The Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10 day festival, celebrating the rebirth of Lord Ganesha. Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati, and his rebirth is an auspicious time in the Hindu calendar. The festival involves the immersion of Lord Ganesha idols, made from clay and plaster of Paris. These idols are painstakingly prepared before […]
Bombay was originally a cluster of islands. The seven major ones are shown on the first map below, and consisted of Mahim, Worli, Parel, Bombay, Colaba and Little Colaba. Additional islands of Mumbai included Elephanta (Gharapuri) Island, and the Middle Ground Coastal Battery, which now belongs to the Indian Navy, and is a fortified defensive […]
Last week I visited Nasik, a city about a hundred miles, and 4-5 hours by road or rail, north-east of Mumbai. I took a rickshaw from Bandra to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, where I caught the train. For part of the journey I sat in a berth beside a family who were on their way to […]