Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Part II

My trip to Mumbai did not end on Friday, and I was able to have many more adventures post-Diwali. One of the most intriguing parts of my trip was a visit to the one of the slums of Mumbai. A non-profit runs these so-called "Slumdog" tours in order to raise money to fund schools and community centers in the slums. This particular tour went through Dharavi, the biggest slum in Mumbai. The tour was eye-opening to say the least. We were not allowed to take pictures other than this one from the bridge before we entered so I will do my best to describe some of what I was suprised about in enough detail to make you visualize it:

• The slum is huge. This particular slum had close to 1M people in less than 1 square mile. I have been told that more than 50% of Mumbai's 25M people live in slums like this...a bit harrowing, but I believe it given how crowded it was.
  
• This place is a bustling hub of industry. They export something like $700M worth of goods from the slum, some of it around the world. We were able to walk through tanneries, sewing shops, and recycling plants as part of the tour. My original idea of a slum as a place where extremely poor/homeless people live was way off. Not only is this place full of businesses, but it is pretty expensive to live there. People have to pay high rents and often are not able to afford bringing their families from the villages-- they go home to visit on vacation at some point during the year.
  
• Families do live there...and sometimes live pretty well. I was originally a bit scared to go down some of these dark, twisty passages filled with people and precarious buildings. But when I looked inside the doors, I saw things reminiscent of home...including TVs with cable. So weird.

Even though it was a bit hot and a bit overwhelming at times, I am glad I did the tour. I feel like I am a much more knowledgeable person (I know, not hard, right?) and have seen parts of Mumbai that I never thought I would get a glimpse into. I recommend the tour to anyone who comes to India.To end my trip on a bit less philosophical note, below are pictures of all the food I ate post-tour (really, walking around works up an appetite for Mumbai specialties) and a nice final view of the city. See you soon Mumbai!

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Part I

Last weekend I went to Mumbai (the artist formerly known as Bombay) for Diwali. For those of you who don’t know, Mumbai is located south of Delhi on the coast, about a 2-3 hour plane ride away. I learned this a few years ago when I tried to set up two friends, one in Delhi and one in Mumbai, assuming that because they lived in the same country they lived near each other. Sundae and Josh: I guess I didn’t learn from the “California Fiasco of Freshman Year” (turns out people from SF don’t know people from SD).

On my first day in town, Ruchi and I were tourists of the first order despite the hot and humid weather (it’s like Florida there!). I took out my Lonely Plant guidebook, and we proceeded to check off places on the Colaba and on Marine Drive. We took fun pictures with the the humungous and crowded Victoria Train Terminal, the Taj hotel (where Obama would be staying two days later), the Gateway of India, and, of course, we took the prerequisite sunset picture from the posh lounge Dome at the top of the Intercontinental Hotel. We topped our day off with Diwali fireworks at the Cricket Club of India (where Ruchi's dad is a member)!

Short interlude: as some of you know, Obama has been stalking me for a while now. He flew into Mumbai two days after I did and left for Delhi on the same afternoon as me. Jeesh—if he just wanted to hang out, he could have put something on my calendar—he didn’t have to close down half the city during their most important holiday. But really: Obama’s arrival in Mumbai was slightly disastrous for my vacation plans (and Bombay residents' Diwali plans). I wasn’t able to go to the Taj for tea or Bollywood dancing at the hit night clubs in South Mumbai. “It was badly done, indeed, Obama!"

Friday was Diwali so I went to two prayer sessions, called pujas, with Ruchi’s family, one in her father’s office and one before dinner. After dinner we went to a card party, where we played 3 patti, a game similar to poker. You play these games over Diwali because the holiday is devoted to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. I must have pissed her off as I proceeded to lose 300 rupees. Please note my lovely outfit and matching hot pink nails…I was all decked out in bright colors for the holiday. To be continued….

Happy Diwali!

Yes, yes I know. I have been a bit lax in the writing. I blame Matt (the London transfer), who has been dragging me around Delhi on his final "best food in town" tour of Delhi.

This weekend I am going to Mumbai for Diwali...or rather in 2 hours. Hence the abbreviated nature of this post. I am heading to visit my friend Ruchi and celebrate Diwali. It's just like Christmas with great meals, lights, and presents. There is also a lot of firecrackers...the first time I heard the sound I ducked behind my couch and covered my head, convinced I was stuck in a gang fight. In actuality, children play with firecrackers and toy guns filled with powder in the streets. I am almost certain that 1 out of 5 children will lose an appendage on Diwali. Everyone at work says I am over-estimating it by a bit.

Below are the pictures from the office (we decorated our bay...note the Christmas tree on the table...that was my idea) and the office party. No, the swastika does not mean what you think it means. Yes: I dressed the Diwali part!