As a child, my family and I visited Mumbai during the May vacation. A must during our visit was a trip in the iconic BEST double decker bus, route 123, upto the museum at Kaalaa Ghodaa. Then we would walk upto Regal theatre and continue on a shopping spree along the footpath stalls upto our favourite Kailash Parbat sindhi snack restaurant.
Unfortunately, the double decker 123 has been discontinued now. But the charm of sauntering along the causeway remains the same. The pavement stalls begin from Cafe Mondegar, next door to the Regal theatre. Sometimes, when I feel lost and lonesome, I walk along these crowded pavements and lose my self pity along the way. It is true that shopping is therapy for the lonely.
There is such a variety of goods to choose from. I cannot use the term 'window shopping' because most of the stalls have no windows at all. The wares are openly displayed. Earrings and bangles, broaches and payals, necklaces and bracelets and bindis, all shimmering and colourful and attractive. Then come the scarves and the Indian salvars, the western tops and the long skirts and pyjamas with Indian prints and mottos. Foreign tourists and Indian women too are seen bargaining and buying. Interspersed are the stalls selling glares and bags and chappals and shoes, all supposedly at 'cheap' rates, compared to the pucca shops that are present along the pavement on the other side.
My favourite window shopping stall is the one that displays crystal rocks. I slow down here, so that I can feast my eyes on the beautiful shimmering rock crystals that adorn this stall. The interesting stalls are also of the ship-ware surplus objects, like brass clocks, horns, telescopes, bells and items that have been salvaged during the dismantling of ships. Some stalls can carve your initials and make made-to-order key chains, with metal and wooden bases, in a few minutes. Ethnic Indian filigiree articles like jewellery boxes, vases, hookahs and wall hangings are also available. There are fruit stalls and fresh coconut water stalls, and the one Indian dancing dolls hawker. I recall, how as teenagers, we would always stop and watch in wonder at the two little plastic dolls that danced away without any battery or winding mechanism. I shall buy one set on my next visit to Colaba. The seller sits on one side and manipulates the dolls with thin strings which are almost invisible, and it seems as if the plastic dolls are alive.
These pavement stalls are only on the left side of the road. When we reach the end of the stalls, we always cross over to our favourite sev puri shop, Kailash Parbat.
There are many more interesting shops along the path. Top brand shoe shops, watch shops, clothing shops, luggage shops, and of course the restaurants like Cafe Leopold, which became famous during the 2008 Mumbai attacks by the Pakistani terrorists. And further along is the colaba market, and then come Sasoon Docks, where From 4 am every morning, the fresh catch of the day is auctioned off to hoteliers. Near the Colaba bus depot, is the Scenic Port Trust Garden, built along the shore, from which vantage point, we can view the iconic Tata bungalow. And of course, the 123 bus route continues into Navy Nagar, a stronghold for the Navy residencies, and the Afghan Church landmark. This is also the spot where Parsee weddings of the richest of the rich are celebrated at the Colaba Agiary.
So, whenever we visited Mumbai as children, we would attend weddings and navjotes at the Colaba agiary too.
Sauntering along the causeway always stirs memories of my childhood and that is one of the reasons that makes the walk memorable everytime.
Unfortunately, the double decker 123 has been discontinued now. But the charm of sauntering along the causeway remains the same. The pavement stalls begin from Cafe Mondegar, next door to the Regal theatre. Sometimes, when I feel lost and lonesome, I walk along these crowded pavements and lose my self pity along the way. It is true that shopping is therapy for the lonely.
There is such a variety of goods to choose from. I cannot use the term 'window shopping' because most of the stalls have no windows at all. The wares are openly displayed. Earrings and bangles, broaches and payals, necklaces and bracelets and bindis, all shimmering and colourful and attractive. Then come the scarves and the Indian salvars, the western tops and the long skirts and pyjamas with Indian prints and mottos. Foreign tourists and Indian women too are seen bargaining and buying. Interspersed are the stalls selling glares and bags and chappals and shoes, all supposedly at 'cheap' rates, compared to the pucca shops that are present along the pavement on the other side.
My favourite window shopping stall is the one that displays crystal rocks. I slow down here, so that I can feast my eyes on the beautiful shimmering rock crystals that adorn this stall. The interesting stalls are also of the ship-ware surplus objects, like brass clocks, horns, telescopes, bells and items that have been salvaged during the dismantling of ships. Some stalls can carve your initials and make made-to-order key chains, with metal and wooden bases, in a few minutes. Ethnic Indian filigiree articles like jewellery boxes, vases, hookahs and wall hangings are also available. There are fruit stalls and fresh coconut water stalls, and the one Indian dancing dolls hawker. I recall, how as teenagers, we would always stop and watch in wonder at the two little plastic dolls that danced away without any battery or winding mechanism. I shall buy one set on my next visit to Colaba. The seller sits on one side and manipulates the dolls with thin strings which are almost invisible, and it seems as if the plastic dolls are alive.
These pavement stalls are only on the left side of the road. When we reach the end of the stalls, we always cross over to our favourite sev puri shop, Kailash Parbat.
There are many more interesting shops along the path. Top brand shoe shops, watch shops, clothing shops, luggage shops, and of course the restaurants like Cafe Leopold, which became famous during the 2008 Mumbai attacks by the Pakistani terrorists. And further along is the colaba market, and then come Sasoon Docks, where From 4 am every morning, the fresh catch of the day is auctioned off to hoteliers. Near the Colaba bus depot, is the Scenic Port Trust Garden, built along the shore, from which vantage point, we can view the iconic Tata bungalow. And of course, the 123 bus route continues into Navy Nagar, a stronghold for the Navy residencies, and the Afghan Church landmark. This is also the spot where Parsee weddings of the richest of the rich are celebrated at the Colaba Agiary.
So, whenever we visited Mumbai as children, we would attend weddings and navjotes at the Colaba agiary too.
Sauntering along the causeway always stirs memories of my childhood and that is one of the reasons that makes the walk memorable everytime.
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