Mumbai : Sunrise to Sunset

Dawn breaks over Mumbai and the first fiery clouds reach out to shake it awake. From my apartment window, I look out at the Umbrella tree on my left and the tall Palmyrah tree on the right, silhouetted still against a brand new day.
I suddenly realise how much time I spend looking down at flowers. The sky is something I usually enjoy only at sunset because we have such flamboyant sunsets here. Then I decide that today belongs to the sky. So here is one day in Mumbai, from sunrise to sunset.

The spaghetti-like cable wires connecting every home to its daily fix of television, are also a great perch to watch the world go by. Or in this case, to watch it come awake.
Crows are so intrinsic to the Mumbai landscape that I just can not imagine this city without their all-pervading presence. Independent, street-smart, survivors to the core, and yet with such a strong bond of community ... I could just as well be talking about the average man in this city. With one difference. The average Mumbai-dweller is way more colourful and interesting, with stories to tell that would fill libraries.


A fleet of clouds sail across the brightening sky, quickened by a chill breeze that is Mumbai's nod to winter. They seem to bring with them the rumours of snow in Kashmir and the memory of glorious Himalayan wildflowers.

Also sky-watching with me is the Pariah Kite, nesting in the Palmyrah tree. Can you see its silhouette perched on the thick stalk of the fan-shaped leaves ? Junior is almost ready to fly from the nest and the anxious parents seem to be keeping watch almost every minute of the day. Or is it impatience at his dawdling that I sense in them ?

In the evening, I drive by Bandra Bandstand with its spruced-up palm-lined promenade and its kissing rocks below .
Why do I call them kissing rocks? Because courting couples in this privacy-starved city have adopted this spot as one of their own. True, there is no real privacy here but for a few minutes or a couple of hours, a romantic couple can evade intrusive stares and dream a while. The Arabian Sea swirling and tugging at their feet must surely add to the magic of those stolen moments.
Looking at the sky, it reminds me of those scenes in movies where the heavens open up and some divine proclamation is made to the awe-struck faithful!

It's close to sunset now and we decide to go for a walk on another beach about 20 kilometres away. This is the first time I've walked here as I always thought that it would be very crowded. And I thought that there would be too many fishing boats pulled up on the narrow beach to make walking here pleasant.
Well, there were no boats, I think they were all out at sea. And, crowded it was, but with such a glorious view that I didn't really care.
I think I've got my revelation ... I need to do this more often!

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