Apart from Juhu beach in the suburbs (more about that later), Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach. During the day, it is the hangout of the happily unemployed who snooze under the shade of its stunted trees. But in the evening the atmosphere is more like a carnival: kids screaming on Ferris wheels or taking pony rides, wayside astrologers making a quick buck, monkey shows, and even the odd self -styled gymnast who will demonstrate amazing yogic postures for a small fee. At one end is a row of bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina doused in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a flat, fried puri. You might even catch a film shoot or a street play. In short, for most tourists Chowpatty is where the action is.
Funny, when I told Charu that I wanted to see Juhu and Chowpatty beach she was looking like me if she saw water burning! Why would I want to go to that dirty beach she asked me? But it wasn't for the water that I wanted to go... I mean I know there are more beautiful beaches in India, but I wanted to see the action and the things I had read about these 2 famous beaches, not go and swim there! So one night we went to Juhu, Chowpatty I had seen already a few times by driving by during the day, and if you have seen one you have seen both!
But more about Juhu later...
Ciao, M xx
2 comments:
hey yu sure have captured mumbai beautifully in its essence!!
browsed through all your mumbai posts starting with holi!
And it is not over yet magic eye, come back for more :)
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