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"Celebrating Ganapathi Festival: An Atheist's Observations and Reflections" As an atheist, I wish to offer my perspective on the Ganapathi festival, a significant celebration in the state of Maharashtra. As a newcomer to Mumbai, I have a deep appreciation for exploring diverse religions and languages. In my hometown of Tamil Nadu, Ganpati Chaturthi typically warrants just a single day off, but here in Maharashtra, the extended five to six days of holiday fervor is truly fascinating.   One notable aspect of this festival is the remarkable enthusiasm displayed by the people in celebrating it, which I find truly admirable. I took the opportunity to visit various locations adorned with clay idols of Lord Ganesh, beautifully decorated with gold, currency, flowers, and more, all for public appreciation. These idols serve as a focal point for people to come together and express their profound affection for Lord Ganesh.   On September 29, 2023, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp...

  THE PARKING CONUNDRUM MUMBAI Wonder how many of us ever planned a trip in Mumbai without considering the parking aspects for the vehicle we own. Be it a weekday or weekend, a holiday or a working day, if a dinner or lunch has to be planned out, the parking space availability or valet services form an integral part of the decision making process. A quick movie with family or friends or a visit to the market would also lead to a quick search or revision of the available parking facilities. Even a Sunday visit to a relative’s residence, (though such concepts are receding fast in the emerging social order) a quick phone call to the concerned person to enquire availability of the Visitor Parking area might not be out of order. Finally, what emerges out of these situations, is the mode of travel or transport which in most cases would be “ lets take a cab/bus/train ”. Hence even with all the latest brands of automobiles, the space to park or move freely on the roads in Mumbai is fast ...

In India, people celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi. However, the manner of celebrating in Mumbai is very dissimilar. There is nothing like the vibes here. You get chills at the thought of love, dedication, happiness, excitement, décor, dance, and the enormous Ganesh ji murtis.  Ganesh Chaturthi (19 September this year) and Anant Chaturdashi (28 September this year) are the first and last days of this ten-day festival, respectively. But due to "Bappacha Aagman," the festival in Mumbai begins one week before Ganesh Chaturthi. Where all of Mumbai's notable and illustrious murthis have their separate pandals installed. The day of Ganesh Chaturthi is then when "Sthapana" occurs. The celebration ends with "Visarjan," which is on the tenth day after sthapana, which is on anant chaturdashi. Last year, I went to Lalbaugcha Raja, the most well-known of them. I spent more than three hours in line. But as soon as I laid eyes on Lord Ganesh Ji's murthi, I was enthral...

  THE KALI PEELI OF MUMBAI   Mumbai city boasts of its Public Transport System, even with all the flaws during the wet and confusing monsoons and the same ‘copy pasted’ news articles and cameras focusing on the waterlogged roads. With all the minor flaws, the Mumbai Public Transport is arguably the best, managing effectively the ever increasing population densities and complexities. I remember the time during my graduation in the mid 90s, in the pre-digital era, how convenient the cab network used to be, as a second tier support system for us students, who wanted to take a break from the BEST busses and travel in the cab ‘luxury’ with a tenner in pocket or max, a twenty rupee note. Since there were no UPI IDs, the circulation of liquid cash in the economy was comparatively more and there used to be an easy supply of cash change. In fact, it used to be expected that a shopkeeper or a cab driver would have small change with them while transacting their daily business. The ...

  Indian Express Flim Cub: Screening of  the movie "Afwaah" A Cinematic Dive into the World of Rumors   Introduction On the evening of September 12th, against the glittering backdrop of Mumbai's National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the Indian Express Film Club treated its audience to a special screening of "Afwaah." This thought-provoking film, directed by the maestro Sudhir Mishra, stars the illustrious Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the immensely talented Bhumi Pednekar. "Afwaah" graced the silver screen on May 5th, 2023. Despite not receiving a resounding welcome in all corners of the theater world, this film has etched an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of society. In this blog post, we embark on a journey into the heart of "Afwaah" to unravel why it resonated so profoundly with its captivated audience.  The Meaning of "Afwaah"   The title itself, "Afwaah," translates to "rumor." This...

"THE PRECIOUS WATERS OF MUMBAI LAKES" Imagine a life without water for a day. What if we get up one fine morning to the stark reality of a bizarre situation of this life supporting element vanishing totally. Here on, myriad questions sprout up. How to wash, what to drink, how to cook, how to clean and above all how to survive. It is a fact that one can survive for a few days without grains but not without water. How ironical then it is to see this ‘Golden’ resource not getting the value it deserves. What is worse is to see its virtual, blatant exploitation today. The 2023 Monsoons and Underground Water Levels . Monsoons this year, have been sketchy which would further impact the agriculture produce but what is more worrisome is the impact of constant depleting water levels. Has anyone considered how would the produce yield without the water. We need to rise up with the rhetoric of ‘it is a government responsibility’. Well, the government is not divine, they are mortals like u...

"Surviving Mumbai's Monsoon Adventures: A New Mumbaikar's Tale" As a newcomer to the bustling city of Mumbai, I've quickly realized that adjusting to its ever-changing weather, particularly the monsoon rains of 2023, is like stepping into a whole new world. This experience has taught me valuable survival skills and an unwavering appreciation for the resilience of Mumbaikars. My current residence is in the serene enclave of Royal Palm, Mayor Nagar, Goregaon East. To navigate this vibrant city, I rely on Bus No. 452, which conveniently departs from the eastern side of Goregaon Railway Station. However, my recent adventure on September 10th, a rainy Sunday, was anything but ordinary. On that day, my agenda included a grocery shopping trip, followed by a swift return home. Little did I know that Mumbai's unpredictable weather had a surprise in store. Suddenly, a torrential downpour turned the streets into makeshift rivers, creating scenes reminiscent of a flood di...