DARR se DARR..

Lagta hai Darr..

Hoti hai Ghabraahat si..

Uthti hai dil mein ek Chhuban si..

Lagta hai khud se haar jaenge hum..

Par phir uthhti hun doosre kone se main aur kehti hun khudse..Jung ye jeet jaenge hum :)

Pitaara :)

Hi to all, I had written this write up on mumbai sometime back putting myself in the shoes of a travel blogger.. all your feedback will be appreciated:

Mumbai, jisko neend kya hai shayad pata hi nahi. Jahan har janah bhaag raha hai, kuch ko pata hai kahan aur kuch ko pata hi nahi. Yahan par ek se ek unchi emaartein hain tou duniya ki sabse badi jhuggi basti bhi. 

     Kehne wale ise mayanagri kehte hain, main ise sapno ki nagri bulati hoon. Kisi ka sapna hai ek ki bajae do waqt ki roti, tou kisi ka sapna gaadi khareedna, kisi ko business jamaana hai tou kisi ko kalaakar banna hai. Ek aisa shahar jahan log bina soe bhi khuli aankhon se sapne dekhtein hain aur ye shahar bhi un sapno ko poora karne ki himmat aur mauka dono deta hai. Kuch kaamyaab ho jate hain aur kuch wapas ghar laut jaate hain.

     Tou chaliye rubaru hotein hain aise shahar se jo bina dharm jaati dekhe, har kisi ka swagat khule dil se karte aaya hai.. mere yaani Deepti Sharma ke saath.

     Main ruki hoon Juhu ke ABC hotel ke 27th floor par jiski khidki se main ek taraf juhu beach aur doosri taraf juhu slums dekh sakti hoon. Sahi kaha hai kisi ne ki ye shahar sabko apnata hai.

     It was 7 am now and I was standing there at famous Juhu beach having a glance at people of this city only to realise that inspite being so busy in their lives they are full of energy to start their day so early by doing exercises.

      I was ready to travel throughout the city in a day and the tour starts with having breakfast at juhu beach jahan subah se hi endless options aapke saamne rakh diye jaate hain aur ye silsila der raat tak chalta hai and I am going to have one of my favourite and mumbai's famous vada pav. When you are in this city, missing a chance to hog on vada pav will be a sin. Khate khate meri nazar ek bacchon ke group par padi jo bade maze se volleyball khel rahe the, wahin dusri ore kuch ladies geeli seeli ret par yoga kar rahi thin aur kuch log jogging. Subah subah yahan ka sama behad hi energetic aur encouraging lag raha tha. Khair, mera breakfast ho chuka hai aur juhu beach par morning walk lene ke baad now, its time to move towards my next spot, i.e. the famous prithvi theatre, this theatre was found by yesteryear hindi film industry superstar shashi kapoor and his wife jennifer, this theatre is still run by the same family. One can find numerous plays runing here all the time and the audience coming here to watch the plays come from every background, be it college students, tv and film actors, service class or the business doing people. Mumbai caters to anybody and everybody with one or the other thing. One thing which I had there was this place's cutting chai, the second best is irish coffee there. You can often see people sitting there after their busy hours chatting with their friends and creating the environment one would not want to leave. Oh yes, one thing more, you can't ignore the simple yet very creative interiors of the place which mostly includes the lighting pattern.

             After feeling the aura of the place, I am all set to move towards dadar aur isiliye main agayi hun railway station to board a local train upto Dadar. I can see here a group of men carrying huge amount of tiffins with them which they are boarding in train. So, these are dabbawalas who have a huge network in mumbai city. They collect the hot food in lunch boxes from the residents of the workers in the late mornings, delievers the lunchbox at the workplace utilizing the various modes of transport and returns the empty boxes back to the customers residents in the afternoon and most importantly, with huge number of fixed customers they never do any mistakes in term of late delieveries or delievering it at a wrong place.

         Travelling in a local train in mumbai which is also called the lifeline of the city makes you aware of the fact that why this city is called the 6th most busiest city in the world. Aisa lag raha hai jaise mano sab bhaag rahe hain, bheed ne hi mujhe chadaya aur bheed ne hi mujhe train se utaar bhi diya.

       Main khadi hun mumbai ke prasidh 1801 mein bane ganesh bhagwan ke mandir siddhivinayak mein jahan maangi hui kaamna ko bhagwan poora karte hain, aisa maana jaata hai. Mumbai mein ganesh utsav bot hi utsah aur zoro shoron se september-october ke mahine mein manaya jata hai. Coming back to this temple, this is one of the richest temple in mumbai. Tuesday ka din hai aur itni lambi line dekhkar lagta hai maano apne darshan karne ka mauka aaega hi nahi. Line mein lage lage main aur logon se baat karne lagi, ek foreigner pe nazar gayi jo dekhne men college student lag haha tha and acne backpack ke saath dracaena ki line mein lag that. Baat karne par pata chala ki wo Australia se India ghoomne aya hai during his college vacations. He told me that their the students are often encouraged by their parents and teachers to travel to new places, new countries without making whole in their pockets. In this way they will be able to see the difference of culture and perspective of different countries, and here he was visiting India and that too alone, yahan mostly parents ape bacon ko akele ek state se douser state men bhejne se date hain. Hair peter ne battery ki goa ghoomne ke baad ab mumbai 2 din ke liye aye hain jiske baad wo east India mein Assam ki taraf niklega.  I was little surprised when he told me that he worships lord ganesha alongwith jesus. Such is the notion of faith and diversity. Able 20 minute men hum done ne bahut baat karin, he found my profession thrilling and interesting. Isi beech human dracaena bh kite or get get maine unhe Assam men Kaziranga jaane ke liye suggest kiya as he told me that he is the adventourous one. He also asked me to visit him whenever I am in Brisbane. I bid him adieu and move towards the exit gate.

       Maine mandir ke baahar se taxi li aur badh gyi hun apne agle spot ki taraf par poore raaste main yahi sochti rahi ki hamari country mein apni thinking banane ka mauka bachhon ko dhang se kyun nahi diya jaata, kyun unpe cheezein laad di jaatin hain jiski wajah se zyadatar cases mein 25, 26 saal ke hone ke baad bachhe confused ho jaate hain ki unhe life mein aage kya karna hai.

Filhaal main pahunch chuki hun duniya ki sabse badi outdoor laundry dhobi ghat ki taraf, Yahan ki khaas baat ye hai ki yahan 5000 dhobi roz 100,000 kapde dhote hain aur har ek dhobi ek din mein 16 ghante khade rehkar kaam karta hai. Yahan hotels aur hospitals se aaye badi maatra mein kapde dhoye jaate hain. Yahan ka nazara dekhte hi banta hai, kapdon ko thapkiyon se peette hazaron dhobi aur unki thapkiyon se nikla hawa mein udhta pani, kuch saada to kuch rangeen. Koi dhobi yahin mumbai ka hai tou koi varanasi se apne parivaar se dur yahan paise kamane aya hai tou koi amritsar se. Camera dekhkar zyadadatar logon ne smile karke photos clicks karwain tou kuch sharmake apne kaam mein busy ho gaye. Alag sa rangeen sa mauhaul tha. Ek janah thoda free tha tou unhone  mujhe chai offer klari jiske baad main e aur 3 dhobiyon ne saath meinchai pee, kaafi baatein huin unse. Ek janeh ki beti ki tabiyat kaafi kharab thi jiski wajah se we pareshan the par ghar jaa nahi paa rahe the kyunki 4 hospital ke slot 2 baje tak kisi bhi haalat mein dhulkar jaane the aur pehle hi 2 logon ne aaj chhuti le li thi jiski wajah se anil apne ghar nahi jaa paa rahe the. Ek doosra 15-16 saal ka ladka jisko sab uski kabhi na khatm hone wali energy ki wajah se power house kehkar bulate hain badi maasomiyat se mere paas aaya aur mere camera ki taraf dekhte hue bola ki 'didi meri badi behen ki shadi hai, mujhe photo kheechni hain', mere phone mein achhi photo nahi aatin, aapka camera kitne ka aata hai, main loonga. Mere paas iska jawaab hote hue bhi main jawaab nahi de payi. Ek baat mujhe unse baatein karke samajh ayi ki rozmarra ki zindagi  mein hum dhobi, apne ghar pe kaam karne wale log aur aise hi sur kayi logon ke baare mein zyada sochte hi nahi ya yun kahe ki soch nahi paate par yahi wo log hote hain jinke kaam pe naa ane ka asar hum par saaf nazar aata hai par phir bhi hum inko  nazarandaaz kar dete hain. Main sirf duniya ka sabse bada dhobi ghaat dekhne gayi thi par bahut si yaadein saath lekar yahan se nikli. 

          Its 2:30 pm and I am really hungry, so here I am at the famous Leopold Cafe which caters you with its delicious multi cuisine and drinks. Interesingly this cafe was opened and owned by iranis in 1871 and it was started out as a wholesale oil selling store. The unfortunate 26/11 attacks took place here in which the cafe was extensively damaged but as the saying goes, life moves on and mumbai knows that really well, the cafe opened after 4 days of the attacks. Although, un attacks ke baad ye ek taroe ka tourist spot sa ban gaya hai, had thud der men koi ek insane you dish hi aata hai jo acorn men dusre jane ko drawn men lag galleon ke nishant ko dikha haha hota hai. 

After feeding myself, I am off to the nearby colaba market which can be termed as a daily carnival. Junk jewellery, kapde, reading stuff and delicious food joints alongwith the famous irish cafes and bakeris, you can find them all here. After shopping a bit I am going to the nearby yet another famous wholesale crufford market. 

         Shaher ke is kone mein aakar eehsaas hota hai ki ek hi shaher ke hisse hote hue bhi south mumbai west mumbai se kaafi alag hai, yahan taxi chalti hain jabki wahan auto. Yahan roads thodi chaudi hain aur hawa thandi. 

         Abhi sham ke 5 baje hain aur is market mein bheed ko dekhkar lagta hai mano sab yahin jute hain. Is mkt mein har tarah ka samaan phir chahe wo electronics ho, kitchen ka samaan ho, furniture ho, kapde, stationery ya zaroorat ka baaki samaan, yahan har cheez achhi quality aur wholesale prices mein mil jaati hai. 

    Bombay has a never die spirit which makes a special place in your heart. Likewise colaba and crufford, there are other famous mkts like linking road and lokhandwala which are famous for its stylish clothes.

     Apart from the mkts, beaches contribute a major role in the beautification of this city.

      Sham ke 7 baj chuke hain aur main hun marine drive par. You can sense a different kind of relief. Shaher mein hote hue bhi shaher se alag hai ye jagah. Thandi hawa, ek ajab si shanti aur ek sukoon jo aapko mumbai se pyaar karne par majboor kar dega. Yahan par ek cup chai peene ke baad I am on my way to gateway of india. Halanki yahan tourists din mein aana pasand karte hain par yahan raat mein aane ka apna ek alag hi ehsaas hai. Thandi hawayon ke saath saath charon taraf hue andhere mein yahan ki jalti lights gazab ki roshni phailatin hain.  Ye hawayein aur uppar se ye barish mujhe dobara ye kehne par majboor kar rahi hai ki mumbai se aapko ye sab anubhav karne ke baad pyar ho jaega. Raat ho chuki hai and its food time..yahin gateway ke paas famous cafe indigo ko aap miss nahi kar sakte, yahan ki freshly baked cookies jo mooh mein rakhte hi ghul jaati hain n then dinner makes a perfect eveining.  

Raat ke 12 baj chuke hain aur ab mujhe hotel ki aur chalna chahiye kyunki kal subah mujhe dobara ek naye safar par jo nikalna hai.

- raat ke 12 baje bhi galiyon par chahelpahel maano sham ho rahi ho, phir chahe dukane hon ya restaurants, yahan ke haste hue chehre ya yahan ka lifestyle, mumbai ki zindadili is shaher ki shan hai aur yahi sab yaadein liye mumbai ko apne dil mein basakar ja rahi hun apni agli manzil ki aur.