile and a steaming mug of chai. I am not sure how he always does it just as I wake. I sip and realize that I don't have a hangover. Life is good for me in India.
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Category: Travel
5 comments
8 Jul 2005 @ 12:42 by jstarrs : Hey b
If you can get up to Rawalsa (Sopema) north of Delhi - a sacred lake.
It's wild up there...
No *** hotels there, though, just temples & monasteries and carp the size of SUVs.
8 Jul 2005 @ 13:14 by : It sounds delightful Jeff
It is a little out of the way for me now. A place to go and stay for a while not a flying visit as I would have to make. I researched a number of these quiet places in India. Right now I am living the good life in Mumbai and enjoying it. The only temple I have an interest in going to here is the Temple of Ganesh which is a biggie. I go there often.
I read a recent saying about Ganesh on a T shirt here: " Ganesh, 50% God, 50% Human and 100% Cute!
29 Jan 2015 @ 10:09 by Malcolm @23.23.218.169 : PZQattCUVWPZuSlYhbcj
R/ AAmir khan Sir apka satyamevjayate sriees aap ki tarah hi kabil a tarif hai. samaj ko es adabhut aur aiyana dikhane ke liye tks. sir apke dheyan ko mai dusare taraf bhi khichna chahata hu aur wo hai UNEMPLOYMENT BAIROZGARI , AAJ sakar es aur kam hi dhyan de rahi hai, govt. noukari mai jyada dhayan es aur diya jata hai ki jo admi allready govt job mai hai aur apni noukari ka samay pura kar chuka hai zindki ke imp time ko khushi se bita chuka hai use thoda aur time diya jaye agar govt employee retaired 58 mai hota hai to govt 60 years retairement ka kar deti hai, 62years bhi kar ke berozgari ko 4years ke liye badhi deti hai,BUT UNEMPLOYMENT KI AUR JARA BHI FOKAS NAHI HAI GOVT AND OTHER NOUKARI MAI MAX AGE LIMIT NOUKARI KI KOSHISH KE LIYE 30,33 YEARS HI LAST KYU HAI ? BAIROZGAR PERSON KO 40 YEAR KYO NAHI DIYA JATA NOUKARI PANE KE LIYE ? TAKI WAH AGAR 20 SAL BHI NOUKARI KAR PATA HAI TO ZINDGI KE AKHARI SAMAY ME USKE PAS AUR APNE PARIWAR KO DENE KE LIYE KUCHHA PAISE AUR SUKH SE BITANE KA SUKUN TO HOGA ? JO PERSON ALLREADY GOVT JOB KAR RAHA HAI USASE AUR KARNE KE LIYE KAHA JA RAHA HAI, PARANTU JO PERSON BAIROZGAR HAI USAKE LIYE AUR MISKILE KHADI KI JATI RAHI HAI KYO .?
29 Jan 2015 @ 14:34 by Luis @71.45.112.183 : YpHaAbhxZkxU
Very good performances, now cheres with the Golden voice of this Guinness Book Record Holder Boy Singer Saheb Khan Please watch his song Teri Meri Prem Kahani where Saheb's notations are even better than the original of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, at this tender age if Saheb is giving such a wonderful performances then what will he do when he will reach to the age of Rahat?
30 Jan 2015 @ 07:42 by Joseph @186.92.216.177 : dVRAkyJpuqhyqDv
Really nice of Emily trying to evrytehing as she can and that is too from her innocent true mind and by her own interest. And such cold mohit still as ignorant, immature and careless as ever, mohit needs to wake up and learn something, I don’t think he even cared or thought of what babasa had said to him. shame on mohit.
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