Gate of India, Taj Mahal Hotel, and Me
This is a job that leaves me to a different feeling about India. This time, after the excellent Singapore Airlines brought me to Mumbai airport, without any hassle, the pick up guy swayed my name in the whiteboard and brought me to the old antique hotel which has an old lift like in the old movies in the downtown of Mumbai. The area, called Ballard Estate, is an old British buliding estate near the Port where most Government offices are and places of interests are just 5 to 10 minutes walks or by a yellow black Mumbai cab.
Victoria Train Terminus
Of course, Mumbai would be boring if I stay still in the comfort zone. I rejected most the offers from the company and started to have an adventure – to feel the real of India. After the office hours, I walked to Victoria (Shivaji) Terminus, and feel the dense of the millions crowds who started to leave the downtown for their home in the suburb. I stood silently between all those moving people and feel the smell of India, listening a lady voice I have missed for 4,5 years from the loudspeakers who directed which train goes to where. For a moment, I was imagining in which platfrom when Freida Pinto was dragged back to the underground Don in the movie of Slumdog Millionairre and in which platfrom they danced in the end of the movie.
Taj mahal Hotel and the Mumbai Sky
Another after office hour, I took an old fiat yellow black cab which has a funny fare sistem with a full of incense smell and flowers to Colaba where the Gate of India and The very beautiful Taj Mahal Hotel are ( if you remember, a year ago, the gunshot was frightening the hotel guests here and killed some). I Walked along the bank of the beach, felt the breeze of the wind, shopped along Colaba Causeway, which surprisingly, almost all the goods here is cheaper than Jakarta – well only if we know how to bargain of course. And after my feet was sore, I sat down on one of Indian restaurant where the old owner asked where I am coming from. He said to me proudly ” Indonesia? Indonesia is Truly Asia…”. I then smiled bitterly and replied, ” you are wrong sir, it should be Malaysia, but thanks…”
Hotel Grand Bombay, an old hotel I stayed...
But the most highlight of my journey here is when I visited Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, an Indian washing system center, where hundreds half naked men in hundreds washing cubicles, were punching trousers, clothes, sheets, or whatever things that were asked to them to be washed. this Dobhi Ghat is half way to the slums, but still, watching this scene make my breath stopped. Life is not fair to some certain people indeed. Silently, I hope they still can enjoy life in their way, someway, somehow.
Carpe Diem!
Ahmad Zae
