dabbawalas

Well, we just felt like clicking this somehow and capturing these people! They are another very important face of this city. They are the Dabbawalas (tiffin-men). Well their job is just as it sounds - they collect the lunch boxes from the residences of working people and deliver them at their offices. Once finished, they deliver the empty boxes back to their homes. IT might sound a simple task but trust me it isn't! But, the best part about the entire story - they do it FLAWLESSLY EVERYDAY!

The concept of the dabbawala originated sometime during the British Raaj in India! Till date, they are simply as efficient as before, whatever or however the situation of the weather or the city may be! The efficiency and the growth of the dabbawalas have been captured in many documentary films by BBC etc. Their case studies have also been a famous example in many of the B-schools!

We just had to capture them when they were sitting for a moment! Its truly amazing when you keep hearing more and more stories of such people!

For them...

quick change

As I had said a few days ago, the rickshaws are the feet of the city. I don't drive now a days to avoid traffic in the mornings...and also that I get to study for my exam when I sit in these rickshaws.

This is the meter on which the rickshaw fares are shown. You can easily calculate the fare by simply subtracting a rupee from the digits shown. But, sometimes, the smart drivers present in the city would simply alter the meter and you would get a high price for your travel! But well, as long as you are smart too, there wouldn't be any problem! I recently heard that these meters are going to turn digital very soon. I guess in the cabs, they already have! Also, in some other cities of India, the rickshaw meters have become digital...waiting for it to happen in this city!

Yes, it becomes a tough ride back home with the traffic, noise, and pollution but guys, this ride in this 3-wheeler is simply worth it! Things might just change soon. Just as these meters will turn digital, with the amount of machines entering the city, who knows how long these 3-wheelers will live amongst the four wheelers!

When you think of it, time and change isn't really slow. The seconds don't wait for anybody...and before you know, change smiles at you welcoming you!

For the quick change...

stories

I love this place! This is a furniture store at this place called Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel. They display various kinds of furniture and showpieces which depict nature and life in the purest forms.

What is shown here is a big long piece of glass that has been fixed to the wall to depict purity, I guess. And, just next to it sits a statue of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is one of the principle deities of Hinduism. Within the Smarta tradition, which is a branch of Hinduism, Shiva is worshipped as one of the six manifestations of the divine (the others being Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Kartikkeya, and Surya). Shiva is usually worshiped as the Shiva Linga. At temples and other depictions, he is normally shown being immersed in deep meditation or dancing the Tandav upon the demon of ignorance.

Indian mythology and Hinduism is filled with so much of history and stories. For an enthusiast like me, it is purely a delight. I don't know much about classical dance but I love seeing dance in any form. And, it is said that the dances depicting Lord Shiva is one of the toughest. You can have a glimpse of them here. You could check out a tandava done in one of the Indian films here.

Leaving you with a glimpse of the art and culture,

For the stories...

something new

Ok...I can totally understand what you must be feeling...but I just found this really different and new and thus am sharing it with you!
Can anybody make a wild guess as to what this is? Well, let me just cut the curiosity out and tell you...this is the washroom of the Pixion Studio, Bandra. I had gone there to meet some colleagues who were working on the post-production of a video and when I asked where the washroom was, I was directed to this place!

Isn't this something totally new? I haven't seen a washroom of this kind in Bombay before. Pixion has the entire top floor of a building converted into a studio and this room resides in one of the corner. As soon as I entered this, I was just wondering how the architect must've thought of something of this kind! No wonder people at Pixion are really creative...anytime you need a breather to think deep, you know where to come!

Hats off to the architect to have created a really cool studio of this kind. Check out their website where they have shown majority of their portions in the gallery section.

For something new...

mystery

I have this love for taking back profile shots...I don't know why! I feel it leaves the story with so much of mystery, which I love to keep solving every time.
I took this shot in the evening as I saw these ladies collecting water and going back to their homes. Their homes are located a little bit away form the mountain that I had recently posted. These are the same ladies who come to our houses every day in the morning and help us clean our places...as probably, we aren't too sure if we can do that ourselves!

I'm sure I would want to document a film on these ladies and what they feel...I've always wondered that ever since as a kid, I had heard stories of my maid and her drunkard husband who used to beat her up every now and then...who got his daughter married away when she was 14. Both, my maid's husband and a few years later her daughter's husband died...I don't know how...nor do I want to know. But what I do remember is that both were happy with their deaths. These are faint memories that I remember...and, probably for a second when I saw these 3 ladies going back today, I remembered the same story. Its a typical film plot, but it happens! Each house in this city has at least one such story of such people which enter our houses early in the morning, but we hardly realize it.

They are going back home after a day full of work...and who knows what the second chapter to the day's story has for them when they reach home! We speak about independence and individuality...I feel they know the meaning well...just that they need to realize it a bit better. How I wish they could as had it been so, their puzzles would've been much simpler. But, I guess we're always expecting and waiting for the circle to complete...will it, someday?

For the mystery that they leave behind as they keep walking ahead...

long white history

As I mentioned yesterday, this is another shot taken in Hiranandani. Since two days, I haven't got the time to go out of this place, thus the shots from this locality!

The big long building that you see here was a famous landmark of this place in the'90s. It still is, at times! It is called "Lake Castle". This used to be one of the most famous buildings in the city in the '90s. It got awarded to be the longest building in Asia too in one of the years. In the '90s, the flats in the building used to be really expensive...however, now with the taller ones that came up, they've taken its position!

On a personal note, I can never forget this building as during its construction, my Dad had taken me to one of the upper floors to have a view of the city. On our way down, due the construction work that was happening, there was a big patch of ground that was dug...which had steel pipes on it so that people could cross over to the other side. The young kid (thinking that I was the next Superman) that I was...I jumped and there I fell and my hand hit the steel pipes! My hand was fractured and to my misery, the doctor whom we went to screwed it up and since then, I have a dislocation of bone in my right hand! It pains if I write for more than an hour...but as they say...
life is a true irony - I am writer today!

For life...

a few more

Could you imagine a mountain like this in the center of the city at one of the most talked about locales? Well, yes...it is present!
This mountain is a part of the Chitrarth Film Studio, located at Hiranandani Gardens, Powai. Who would say that this is the same Hiranandani Gardens which used to be a dense forest until about twenty years ago. The way the builder & architect have converted it into one of the city's most posh localities is worth accolades, surely! I'll try posting more pics of this place in the coming future.

This mountain has been used in many films in the '90s and till date, many television serials use this location for shoots. I've heard that Hiranandani wants to build row houses here and thus, the construction work happening there at the moment! Every time I pass from the streets of Hiranandani, I see new constructions happening. Trust me, only he sees the space where he starts building...and, before you know or realize, you will see a really tall building standing in front of you!

I wonder how much space more this city finds for people...I guess that is why we call this the city that welcomes everybody...as long as the smiles and dreams are awake...

For the spaces...

black | yellow

So here it is...Bombay's life! The Rs 13/- minimum fare sole transport post Sion is the heart of the city! It is the luxury to avoid your cars in the traffic for some...while for some it is the quick feet on the road...while for the rest it is a basic necessity.

As much as I would've loved to keep writing...I need to keep it short today as I've got an important paper on Monday.

Thus, leaving you with the taxis today...

For the black & yellow vehicles...

two kinds

This is something that Bombay is going to be waiting for...and yes, the time is near!
The Bandra-Worli Sea Link is finally nearing completion! I think this is surely one of the best examples of the engineering skills of our country...it is something that everybody is going to look forward to! Imagine...reaching Worli from Bandra in minutes...in the middle of the sea...driving like this has been made for you! For driving lovers like me, this is a treat!

Took this shot from Reclamation. And, whenever I see this bridge being reaching its completion, I can only remember the "India Poised" video made by Shoojit Sircar on this bridge. Surely, there have always been 2 kinds of people, thoughts, dreams...one, which has always been reluctant, secluded, and not taking attempts to get out of the box...while, the other is the one that I love - courageous, outgoing, daring to dream and walk way ahead of time and create new boxes...

As I have again finished watching this short video again and again, I'll just dedicate today's post to my favorite lines with which the video concludes-

"...and one India - a tiny little voice at the back of the head - is looking down at the bottom of the ravine and hesitating;
The other India is looking up at the sky and saying, it's time to fly..."

For the link between the two kinds...

memories

...and I'm pretty sure by now you must've realized how much I love the sea and no, this isn't Hawaii!
This lovely shot was taken by Maithili from her cell phone. This is what I really like about cell phones these days...if you like a place or a moment, you can immediately capture it and keep smiling every time you look at it again!

Memories are fun to be with. Earlier, I never paid too much attention to capture them...but, slowly I realized their importance. When time passes and you need something to be by your side as you look back...these tiny little naughty memories come to the rescue! Its strange thet when we live these moments, we hardly realize their importance, but once gone, we find all the reasons to miss them. But then again, once we remember them, we realize that they are all still right here...with us...just as they always were!

Moments are just like these waves. They keep playing among themselves the game of being high and low. They keep coming...touching our feet...fading out our footprints...and going back. The cycle continues...always...and the best part in this entire game of waves - the sea remains just as it always did a few moments ago...

For memories...

flowers

...and we've finally done it! We're one month old today!! I just can't believe how time flies so quickly. A month ago, late in the night, I finally jumped at the thought of creating this blog and a month later I realize that this is one of the best things I've done so far...and I mean it!

I was pleasantly surprised to see a comment on "one" by Alexa yesterday. It feels so good to see such comments and to know that people are checking out your work and liking it! Thanks, Alexa and to all the others who have been supportive throughout this month...keep it going as it is important for us to keep this going!

I took this shot as I was going back home. I don't really like the entire Vikroli area much as it is always under construction, be it any point of the year. But, my sight caught hold of this beautiful tree and these leaves and flowers which was in between us and the sky. I feel this just adds to the sky's beauty. With shelter like this, why would anybody want to go anywhere else? Just for a moment, I felt great just staring at the sky through them...

For these flowers that looked so pretty...

unknown

Imagine...

You are walking down the streets of a place that you know very well. You are well acquainted with all the corners, all the turns, all the lanes. You know which bus comes to your doorstep, you know which color the sky will wear at this hour. You know it all about this place...and you also know that this place where you reside is not constant...it keeps changing.

Imagine...

A few hours of the clock pass. Normally, it is the time when everybody eats food and fills their stomach. It is the time when hunger shakes hands with your moments. It is not a villain...hunger is here to help you...to tell you that he has arrived and you need to make it go! You see everybody doing that...but when you aren't able to do that yourself, are you worried? How would you feel when you come to know that you have to host its stay in you today...

Imagine...

A few hours later, the day is about to end. The sun is tired heating up. You can hardly see people around at this time, and you know that. You are supposed to be sheltered well as one is not supposed to be out in the heat for long. But, what would you do when you know that you have to be the sun's guest today and see it off well...

Imagine...

When you are tired, you want to sleep. You want to enter a world a bit far away from this, where you stay, and seek a new place created by yourself. You want to run away from what is present at the moment here in the place that you seem to know so very well. You are friends with all the surroundings and seem to be happy even if you are not supposed to be. What would you want to see in such a sleep?

Just for the last time,

Imagine...

About this man and tell me what your thoughts say...

For this unknown...

one

I've always had a special emotion for them...I don't know why! From my interactions with them all through these years, I have wondered...why does one segregate them? Why does one term them out? I love the world they have created for themselves...it is way more colorful, pure, and sincere than the ones we hope to create for ourselves.

We took this shot in the evening. Everybody was walking, jogging, talking...and suddenly I saw this lady taking this child out. All that could be seen on the kid's face was a big smile...I'm not too sure looking at what!

We have a tendency to sympathize with such kids. We feel pity for them...we feel "oh, how sad!"...we feel lucky for ourselves...but I really doubt if we should! Why sympathize? Why not just accept them the way they are...just as they are...and let them be...just as anybody else? Try and talk to them...try and enter their world...trust me, its a visual treat for ourselves.

I feel sad that I don't get the time to go back to the Spastic Society, Bandra. Probably, after my exams, I'll be going there more often. In all the time that I spent with these kids, I have realized one thing and I'm pretty happy I did - we're all one. We all come as one...maybe our colors are different...maybe our looks differ...maybe our thoughts walk on different paths...maybe we have different dreams...but ultimately, we're all living in the same sphere...together! And, we all, together, make this place one!

All my love and smiles to this kid!

For her...

thread

Years ago, a young actor, who spent a few nights on the benches that used to reside on this path, looked at this Queen's Necklace, Marine Lines, and told his friend, "One day, I will rule this city". Years later, when asked, he replied to his quote by saying, "The city rules me today!". I don't need to mention the name of the superstar! And, yes, the city still gives him all the reasons to dream bigger!

Every face in this city comes to this place and stands here amidst the waves of the sea, looks at this necklace staring at his dreams and smiling.

When you stand here, you see all these tall buildings looking so small from the point where you are, but not unapproachable.
When you begin to approach them, the tall buildings begin to become taller than they looked from the start, but not unreachable.
When you reach the other end, the buildings at the start take the place of the way these buildings looked from the start - tiny...but not forgettable!

And, you realize...they are all connected! This travel of yours from the start to your dreams is the thread to all these knots. Don't stop in the middle...keep walking ahead. You will be tired in the middle to take this walk , but keep waking. Because, once you reach the other end and look back at the start, you will surely smile and feel an inexpressible emotion, which you will realize is the best emotion ever experienced by you!

Your dreams are precious and waiting for you...reach out to them...

For the thread connecting the knots to your dreams...

aala re!

Ok, I'm sorry for not posting yesterday's picture but the reasons and explanations are in front of you!
I wanted to go for the Mumbai Indians v/s Kokata Knight Riders match right from the time the IPL schedule came out! And, yesterday, I finally did!

I was amazed to see the entire crowd and its passion towards the game. It was as though the entire stadium was one and all the people had come together to cheer their heroes! I would never forget the wave that the entire stadium created. It was magical...putting me in pure awe of the moment! I could see the spirit of the city right there in front of my eyes...and more than ever!

I'm so glad I went for the match yesterday. There were thousands of problems that came up, right from the time I wanted to go for the match, which "almost" concluded that I would not be going for it, but...
"the secret" was right, yet again - when you want something to happen so sincerely, truly, and completely, there is NOTHING that can stop it from coming to you!

For the game and the city's spirit...

the line, post 6

Yes, this is the kind of line that you can see from your mirror as you are driving back in the evenings. The one lane of cars that you get to see now would have become 3 lanes a few minutes later.

I took this shot from my rear view mirror as I was getting back home today. People do say that the city's traffic is a pain and it tests your patience. But very honestly, I disagree to an extent. Maybe, it is because I love driving and I enjoy music. I put on my favorite songs as I am on the road (standing or moving) and when I'm in that mood, hardly anything strikes me whether the roads are packed or not.

People are afraid to come out on the roads at peak hours of traffic. But, for me, it is fun...as, I get to see all the various possible characters on the streets.
People walking on the streets who make the people in the cars envy them, people on bicycles and bikes who find their way to the front from the smallest of centimeters between two bumpers, people who sit in the car and stare out not knowing what they are thinking, people cursing the traffic police, people who are irritated, people laughing and having a good time despite the honkings, people wondering where they are and why, people standing on the streets and aimlessly staring...and people like me who just love observing all of this...

It is the best time where I get to see a variety of people. I guess it is this variety in the characters that I enjoy to see. I hope I always do...

For the city's faces...

the shawl in blue

As a child, I used to look up to the sky and love its blue color. Whenever, I needed a moment's peace, I just had to look up. Slowly, I decided, one day, I want to stand at a height in this city from where I can just see the sky and nothing else. I wanted to be at a height from where I could see the entire city live its life and I could smile and chat about it with this home for the stars. Then, my dreams and my sky seemed to be so vast.

Eighteen years later, when I look up at the same sky, I can see a lot more objects along with it. I can see a lot more pillars trying to walk up to it and touch it. But, when I look back at my dreams and the sky I used to see...I realize...my dreams have become a bit bigger, my desires have stretched its limits to bigger breadths, my ambitions and passion has reached new heights...and my sky - the shawl in blue has increased itself and made itself a bit more vast just to protect me well enough...

For heights that we all wish to reach...

change

I took this shot in the evening today. It is not very clear but well...this car is such that just a glimpse of it makes you recognize it well enough! Lately, this yellow Beetle has been making rounds of the place where I stay in the city. It is amazing to see in this shot how time has passed by...the Beetle at one point was every person's desire (it still is), the Honda City, it seems, has taken its place as far as the desires are today! And, there we have our very own black & yellow three wheeler motor that stares at these changing vehicles but stands still where it is.

Weird...but true...life does move ahead quickly...

For change...

story?

What is your story? - People ask me. I was asked this when I took this shot too. I did try explaining why I took this shot. I was driving and honking at this fellow who was carrying this cart ahead, when after a while, he made way for me. But, now as I sit to write about this shot, I wonder...why did I take this shot?

Was it this man, who amazed me to think about a life that is far away from the lives that we are living...or, is it his story that I want to think or wonder through this shot. I do not know who he is, where he stays, what he does...but I do know that he is living...he exists, now.

Some pictures are just taken, I guess, because at that particular moment, you feel like capturing it. I guess, that is what happened with this shot too. I am thinking now, for a bit, what would this man's story be? Why is he doing the work that he is doing right now? How many children does he have at home when he goes back late in the night after a day's hard work? What would his dreams comprise? Who is he?

I think about all these questions that come to me now...but, I wonder...would these be with me a few moments later? I know the answer well...but I have a question again - why is the answer what it is? Life is strange and I guess that is how it moves ahead...even for this man?

For him, whoever he is...

companion

You always feel nice to see someone by your side...at any point of time. This shot was taken late in the evening when the sun had almost disappeared. What really excited me was the sea, its waves, and these two people sitting there all by themselves and enjoying their moment.

What is the best part about being in love? It is lovely to see that there is another person there who knows you will be there...and it makes you feel complete when you know that you are not going to be left alone too. When you tell them how much you care...sometimes, maybe they don't know what more to say...and tears and silence says it all...and then, you just smile...and remain quiet yourself. Love is inexplainable...and I guess it is the best that way! So, what is the best part about being in love? For me...it is being in love itself!

For the love that stays with us forever...

smiles

Somehow, I love taking shots of children. I love working with them. I took this shot at Carter Rd. They are, I guess, widening the road and doing some kind of construction work to make the place look prettier...and I am pretty sure it would look much more appealing once it is done. What made me smile the most are these kids. These kids were playing on their bicycles...without any worry of cars coming...without any worry of heavy trucks honking...without any worry of people coming in their way...the kids were just living their smiles completely.

I guess, that is what we need to realize...live your smile completely. Do not be a miser in smiling as it hardly takes a moment and no reason to smile...just as you used to when you were young and hardly knew why you were smiling...

For the smiles...that are still present somewhere...that we just need to search within...

big picture

No, I'm not promoting "Jimmy" in any way! I was driving back and I always wanted to take shots of the big hoardings that take its place at the Juhu turnings. The hoardings are something that one will never miss as he takes these turns. The best part is that these surely become a minute's conversation in case you are with anybody...you always tend to talk about the next film that is going to come up or the next soap that is going to hit the small screens or simply the models and the actors who have been presented on large canvas here!

There is just something about this place that'll always make you feel you are much more capable than you judge yourself to be. It gives you that feeling that you can and you will walk ahead of the finishing lines, that you have created for yourself. There is just some kind of magic that you feel, in this place, that is pretty much unexplainable. Or, maybe it is just me who gets these thoughts... as, one day, I want to have a hoarding which will have my name printed on it...at this same spot...

For the future...which I wish to see...

a smile in peace

"In a world so busy, so fast,
I wonder what role for myself I must cast,
For peace, within, I seek to search,
I wander in this space so vast"

I took this shot as I was driving back home. What surprised me is how peacefully this boy seems to sleep at a corner of a busy street filled with vehicles honking and seeking to move ahead.

I love the people of this city. They truly find themselves, in their own ways, means to be happy...to be content...to live...

For this boy...may his dreams keep smiling...

no time to stop

I took this shot today as I was driving and was a bit disturbed for a minute or two. Not going to write much about it, as I really do not want to think further on it. The fire brigade had its siren on and it was heading its way to a place where it was needed at that moment...but, despite the moment's need, a few of us hardly gave it way to proceed...as probably, we didn't have the time to stop...to give it some space to run...to lessen the heat of a moment.

Why are we in such a hurry? Why are we running towards the end? Why can't we just walk and enjoy our journeys? It is a difficult question to answer...but, why can't we answer it?

city's feet

I often wonder what Bombay would be without these black and yellow three wheelers! They are a part of our lives just as our dreams. You walk out of your home and you will find these vehicles at your service. You drive your car and you will find these heroes making their way and giving you a test for your driving skills. You can be in a hurry and these would be the best means to travel...whatever be the case, you cannot live without them in this city!

Having a fixed charge of Rs. 9 in the city as its start, the best part about these vehicles are its drivers. They are no less than a Shahrukh or a Salman or any other top hero! And, the best treat if you are in the right mood, are the songs that they play in the auto (fondly called). The dhin-chak music always remains in you for a few minutes post your journey...and trust me, you may hunt all the music stores for the typical songs that they play, but you will never find them!

Madhu took this shot today & I really admire the line of our city's heroes that we can see in this shot.

For the feet of our city...

2 seconds of solitude

I love the Juhu Beach. People say it has become dirty now and its packed all the time...but still, every time I come here, I recall the song from Hrishikesh Mujherjee's "Anand" -
"zindagi, kaisi hai paheli haai,
kabhi yeh hasaaye, kabhi yeh rulaaye"
As Meghna, Shazeen and I kept walking, we realized that the Santacruz side of the Beach is pretty clean (although filled with couples occupying spaces and not being bothered by their neighbours) and the best part about this side were a couple of boats like these.

Empty boats standing alone on the sand, leaving their marks for a while, as they would again be taken to the sea to travel the waters, live the tides...and help some lives survive.

I wonder -
how much ever we hunt solitude, is it possible to escape from our shadows?
Even if we leave the strongest footprints on the sand, the waters do wipe them away.
How much will you try answering life, as it'll keep creating new questions...
and the best part about all this, that I enjoy the most is -

we love to keep walking ahead...

a time to kill

So, the time has arrived. All the engineering colleges of Bombay begin with their viva season. I have mine starting from tomorrow. The only good part about studying these books is the one where Mom makes and gets all amazing stuff to eat! She says, if you eat well, you think well. And, being the foodie that I am, I never disagree on this topic! She got me a plate of my favorite starter - Garlic Breadsticks with cheesy dip from Dominos Pizza!

Guys, all of you who are a big fan of cheese, I'm sure you cant resist this treat that the Pizza joint offers! Somehow among all the Pizza joints in Bombay, I love Dominos' garlic bread the most...so people, don't waste time...just have it!

My vivas begin tomorrow...preparations are on (don't ask how they are going!).
My dear friends, I need your prayers...so, please bombard him with all your prayers so that I can fare decently and get done with this baggage!

For now, back to error controls...

a few steps to breathe

I was at home all day today. Vivas begin from Monday onwards...for a change, I'm giving my books some company! I'm waiting for 17th June when I'll be free of all chains!

As I was standing by my window in the evening, I took this shot. The building which has the cone is my school's new building. Apparently, it has now turned out to be one of the city's leading ICSE schools...I never enjoyed it much though in my days!

The tall buildings seem to be making use of every little space that they can find. There was a time when this place, this city used to be so spaced out, so vast, so clear. Today, somehow, it seems to be getting filled up. It is still getting prettier by the day, no doubt, but its just that maybe Bombay asks for a bit of space for itself too!

I wonder if from a few years from now, in a crowd of millions, one would find the space and time to pause his steps for a moment...and breathe...

half-cut grown

Took this shot outside my class. I found this tree/trunk to be strange and interesting. And, by interesting (being a biology illiterate), I really mean interesting! It really is weird for a lay man, if he thinks, how this trunk has its branches grow. I do not need to speak further about this shot as I'm sure once you see this trunk, you will know what amazed me! Strange, isn't it? I had never seen something of this kind before...thus, captured it!

The evenings on this street at Dadar, Hindu Colony are just splendid. You can just keep walking with your ipod listening to all your favorite songs and I'm sure it'll keep you smiling.

For now, the trunk and its beauty...

meal a feast

Good food keeps you good - I've always believed in it! Being a big foodie, I love trying out new places. And if it has good chicken to serve, its a treat for the evening!
This shot was taken by Maithili when she visited BBQ Nation, Bandra. The food there is heavenly and the ambience just adds to the mood that the menu sets for you as you sit...and gues what...all this for an unbelievable price!

Guys, if you are a food fan, simply stop by this place for a nice buffet and enjoy the pleasure that it provides you with the kitchen's works! BBQ Nation, Bandra - an absolute feast spot!

For the love of food from a foodie...