Ganesh Chaturthi

Coconut Vendor

Shopping Buddies

Sign of the Day in Mumbai

Ganesh Idol being taken for Immersion

Immersions of idols in the Arabian Sea

Soaked to the Bone and Happy

Farewell Drinks for Scott

Trishna: Calamari and Pomfret Hyderabad

Tandori Gobi, Crab in Butter Garlic Sauce, Shrimp in Curry Sauce, Rice

Late Night Chocolate and Cognac at the Taj

Today was our first full day in Mumbai. We had a breakfast buffet at the Taj, then went shopping. The Taj has a wonderful bookstore, a jewelry store that we always check out, a shoe store called Joy we like - so there are lots of shopping opportunities.

Tom and Scott left for a tour of Elephanta Island (an island about an hour by boat from the Taj with historic Hindu and Buddhist caves) but that didn’t pan out. The Prime Minister of Australia was coming to the Taj and for security reasons they wouldn’t allow boat trips to Elephanta island today. Security was very heavy at the hotel, and the red carpet was rolled out, streets were blocked and I watched the Prime Minister's caravan of cars arrive. The Taj is the place that all major titans of industry, movie stars and political leaders stay when they come to Bombay.

The Taj is in a class by itself. We love it. An example: we got caught in a monsoon. We were soaked to the bone. Our shoes and clothing were drenched. We arrived back at the hotel and went to our room to take a shower and clean up. We left our soaking clothes and shoes in the bathroom to hopefully dry overnight. I had an idea. I called the butler and asked if they can dry our shoes. “Of course” he said (now that I think of it, knowing how to dry shoes in a monsoon area must be quite common skill). The butler quickly came to our suite and then asked us  if he can also take all of our wet clothes and have them washed and dried. He then spontaneously asked if we would like some hot tea to warm us up. It was extraordinary service indeed. I can get used to butlers!

Once the guide explained to Tom and Scott the tour of Elephanta island was an impossibility they decided to take a city tour with the guide. They enjoyed the tour and then returned to the Taj to meet up with us. Shopping was then on the agenda for all of us, followed by high tea.

Cathy and I then decided to go to Chawpatty Beach.The beach is famous for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations when thousands of people from all over Mumbai come to immerse their idols of Lord Ganesh in the Arabian Sea. This is the reason that we had come to India in the hot summer months. Previously we had only gone to India in the cooler winter. Everyone knows Ganesh, the God who is the remover of obstacles. He is India’s favorite God. He is portrayed as the elephant god, with the head of an elephant on a human body. For some reason, which I will never understand only in Maharashtra State (the state where Bombay is located) they have a yearly festival that honors Lord Ganesh. The celebration is big, huge, the entire city of Bombay comes to a standstill for 10 days. We have seen many Bollywood movies that use this festival as a backdrop. We always wanted to see these immersions.

People build or buy idols of Lord Ganesh, they then proceed to take these idols to the sea and immerse them in the water. They march their idols, proudly carrying them, singing, dancing, playing drums, setting off fireworks, and generally having a hell of a good time. In addition the festival is always during monsoon season, so everyone gets soaked from the rains. How could one resist going to such a festival? I am writing this at 12:30am and I can hear drums and crowds and fireworks outside of the Taj. It doesn’t stop.

We grabbed a cab to take to Chawpatty Beach, one of the immersion sites and proceeded to walk to the water. It was a joyous sight for us watching the people bring their idols to toss into the sea.

Here is a short movie clip of the immersions.

Most of the people carried their idols out to sea. Bigger idols were loaded on a raft that took them out to sea to get dumped.

Here they are loading the raft.

All of a sudden out of nowhere the Monsoon turned on – full blast. Our umbrella was useless in the deluge. Some people took shelter, others just continued in the warm rain. We laughed, remembered walking in the summer rains as children, and were totally happy to be drenched to the bone. We wanted to experience the immersions of Ganesh Chaturthi – our wish was fulfilled. We loved it and plan to do again on this trip.

We grabbed a cab to return to the hotel the driver didn’t mind 2 soaking wet people getting in the back seat and returned to the Taj.

Here is a short clip from our cab ride to the Taj where you can hear the music and watch people load an idol on the back of a truck to take to sea.

After cleaning up, it was cocktail time. Tom and Scott came to our suite and we drank 2 bottles of wine. We then said a sad goodbye to Scott who had to leave Bombay for his mother's Birthday in Taiwan.

Tom joined Cathy and me for a dinner at our favorite restaurant: Trishna, where we ordered all of our favorite dishes, Crab, Shrimp, Gobi, Dal, Pomfret, Calamari. Another bottle of wine was consumed. It was then a cab ride back to the Taj, for Cognac and Chocolates, then to bed. What a day!