#Mumbai (Bombay) PT 15 India Nov 15

I have had two full days in Bombay. (This is the name the locals use. They say they prefer it - sounds better than Mumbai.) Two days is not a long time but I believe I used the time I had well and have a feel for this city. I give below my descriptions/opinions of this massive city. I might have it all wrong of course - ha!

The geography. Bombay is an island joined to the mainland by a bridge. Bombay island is made up of 7 islands (although you would never know it.) They have been joined by infill, drainage and bridges. The peninsula is relatively narrow but 20k long. It holds one of the worlds most dynamic, important and sadly polluted cities in the world.

As far as I can see Bombay is divided into 3 parts. At the bottom ( tip ) the British Empire built area. It is dynamic and thriving and the draw for the incredible commute each day. It has the feel of city prosperity. This is the banking and finance centre. In the middle is the new business and high rise housing area. At the top is everything else - India. There is also a New Mumbai developing on the mainland - across “the creek” and joined by a huge bridge.

I will start with the British Empire part. My hotel The Château Windsor was on the fringes of this area. Two nights here cost almost as much as the accommodation for the rest of my month's trip put together. Mumbai is an expensive city even by international standards.

Close to the end of the peninsula is Apollo Bunder where the Gateway of India is located. It looks out over the harbour and close to the docks so vital to Bombay present and past. It is the India Navy main base. The gateway arch itself is not an attractive building - a bit of a lump but it was built to symbolise the British Empire and it is a big public draw. On the landward side is an impressive statue of a man on horseback. This is Shivaji a Hindu nationalist hero. Close by is the Taj Mahal hotel. Apparently it has a very famous list of past guests and surprisingly the guide book says the second most photographed building in India. It was built by one of the Tata family after he was refused entry to a Raj hotel because he was Indian. He set out to build the biggest and best hotel in India and this is what has been achieved. It does have an outstanding facade and next to it is a 20th century tower block which I take is an annexe!

Generally the buildings in this area are quite extraordinary. They are massive and solid and a mix of styles but in the main I would say Gothic with Indian thrown in - ha! In so many ways the wide tree lined streets remind you of London and this area is the banking and finance centre, plus museums art galleries, the High Court and Municipal Administration headquarters as well as head offices of many substantial companies. The Maidan is the heart of British Bombay and there are huge green parks where they play multiple games of cricket all at one time. One poignant moment. I watched a group of young boys turn up for their cricket. They were immaculately turned out in cricket whites and each carrying bulging bags of cricket gear. On the public side of the fence there were kids sleeping on the pavement on beds of cardboard. Such the chance of birth. The times I have thought of my two darling grand daughters. It is very upsetting to see children like this through no fault of their own.

Later I moved slightly further north to the old Crawford Market. Back to earthy India. This is essentially a fruit veg and meat wholesale market although it sells many other things including pet birds and dogs and cats plus many many other types of animals. Again it is the incredible variety and scale. It is the colours the smells the range of activities. It is the lack of finesse, it is the business being transacted. It is a photographer's dream but not everyone wants to be photographed. I am always cautious and do not want to cause offence.

Towards the end of the first day I make the long walk along Marine Drive to Chowpatty Beach.Marine Drive best described as an esplanade looks out onto Back Bay and beyond the Arabian Sea. It is a favourite place to see the sun go down. All along the top of the long sea wall young people and families were sitting chatting and relaxing. There were many young Hindu kids in couples and they seemed relaxed, natural and having fun. Many dress in western style. I have made prior comment about Muslim families. The man and his son walking in the front. The wife all covered up in black walking behind. I got to the beach and sat at one of the kiosks. I drew a lot of smiles. I had two bottles of juice and gradually made my way back for the sunset. This did emphasise the air pollution. All northern India suffers from it. There are just an incredible number of vehicles. As the sun set developed you could see the wide grey band forming the haze.

I was by now relaxed and familiar with this part of southern Mumbai. At about 7 pm it was still hectic. Office workers on the move. Everything buzzing. I had walked a lot this day. It had been hot despite the summer is still months away. Bars are more evident in this area as it is more cosmopolitan but they are still not common place. I really fancy a long cold b
eer. I have a lovely couple of Kingfishers in The Cafe Military, Ali Chamber, Tamarind Lane Fort! I follow it up with an Afghanistan Curry. Great stuff. I stroll back to the hotel and watch some sport. First cricket. An all stars game. India is totally fixated with Sachin Tendulkar. He is their Beckam but bigger. His batting record makes him one of the greatest ever. The crowd go absolutely barmy when he hits a boundary and the roof comes off when it is a 6. I then watched some live football. New Delhi against Pune in the relatively new but we'll financed Indian Football League. There are lots of world names here squeezing the last little bit from their closing careers. One was Robert Pires. I thought he retired years ago. Meet marque player and Manager Nicholas Annelka! A really full day and good nights sleep.

The next day I plan to see more of Indian Mumbai. Mumbai has no integrated metro. There is a chronic public transport issue in the city. They have apparently recently opened a cross island metro but it only serves a local area. More is planned but it is years away. The local trains offer one possibility but they are very busy. I am advised to hire a cab for the day for 1500 Rupees. The driver will take me where I want to go. No doubt I am paying over the top but it seems excellent value to me and I am happy with the solution.

My taxi driver is Ummar. He is old, his English is broken but I can get the idea. Clearly he is Muslim. He is a very nice gentleman. He gives me his business card. It says Taxi, Sightseeing and SHOPPING. I smile. Normally I say no shopping but I will wait and see. Ummar had been doing this for years and recommended by the hotel. I am also confident I can say no to any sales pressure.

I give Ummar a list of places I would like to see if possible. He nods. Yes sir. I tell him my name is David. He chuckles for some reason. Something to do with religion I think.

We set off. First stop. A standout building - once named Victoria Terminus but now called Chhatrapati Shivagi Rail Terminus. It is the busiest station in India - maybe the world. More people use this station in a day than the total number of UK rail passengers over the same period. I went inside. The scale is amazing and it wasn't rush hour. Thousands and thousands commute into downtown Mumbai each morning.

I went to the much photographed Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat. This is the biggest open air laundry. People live as well as work on site. All the work is done manually. An amazing scene. What makes it even more impressive is the backdrop. This is the area where vast 21st century tower blocks have been and are being built. They would be impressive in any city. It emphasises how wealthy Mumbai is. It it the heart of India's emerging growth and success. Mumbai has hundreds of millionaires referred to as the Crorepatis. I saw motor showrooms for Rolls Royce and another for Bentley. The most expensive house in the world is in Mumbai. A 29 floor building occupied by one family. The parking is apparently on the 6th floor! This is the home of Bollywood. Surrounding this vast central area is huge shopping malls with all the Wests most aspirational shops. I also walked by Mumbai's racecourse. It was a great sight to watch the thoroughbreds canter on a training exercise.

By contrast we then head a bit further north - all the time contending with the crazy traffic. Ummar seems to be the only driver in India leave alone Mumbai who is not constantly honking his horn. He threads his way through the traffic and seems to know all the shortcuts all the while mumbling about Bombay - great city - everything here - business business (he seems to be very pro business) and being “good minded” - have a good life. Yes be good minded.

We are heading for the world’s biggest slum. It is called Dharavi Slum. It is not far from the skyscrapers. We are there on a semi metalled road. There are half decent looking shops lining the streets. Activity everywhere. Masses of leather goods for sale. New furniture for sale. This is not a slum as I think of it. A slum is a wretched place. This does not appear to be that. Has Ummar fobbed me off with something easier to see. I can see behind the many many shop facades there are narrow alley's and tight roads running in behind - people are disappearing in. I work it out. Subsequently it is confirmed. The slum is a place of both living and working and the shops on the front are the public face - not typical of what is behind. It has been estimated goods worth $700m USD are generated by the slum each year. Apparently great improvements have been made in the conditions within the slum including the provision of 200 litre barrels of water for each household and more electricity. The dwellers contribute collectively for the provision and maintenance of communal washing and toilet facilities. Across Mumbai the government has been running a slum clearance scheme but apparently the slum residents often resist because there is community in the slum and it is also a place to generate an income which is lost if the slum is cleared for more conventional modern housing. I had mixed feelings about going to the slum anyway. I was concerned about what I might see and had an unease about taking pictures of people's squalour - a voyeur. It didn’t turn out like that I am pleased to say. There is much more shocking sights to be seen on the streets and pavements.

Interspersed with the sightseeing the shopping. The artful Umma. I am outside before I know it. Please sir this way. I think I am going to a temple. I am outside a shop. I laugh. Ummar escorts me into a shop that sells jewelry and carvings. It is small scale. The gentleman behind the counter is extremely diffident. Small clipped Indian moustache. Old school India - respectable - conservative. Present for the wife sir. He and Ummar look staggered. No wife. Oh sir. You want wife sir. You have girlfriend for present - ha! I pass on the jewelry. I look at the “carvings”. A lot of ornate Hindu God stuff which is not my taste. I ask about a carved wooden elephant. How much 300IR. £3. I am going to buy it. I put it down and continue looking. Both watch me. I pick it up again. Your best price please sir. Sir 300 - very best wholesale price. I have met my match with such an earnest straight face and feel I do not have much to achieve with 300 as the start. I have enjoyed the experience and it has made it easy for me to commit to buying something (I am useless at shopping - it is never the right time.) He wraps it. Mutual bows. Everybody is happy as I assume Ummar gets a cut!. I will remember this little elephant purchase fondly. ( just a tip for fellow western travellers. It is no good saying you are travelling light. They all have packaging and delivery services for abroad) On another occasion he dropped me outside The Bombay Store. It is run by the Government. It probably is. A wide range of things all individually and reasonably priced. I would recommend it. I buy another small wood carving for 225. £2.25. The highlight was the wrapping process. 3 adult men smartly dressed and very smiling courteous. One took the item. Reported the price to the man next to him. While he prepared a receipt the 3 monkeys carving was past to the third man who wrapped it in bubble wrap, then red tissue with sellotape. I give the money to the man at the till. The receipt and my cheap little wooden carving is presented back to me in a beautiful quality made paper carrier bag. We all smile bow and all three say thank you sir! Contrast that to shopping in the average UK store.

Ummar didn’t quite get it all his own way. I put my foot down when he suggested a suit shop - can be made in 24 hours.

We visited several temples including the Haji Ali Dargh that can only be reached by a causeway at low tide, the Mumbai Devi Temple and the Krishna Iskcon Temple. However much of Mumbai is so tight, narrow crammed streets traffic everywhere - it is hard to get anywhere leave alone park.

I have left much out. I really enjoyed Mumbai but I think 2 or 3 days is enough. To be honest I was expecting something more confronting. Of course I only scratched the service of the real Indian Bombay but my personal view is Kolcata is more challenging to a westerner and by a long way Delhi the most gritty of all. Mumbai is a more wealthy more westernised city in my view but it does suffer from the same problem - chronic overcrowding and too many vehicles with air pollution as a consequence. There is also a massive disparity between rich and poor but this is not news.

Another long hot day. I walk into my local - Cafe Military. Two Kingfishers. I get big smiles. It is always the same. Bars and cafes love it when you come back a second time.

One final paragraph. I mentioned beggars. It is common place. I do not normally give - I won’t go into my reasons now. However on the way back to the hotel I spot a young mother with a small child - not much more than a baby laying on the busy payment. It looked shocking. I decided on the spot to photograph them as an illustration of what real poverty is and to give them some money. I get out a 500IR note - £5. This would be massive for them. Woman and baby are asleep. I touch the woman's hand with the end of a rolled up note. Not a movement. An Indian guy comes over to me. He speaks good English. He explains she is high through glue sniffing. So is the baby. It removes hunger. They are both so skinny. He explains if you give them money they will miss use it. He said it is a terrible problem but people like them are almost past help. I am not sure if he is right but I think that is the general consensus.

Final thing. My train leaves from Lokmanak Tilak railway station at 11.40 the next day. Ummar suggests taxi 10. Hotel says 9 latest because of the traffic and it is about 10k across the city. Ummar knows the short cuts. I get there at 9.45! A long platform wait before I am on the sleeper Express for Kerala and some clean air.

Bye bye Bombay. An unforgettable experience. Full respect.