"My weekend out" ~ In Mumbai

Sometimes unplanned and unthought out events turn out be the much better than ones where we have done a lot of advance thinking and planning. This is what happened in this recent trip I made to Mumbai. On an instinct I had decided that I would go to Mumbai and see a performance that a dear friend of mine was participating in. I didnt have any idea or plans about what I would be doing in the rest of the one and a half days there. Not that I dont know anyone in Mumbai, I have a lot of friends there but "meri jaan, yeh hai mumbai..!" With its fast paced life, everyone has some or the other plan worked out for the weekends. And not having chceked with anyone in advance I ran the risk of having to spent the time alone in the city. But in my case that was not much of a problem as I am quite friends with the city. In the time that I was staying in mumbai, I had developed quite a close relationship with the city, it's people, its local trains, its vada pavs and its fast paced life style. So I guess I was not much worried by the thought of whom I would be able to meet or where I would be spending the time. I had the city and it's magic which I could re-explore, and I had my camera with me. I couldnt have cared less!

And so as it would turn out, I had a great time there. Roamed around in the areas i love in mumbai ~ Churchgate, Bandra- Hill Road, caught up with friends, and spent some relaxing and rejuvenating time with myself. On one of the local train stations came across a book I had been wanting to read since long~ Shantaram by Gregory Davit Roberts. Picked it up and spent the saturday afternoon in the colourful ambiance of Churchgate Mocha with this book, a black currant ice tea, and great music in the background.

I was alone with my thoughts and my book but there were people around with chatting, laughing, chilling out, talking about their own stories. There was something very relaxed and positive in the atmosphere. There was hope and dreams and ambition and style and charisma. All of this along with the memory of the times I used to hang out so much in this place earlier did something very positive to me. It somehow charged me up from inside.

The evening was spent in Bandra at my friend's program, which turned out be a wonderful experience. A musical drama based on the stories from the Bible, replete with angles and demons. The dances were beautiful, the music peppy, the acting of the cast perfect and the light effects were amazing..! And off-course the whole thought behind the play with it's script was touching. So, all and all it was a wonderful experience!

Some glimpses of the show ~

The next day morning was spent in a shopping spree at Alpha- the duty free custom shops, which are quite poplular in mumbai, though i had remained unknown to them when I was staying in mumbai. Actually I had gone there with Nishu's mom, who had a lot of things to buy. I had just accomapnied her. She had a huge of things to buy from toys, to watches, to footware, to chochlates, to toiletteries to dry fruits to...the list goes on and on....! Though I didnt have to buy anything, I had a super time ! Well, I am a girl, and so am genetically inclined to love shopping! And in the process I did buy a couple of things for myself too ~
Soft comfy, cushiony bathroom slippers, a Nike deo and a Garnier lotion...
I guess, the cushiony slippers were my best buy..!





Lunch was with Sonali's (the friend whose program I had come to attend) family. Yummy hot puris, palak sabzi, some mix dal, mango pickle and cool kheer! It was delicious, and I couldnt have asked for more. Since I was meeting her parents for the first time, out of hesitation I missed out on taking a snap of the food. Though the hot round puris completely deserved and demanded to get captured in the cam, but I dont think Sonali's parents would have agreed with me! They would have thought I was nuts, and you see the first impression matters ! So, i would leave it to the imagination of whoever's reading this. Her parents and brother were very nice to me. Very simple and loving people.
Here's the snap I took of them for remembrance ~



Spend the whole afternoon with Sonali. Lying on the cool bed, sipping tea and chatting about everything from guys to God ! This is generally the range of our discussions. Needless to say we both had a great time. While talking on something suddenly out of the blue she remembered about a book that she had begun to read. And she had liked it so much that she wanted me to read it to. So, she insisted that I take this book with me, read it and then send it back to her. The book is "The mind is a battlefield". I have a theory that for myself that a book enters my life only when I actually need to read it, or when I am prepared to read it. So, I took this as a sign that maybe it was destined that I read this book at this point of my life.

The evening and the subsequent dinner was with another close friend- Asha, who stays in Borivelli (W), near the station (thankfully!). She used to work with me at Astron and we shared a good bond. This is was the first time I was meeting her after her marriage and after she left Ahmedabad. So it was a treat to catch up with her ~ to fill her up with the latest office gossip and to listen to her new life. We ordered pizza for dinner and had it in the comfort of her house. My return train was at 10.50 pm from Borivelli station, so finally I picked up up bags and headed for the return journey.

And oh yes, before I forget, I also bought these lovely colourful bangles, while travelling in the local trains ~






So this trip did bring lots of colours in my life ~ some old , some new.

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