Childhood reminisce........

(New born calf)

I walked through the known lanes again... this time I am visiting my maternal village after a gap of seven years... a grand welcome by all happy known faces... Itne dino baad!! each commenting me and my looks...
It was not me who have changes... lots and lots have changed here too... the concrete jungle have started coming up places here and there.... I still hold the images of mud houses in my mind... hardly could find here... but I am glad to know that these people have open their arms to prosperity, comfort and luxury....

I held my camera out to find few images that my mind reminisces... those houses, cattles and the green fields.... I found few but the green fields were barren, presently being ploughed.... the rains has just dropped in... the air smell so fresh...

(Village girl filling water at borewell & happily posing for the camera)

Children running around... running at the back of our jeep... trying to catch it....

(The bulluck-cart kept in fornt of a village house)

Everywhere its a makeover time... the rains have given an alarming bell... the roof tiles (kavelu)are being replaced... the hay is being stocked up for the cattle feed....

(Man preparing his house roof for rains)

My uncles have a huge house, just like a square with a big angan at the center. As a kid on summer vacation, when my mother used to bring all our siblings we used to sleep here in open. The rows of beds would be laid, it was giggling and masti till late night. The cover over a head twinkling so beautifully, big & small... the moon light was so good that you could spot the calmness of beautiful faces sleeping around....

This time there was no evidence of all my childhood reminisces... the Aagan was not cleaned, bushes grown here & there. I asked why maintaince is not being done... and the reply was not shocking... as practical as it could be... who stays here...some have moved to cities for schooling and others for job...

I felt bad but understood.... as I too was not here after all these long years just to have fun filled vacation... my trip was much more commercial than personal.... I was making trip to register office for land purchase deal... also had preplanned each and every minute of my days stay here. My every minute seemed so precious today....

I recollected that earlier it was not like this... I had plenty of time... for every thing... where am I lost... this time I was not in haste to visit our Baag (mango farm) and the Baag ki nadi (river near farm)... it was a must trip for everyone in those childhood times... our lunches used to be of all kind of friuts in Baag then... the stomach would make watery sound with all fruit juices inside, when we used to run back home...

I lost something?? I wondered.... but then I realised when all are leaving.. I am coming back here... If not my presence atleast there is something related to me... they all will remember me in some way or the other.... the houses, the lanes, the Baag and the Baag ki nadi....

I hope !!

Photos taken on 11/12th June 2008, Village Murmunda.

Places worth visiting near village Murmunda: Bamleshwary Temple, Dongargarh, CH, India

Sailing in Arabian Sea

The GATEWAY OF INDIA, Mumbai, India
My wish... (my yacht....) :-)
The Dockyard
The Taj Mahal Palace and Hotel, Mumbai

sagar kinare sang tumhare
chal diye maujoun sahare

kashti dole tu mujhe chede
mai liptoun hawa thithore
kahe na samjhe aao suniye
aa leja mujhe ab kahe tarse
teri kasam sagar se
gherrah pyar mera
tu kion na jaane
pagli kahe duniya mohe saare

sagar kinare sang tumhare
chal diye maujon sahare

dur koi desh tumhare
kion kashti tez na jawe
dushman bane majhi chahe
mai sang sagar tumhare galiyare
desh pani laage khaare khaare
aa laut chalen sahej hamare
meet tum saath kahan re
teri aas ab na rulaye

sagar kinare sang tumhare
chal diye maujon sahare

(c) kagaz ki kashti

Photos clicked on 9th Feb 2008

Haji Ali Dargah... a place of peace and beauty!

Being born to a Geologist, love for traveling & adventure is in my blood. Today I am beginning a new series of “My Visits” that would give my traveling and adventure experiences felt & encountered visiting many cities & historic places. Hope this series is enjoyable the same as I experienced visiting them & helpful for others who would like to visit them in future. Beginning with a pious place called “Haji Ali Dargah”.
Though this is not my first visit to this place, but recently on 24th Aug 2007 I was here. This day being special for me, I went along with my loving family.
History of the Dargah:
A landmark on the Mumbai skyline is a whitewashed dargah standing tall inside the Arabian Sea, a tomb of a Muslim saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari {R.A}. Thousands of pilgrims, rich or the poor visit each day from Mumbai and beyond to the door of benediction for the fulfillment of their desires and wishes, which the devout claim, do come true. Many are attracted here by the beauty of this site too. And I was here for both the reasons!
Islam means Peace. Spreading the ethical and spiritual values of Islam was done by the Walis of Allah (saints) and Pir Haji Ali Shah was one of them. He was a wealthy merchant who renounced all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. His humanistic approach and piety won the hearts of lacs of people. He served, loved and lived with them in the realization of Eternal Truth. Unfortunately he died on his way to Mecca. Before his death he advised his followers that they should not burry him at any graveyard but should drop his casket into the sea to be buried by the people where and when it would be found. The casket surfaced intact at the spot where the shrine is today, 500 yards into the sea from the shore. A Dargah was then built by Haji Usman Rangikar, the man who owned the ship that took pilgrims to Mecca.
Dargah can only be reached at low tide, when the causeway that leads to the shrine is above water. The causeway with the sea on both sides is one of the highlights of the trip to this shrine. During high tide, the connecting causeway is submerged in water giving the impression that the dargah is floating on sea.
Before entering the Dargah we bought “elachi dana’, flowers for making a ‘Fateha’ and dua here. These offering can be bought from any shops at the causeway. A short flight of marble steps leads into the dargah, I captured a Sadhu sitting on these steps in a solitary mood. People from all faiths were seen surrounding me and I smiled happily. Behind the huge marble doorway lies the tomb enclosed in a white structure lying in an exquisite silver frame supported by marble pillars. The dome inside is covered in colorful glass arranged in a kaleidoscopic pattern, of Allah’s 99 names. The top of the tomb was covered with zari cloth and flowers.
Inside the Haji Ali dargah compound, I noticed the side structure was covered in the brocade red and green chaddar offered at the dargah by the devotees. A donation box is also seen for charity purpose, managed by the Dargah Trust committee. I was in the ladies room like in all mosques/dargah a separate room is provided for females to offer prayers. Beautiful view of inside can be seen from here too as seen in this photograph.
The white dome and the solitary minaret of the mosque behind the dargah stand out on the west shoreline of Mumbai. The Masjid is picturesque with a vast courtyard & refreshment stalls. The appetite grows with crunchy, flavored masala smelled all over in the courtyard. The Keema samosas are best here. We watched the qawaals sing a “josh” devotional qawaali at the platform while enjoying these Keema samosas. This musical evening was mystic.
The rocks exposed at low tide behind the Masjid are a favorite spot if you are interested in catching sea breezes. We enjoyed splashing in sea here too.
While returning I noticed the walkway is lined with pitiful wailing beggars. Any man would feel for these beggars. A part of my first salary was distributed to these beggars on my first visit here.
There are two building called Mashriqui and Maghribi manzil for resident who come visiting from far off lands for a stay. It is learnt from a reliable source that the Dargah and the Mosque will be reconstructed, remodeled and renovated again by the Trustees out of the Trust fund starting this auspicious day of Eid-ul-Fitr that is on 13th Oct 2007.


Photos taken on 24th Aug 2007
Location: Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai, India. 10 kms from Mumbai International /Domestic Airport. Its also a walking distance from Mahalakshmi Railway Station. Buses route to Haji Ali from every corner of Mumbai. Please do not take your own car as there is no parking space.
Best Time to Visit: Thursday & Friday evenings.