Cybernoon.com

Today, all roads lead to Chowpatty. I am aware there are other beaches also where they have immersion ceremonies, but Chowpatty is the centre of the world.
And there is only one Chowpatty, and that’s the one opposite the Wilson College, the strip of beach and road enclosed between the Mafatlal Hindu Baths and Mr. Noorani’s Zodiac Bandstand. Newcomers to Mumbai often refer to other Chowpattys in the city, the Dadar Chowpatty, and even the Juhu Chowpatty. But ever since the first bhelwallas arrived from Uttar Pradesh and put up their stalls at Chowpatty, this has been Chowpatty.
The contribution of the U.P. bhaiyas to Bombay has indeed been unique. They have given the city its two main facilities and continue to do so. They supply the milk, making them the city’s doodhwallas, and they provide the aforesaid bhel. The unique part is that they do not do this in any other part of the country, not even in their own state, they introduced the two trades in Bombay and they have retained them here.
The channawalla, once seen at every street corner in town, with his copyright basket of grams and peanuts evenly spread out in neat mounds, are another exclusive U.P. bhaiya facility. But they are an endangered species. How many of them do we see now!
But today, all roads lead to Chowpatty, like to Imperial Rome, or Times Square on New Year’s night, or the Berlin Wall on the night that it fell. One day the Wagah Border will fall similarly, though Kuldip Nayar, you and I may not be there to take the road to Wagah.
Chowpatty, as I passed by it this morning (more than Marine Drive, I am happy I drive past Chowpatty every morning), was dressed and ready for the arrival of the Gods. Stands were put up for the public to view the proceedings from, and shamianas for the Gods to have their last darbar before being ceremoniously taken out into the sea.
The beach, fortunately, is clean now, permanently clean, thanks to the only (and I stress the ‘only’) Shiv Sena minister to have done his job while in office. It glistened in the morning
sun, burnt metal, the sand smooth, gently layered by the outgoing tide.
Already there were a few people on the beach, going through the ceremonies and getting out of the way before the great sarvajanik Ganeshas arrive. A few will come from Walkeshwar and the temples on top of the Malabar Hills, but the main idols will come down the Sandhurst Bridge in their chariots. And they will be followed by entire chawls and colonies of people among whom they have stayed these past few days and to whose homes they would be bringing the blessings.
I am looking forward to seeing them this evening. One final look.
September 12, 2000

- Busybee
April 18, 1975