India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [103]
There were still hundreds of people streaming onto Chowpatty Beach for the finale on Monday, when idols of Ganpati are immersed in the sea. I had expected to see the shore where it normally is, but today it extended another quarter-mile—thousands of people were already in the water! Trucks with 6m-high (20-ft.) Ganesh idols lined up on the sand, awaiting their turn alongside families wanting to drop their small, lap-sized idols into the sea. Engulfed by teeming masses and deafened by the sound of singing devotees and driving drumbeats, Vanessa and I locked hands so that we wouldn’t lose each other. As we navigated the crowds, one of the large Ganesh idols rocked forward off its flatbed, prompting a small stampede as people standing nearby tried to escape. Luckily, the men holding the ropes managed to steady and pull the giant idol upright. Hundreds of volunteers and security officials worked to maintain order, many thankfully eager to help two conspicuously foreign women—one official even held an entire line of men at bay. As he ushered us to a less crowded space, a giant Ganesh adorned with plastic grass and flowers passed en route to the shore. The security guard watched the two of us admiring the decorations and asked, “Would you like to touch God?” “Sure!” I exclaimed. As I reached over to touch Ganesh’s feet, I wondered why every Monday couldn’t include an intimate moment with the divine.
—Megan Neumeister, Indophile
Prince of Wales Museum Renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, but thankfully also known just as “museum,” this is Mumbai’s top museum and arguably the best in India, providing an extensive and accessible introduction to Indian history and culture. The Indo-Saracenic building itself is lovely, but it is the collection that is outstanding, not least because it is well laid out (unlike the collections of most museums throughout the subcontinent) and aided by a useful audioguide highlighting “Curator’s Choice” exhibits. The central hall features a “précis” of the collection, but don’t stop there—from sculptures of Hindu deities to beautiful temple art, Buddhist thangkas from Nepal and Tibet to gruesome Maratha weaponry, there is much to see. Highlights are found on the first floor: Among them, the spectacular collection of more than 2,000 miniature paintings representing India’s various schools of art (look for the portrait of Shah Jahan, creator of the Taj Mahal), and the exhibit relating to the Indus Valley Civilization (which is remarkably civilized considering that it dates from 3500 B.C.). Least impressive is the natural history section with its collection of stuffed animals.
Note: Art lovers may wish to include a visit to Jehangir Art Gallery ( 022/2284-3989), located a little farther along M. Gandhi Road, and open daily from 11am to 7pm, free of charge. You can probably give the main exhibition halls on the ground floor a miss—the exhibits there are fairly mediocre. Instead, head upstairs to Gallery Chemould ( 022/2284-4356; Mon–Sat 11am–6pm), a tiny, history-filled gallery that often features some of India’s best contemporary artists. For reviews of current art exhibitions, consult Time Out Mumbai or “The Hot List,” the entertainment supplement in the local rag Mid Day.
159/160 Mahatma Gandhi Rd., Fort. 022/2284-4519.www.bombaymuseum.org. powm@vsnl.com. Rs 300 including audioguide. Tues–Sun 10:15am–6pm.
My Bombay/Mumbai
All of Mumbai’s contrasts and paradoxes are characterized for me on a trip to the Banganga Tank at Walkeshwar. There’s a ring of old temples, and right by them are the homes of people whose families have served as priests for these temples for generations. Residents still perform priestly rituals early in the morning, go off to their computer jobs, returning in the evening to be priests once again. Standing on the steps of the Banganga Tank, I look up and see skyscrapers that represent some of the most expensive real estate in the world, and alongside them, shanties. For me, this encapsulates the Bombay story.
I also like to walk around The Oval (maidan, in downtown