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| At the Mumbai Cyclothon in 2010. |
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| Outside the "Taj Mahal Hotel" at Gateway of India. Prabhadevi to Colaba and back.(Marathon Cycling Years) |
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| At historic "FORT JESUS(Built 1591)" in Mombasa in 1967:- Classic photo by dad Louis.J.Furtado. |
I was born in Mombasa(Kenya) on 11/3/60,a Piscean sharing star signs with such famous and infamous personalities as Albert Einstein and Osama Bin Laden,both creators of “ATOMIC BOMBS” of different types in different era’s for different causes.I share my Birthday with Billionaire media tycoon and the World's most powerful Media conglomerate owner Mr Keith Rupert Murdoch who was born on Wednesday(11/3/1931) and proves a few Pisceans have a flair and talent for the media. Also surprised that in the creative and arts field of " Sex" shared star signs with Mr Ron.Jeremy, better known as the World's most prolific male pornographic film star, a "Guiness book record holder" having acted in 1750 Adult films upto April-2012 !A mind boggling lineage of " PISCEAN " famous and infamous personalities. After my birth in Mombasa we did come occasionally to Bombay for holidays travelling by the passenger ship "S.S.Karanja" and hence seems i was destined from birth for a career at sea and in the "Shipping Industry"."S.S.Karanja" was built in 1948 and served the "B.I.S.N" company on the East Africa-India passenger service until 1976 when she was sold to "S.C.I(Shipping Corporation of India)" who changed her name to "Nancowry" and used her as a coastal passenger ship until 1988.In 1988 she was sent to the ship graving yard at "Darukhana" in Bombay and so ended the illustrious passenger sea service of 40 long years of "S.S.Karanja" renamed "Nancowry".Our last voyage to India together as a family was on Saturday(23-3-1968) when we set sail on the historic passenger ship "S.S.Karaja" bound for India.
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| Dad's first " C.D.C( Continuous Discharge Certificate) document issued in 1952 in Bombay.This is the most important travel document for Seamen employed on ships akin to a passport for normal traveller's. |
As a kid I was considered a smart,intelligent “Bonny Baby kid” the likes of seen in today's “Child advertisements”.
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| My parents, Louis.John.Furtado and Greta.Nathalia.Gonsalves on their wedding day in Mangalore in 1957. |
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| Bonny baby Rudolph , model of a healthy or a fat baby boy ? |
As a kid of 4 or 5 years I remember being taught the basics of education at “Almeida nursery school” and later joined “Sacred heart school” near Killindini road(Mombasa) finally migrating to "Christ Church school" in Mumbai in 1968.
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| On my tricycle in "Meherle Devji Bldg". |
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| A Studio photo in Mombasa. |
We were all Asians of Indian origin living in “Meherle Devji building” near station road ,a spacious 2 bed-room hall kitchen flat paying a pricey Shillings 190 /month rent where such rents were only prevalent in posh areas like Colaba and Marine Lines in Mumbai of 1960's.Our house postal address was "P.O.Box 7315 , Station Road, Mombasa."As a kid remember being “Bullied” by fellow kids and was active in collecting “Tadpoles” and “ Hedgehogs” from the wild,the beginnings of my eternal love with nature and wild-life. Bizarrely, akin to our residence in "Vaibhav Apts" at Old Prabhadevi road in Mumbai, there was also a "Shamba(Swahili for farm ) " just below "Mehrle Devji Bldg" in Mombasa owned by a "Gujarati Indian", complete with a Gandhi cap attire .Mum would send me occasionally to purchase fresh vegetables from his "Shamba" most notably "Bhaji(Raddish)". Strange, i still remember these childhood memories whereas at times i forget events of just a few years or even days.Wonder the psychiatrists opinions on my memory bank! In 1988, on my visit to "Meherle Devji Bldg" i was saddened to see that the "Shamba(Fields in Swahili)" had become a discarded vehicles dumping ground although "Meherle devji Bldg" was still standing,but, none of the greenery surrounding the building existing, The hedgehogs of my childhood could have been extinct in this locality in 1988.We almost always had a hedgehog in our house in Mombasa, as they fed on cockroaches and insects, performing the role of natural pest controllers,caught by me and my friends from the "shamba'.
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| "MUSIC" was always in my "BLOOD" from birth. |
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| In my Bedroom in front of the "Dressing Table". |
The most tragic memory was the time my pet Siamese cat “Ferdie” got lost after walking out of the door and was beaten to death by some hoodlums.
“Bingo” a black coloured standard dachshund, my neighbour Coutinho’s dog was another source of companionship hence my interaction with pets since a toddler.
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| My parents on the steps of "Holy Ghost Cathedral" in Mombasa on my "FIRST HOLY COMMUNION". |
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| "FIRST HOLY COMMUNION" Family Photo.Mrs Coutinho next to Mum. |
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| "SMITH MCKENZIE & Co("Mombasa)". A group photo of my dad and his colleagues , all dock cargo staff with their British boss Mr Michael.Chetham.(Centre) filmed sometime in 1960's In Photo:- Seated(L to R) Mr Fernando, Mr H.Contractor, Mr M.Chetham, Mr Ranga, Mr L.Furtado(Standing L to R) Mr Fonseca, Mr Madhavan, Mr P.D'souza. |
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| Sunday(26-1-2014) :- With dwarf joker Mr Atul at the "Worli Festival-2014" in Mumbai. A LIFE-LONG PASSION FOR THE CIRCUSES . |
Those were the hey days of "CIRCUS" as a popular entertainment and the "Royal Circus" left life-long memories.In Bombay and later Mumbai i never missed circuses and although it gradually deteriorated over the years i made it a point to patronize circuses whenever they set up tent in the city.This could be one reason for Hindi film "Mera Naam Joker" by Raj.Kapoor being one of my favourite all-time classic films.
Read a vintage historical tourist book ,“Wildlife and Safari In Kenya” devised by John Pearson with excerpts from several topical writers relevant upto 1967, the years we were in Kenya. The writer’s are absolutely authentic in their portrayal of Kenya, its culture and life during that period. The book has a lot of “Advertisements” being a “Tourist Guide” and one was on ‘Nyali Estate, 3 mins from Mombasa” and my visit to “Nyali Beach hotel’ in the 1960’s with the Coutinho’s is very vivid in memory even in 2008. In later years as a grown up individual I had the privilege of visiting Mombasa in 1988 by means of sailing to the port on the ship “Vishva Nandini” as “3rd Eng” and it was an “Unforgettable trip” for various reasons. Saurav Ganguly(2nd /Off S.C.I) , no relation to later years Indian Cricket Captain Saurav Ganguly and myself(3rd Eng)did visit “Bamburi Beach” , one of the scenic beaches in Mombasa described in tourist brochures. I was the guide and Saurav and myself had some of the most memorable and hilarious times of a "BACHELOR LIFE" on this ships port visits, myself nostalgic of visiting my birthplace.
I personally visited “Mehrle Devji Bldg” at Station road,next walking over to Mr Joseph. Castelino’s hotel, a few minutes walk away from "Mehrle-Devji Building". Late Mr Joseph.Castellino owned the "Castelino Hotel", a popular hotel/ boarding house for sea-farers and low budget travellers during the 1960's.Later we both went to the "Holy Ghost Cathedral" where i received my "First Holy Communion" and co-incidentally Mr Joseph.Castellino posed as Jesus in the "Communion Photo", a common "Photograph Memoir" of religious importance amongst Catholics. Met Miss Nellie.Picardo and my principal of 1967 Mr Salus whom I recognized and he didn’t since I had the “Sadhu Beard” and “rock hairstyle”, a principals definition of “BAD BOY”, besides ,I was a ordinary face in the student crowd of Sacred Heart High School(Mombasa).Bizarrely,"Sacred High School" at Worli In Mumbai is our parish church, strange co-incidence in different continents and different countries. Would Rev P.B.Amolik, English teacher Miss F.Gonsalves or Maths teacher Mr Athaide recognize me if I met them in Christ Church School in 2008? Mr Joseph.Castelino as also Aunty Nellie Picardo seemed frozen in “Time” with very little physical changes of aging, although i last saw them at the age of 8 in 1968! Uncle Castelino, cracked jokes as usual, a very prominent citizen of Mombasa and well respected amongst the local Kenyans for his “Social work” for the "St Vincent De'Paul Society"and his personal“Wealth”.Akin to most Goan Asians, his children had migrated to "First World Country's" like England and Canada and he was living alone in Mombasa. He took me to the local "St Francis Xaviers Goan Tailor society club", dad's regular "adda" and we had a beer.The "Goan Tailor society club" was founded by mostly Goan tailors of Mombasa in 1905,hence the name in tribute to these pioneering Indians, today, a desolate place with most Indian origin working-class Goan Keyans having migrated or getting locally extinct. Mr J.Castellino is one of the rare Goan catholic Asians in Mombasa and sadly he passed of a few years later.We also visited the church where I met Mr Salus ,my principal at “Sacred Heart School” in the 1960’s.
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| My last Birthday celebrations in Mombasa on Monday(11-3-1968) before our permanent departure to India.Barring Cyrus(head down), all my childhood friends migrated to England.We sailed from Mombasa on Saturday(23-3-1968) on "S.S.Karanja" and reached Bombay(Mumbai) on Thursday( 4-4-1968).A total journey of 12 days and fun and entertainment at sea. |
They were a few of the last Asians residing in Mombasa as the “Economic” as well as “Employment” situations changed drastically for Asians (Brownies) after Independence in 1961 from British rule though not as bad as Uganda during Idi Amin’s rule.
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| At "NAYALI BEACH " in Mombasa. with Coutinho's. |
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| Partying with the "Coutinho Family" in Mombasa. |
I myself have carved my own identity since migrating to India in 1968.Learnt Hindi ,Marathi, Konkani, Kannada, Gujrathi beside’s mingling with India’s multi-cultural and multi-religious societies and the Country, becoming more Indian then the average locally born Indian! Thanks to my "Shipping Profession”, from an “Indian citizen” have managed to become a “globe-trotter" .
I didn’t know that Kenya had a very multi-cultural tribal population amongst its own negro population, different in customs and traditions until the recent civil unrest on election results in 2007,which resulted in a local genocide.The same local cultural differences in Kenya society has been mentioned in the 1967 travelogue book “Wildlife and camp Safari in Kenya”. Ultimately, literature and history are never outdated with the passage of time and we in India have had our own "Communal wars", in spite of all Indians being Asian to the average Caucasian Britishers who ruled the Country prior to Independence!
Wild-life and culture , although the book is outdated but still relevant as the events that later unfolded have proved.Later, in 2011, i read the autobiographical book of U.S President Barack.Obama titled "Dreams from my father",published in 1995, much before Mr Barack.Obama ever dreamed of becoming America's first black president.Ironically, the president and myself are of the same age-group and since this book was written before his Presidency, it has a total honest and unbiased account of Kenyan local negro culture as well as local prejudices.
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| "VAIBHAV APARTMENTS" in Mumbai has one of the best private garden including 3 coconut trees in its compound.Coconuts being plucked from one of the trees, a source of income to the building society.(Sunday 16-12-2012) |
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| Childhood friends and Parents friends migrated to England. |
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| "Deboo Family"neighbours,migrated to India |
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| Neighbour Shabbir & Myself. |
Now , my tendency for investing in "Gujarati and Parsi based companies" can be reasoned, since, although a christian, i did have an absolutely "COSMOPOLITAN CHILDHOOD" right from birth.Wonder about the whereabouts of Bersis,Cyrus,Shabbir,Munna,Shiraz,Parmar,Bobby,Raghu,Teddy and a host of other childhood friends of Mombasa era. I vividly remember the death of one of my classmates Elizabeth in Mombasa and it was the first time that i ever visited a funeral house and even then did not understand the meaning of "Death" at a tender age of 5 to 7 years of age. Elizabeth , an intelligent child was one of my "Girlfriends" in the innocent sense, a playmate and classmate in "Sacred Heart High School,Mombasa".
I can still recollect seeing Raj Kumar(film Kajal) in person at the “Drive-In- Theatre” in Mombasa in the 1960’s a big hit amongst Indian fans in Mombasa.
Recollect visiting Malindi, a sea-side port town near Mombasa and also trying to get home a rabbit from Malindi.
On the whole,my child-hood recollection of life in Mombasa was pleasant, parents were happy and I was pampered, a cute and only child.
Today in 2009 I have become an orphan at the grand old age of 49, besides losing friends and acquaintances to death, a normal phase in human evolution. Being single and an only child, the loss of both my parents has been a deep psychological scar .
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Dad towards the last 2 to 3 years of his life became a bit mentally unstable and took a deep hatred towards me, reasons being best known to him since he was personally well cared and unlike the 21st century trend didn't spend his last days in an “Old-Age Home”.
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| Dad , Louis.J.Furtado at home in Mumbai in the 1980's.(I have converted the photo into digital format). |
As a kid in Mombasa dad was an excellent father and I can never recollect him beating me, also never refused me any toys or favourite eatables and i still recollect waiting for his " Mutton Samosa's" which he purchased while returning from "Kilindini harbour" after his duty. Waiting for dad;s "samosa's" was an anticipation during my childhood in Mombasa as also the occasional visit to "Bella Vista Hotel" in downtown Mombasa, our occasional family outings. After migration to India he always purchased me fancy luxury items like an air-gun(0.177 bore), Adidas running track shoes(a real luxury in 1975), suit materials(All my suits which i still wear in 2009 are "Foreign make" purchased by Dad), musical systems(Luxuries in socialist India up-to 1990’s) and a collection of audio cassettes before the invention of Cd’s.Recently, i realized that Dad had a strange fascination for "Pens" and mum had hoarded quite a collection of some luxury as well as some common fountain pens.The tragedy of mum was that she refused to utilize any "Luxury or Foreign" item and hoarded it away, even disallowing me from using the same, something which would be good "Psychological Debate". I never used any of these "Foreign Pens" purchased by Dad although they were in mum's custody since my childhood! I used the cheapest of "Fountain Pens" in school as well as college and only discovered these hidden treasure of pens after mum's demise, since i never ever checked my mum's cupboard or her personal belongings during her lifetime.
Mum was a strict disciplinarian although excessive and recollections of being beaten for faring poorly in study’s are numerous as also her miserly pocket money distribution, the “Princely Rs 2/day” as pocket money in college in 1977-78!Agreed, Rs 2 pocket money allowed me to see matinee movies since I saved on bus fare as “Kirti College” was walking distance from home, but never in "dating girls" the trend of the 21st century. Mumbai in the 1970’s was a different era as unrecognizable as the Mumbai of 2009 where “Doordarshan television” and a few serials like "Hum Log" and "Buniyad" along with television show host"Tabassum" and "Sabira.Merchant" were household names of entertainment. “Matka” and Rattan Khatri were infamous "Middle-class" illegal vices."Carrom Adda's" a local gully pastime. Haji Mastan a dreaded “Non-murdering gangster” whose assassination attempt on his duplicitous business partner Yusuf.Patel was a talk of the town gossip in Bombay now Mumbai ! Outdoor sports as also indoor sports like “table tennis” and not “Video game malls” were the “elite pastimes” of the youth in Bombay(Mumbai). Girls fell more for a “sportsperson” than the “Bank-balance” or family connections of a boyfriend initially, complications arising later, In other words, it was an era of innocence in vices, passion and crimes! But then, doesn't every generation think that they were smarter or better than the previous generation! Ultimately, its how you live and accept your personal life that counts and never comparisons with different generations or "Income Brackets".
Post 1990’s and the “India economic liberalization era”, gangster murders and police encounters have become common gossip. “Matka” and Rattan Khatri are almost defunct akin to Mumbai’s “ Cotton Textile Mill Industry” where “Illegal Cricket Betting” is the “New Matka!”. Sophisticated bombs have replaced knives in “Underworld rivalry” and “Premarital Sex” as casual as college dating among the urban youth.
I am also proud to state that our family were pioneers in introducing new products from Kenya to India since there were strict “Custom Import restrictions” in socialist India. Kenya in the 1960’s was akin to Dubai in the 1980’s, a shoppers paradise for "First World luxury Goods" non- available in Socialist India.
The invention of the "INTERNET" and later "Facebook" introduced me to a lot of new acquaintances ,subjects and innovations and i took to it like a fish taking to water. In 2015 through the Internet i came across Mr Roy.Pacheco of Toronto who happened to know the Coutinho's of Mombasa. He was originally from Nairobi and was working in Mombasa in the 1960's and hence knew the Coutinho family and us.As they say its a global village in the era of 21st century communication and through communication with Mr Roy.Pacheco i got to know that Mrs Carmen.Pires's(nee Coutinho) was settled in Goa.Spoke to her over the phone and realized that life has evolved a lot since the 1960's. Carmen now in her late 60's wanted a glimpse of the "Mombasa era" photographs as ultimately its only photographs that remain after events or a particular phase of living is long forgotten and just memories.
We were one of the few “Middle class Indian Families” to own a “Grundig Tape-recorder” as also “transistor radio’s” in the 1960’s and 1970’s in other words “upwardly mobile” during the “import restrictions” and “Socialistic policies” era . In 1983 I joined shipping and hence the “Shipping generation” and “Foreign imported Craze” was intact and I added a lot of “Antique art” and “gadgets” to the household, again pioneers, although “Vaibhav apartments” a plush apartment building was no “Haji Ismail Gani Bldg” in terms of the affluence of its residents.
I am proud to say that I do have an “Eye” for art and literature, hence loads of articles on various topics are stored in my computer as well as in books, besides our house represents a “Curio Shop” with a major part of the “world’s handicrafts”.After me,who?
Certain “Wild-life trophies” were purchased by dad in the 1960’s when Kenya was a “Hunters paradise” with “Legal hunting tourism” in vogue. Besides the former “Maharajah’s ,Nawabs, Maharani’s and Begums “ of India, I feel , our household might be one of the few having “PROHIBITED WILD-LIFE ARTIFACTS” due to our ties with Kenya during an era when “Hunting” was considered a normal wealthy sport with “Wild-Life” trophy’s legitimately sold in “Curio shops” near “Killindini Harbour” for tourists. I will never forget the “African and Indian Wild-life Trophy’s” that I saw in Prag Mahal (Kutch,Gujarat), in 1990’s belonging to the local Maharajah, a totally “Animal Holocaust exhibit” when compared to the present era of Wild-life conservation and species extinction. Its only when we read the history of the “Wild-life hunting era” we realize the simple fact that forests and wild-life being abundant, hunting was a wealthy sport akin to Motor-sport or golf in the present “HUNTING BAN ERA”. Ultimately, it was not hunting that has created the present “Global warming and wild-life catastrophe” but the rapid increase in human population and decimation of forest land to create towns and city’s. The “Saw-fish bone” is a articraft from the 1960’s [ Value 2006= Us$’ 1500 and above(2007)],the second largest “Saw-fish trophy” in Mumbai after the specimen at the “Chatrapati Shivaji museum”. We also own a few “Lion claws”,"Elephant hair bracelets" “Zebra skin bags” , all purchased before the ban on “Wild-life products” in Africa, a collection akin to the “Maharajahs”, memoirs of a different era and lifestyle.
Its akin to owning a prized painting since the manner in which wild-life is being decimated, large "Saw-fish specimens” will be extinct in the “Natural world”. In 2009 , we humans are awakening to “Global Warming and climate change” as also the rapid extinction of various flora and fauna, hope the same can be reversed by future generations since mine as well as previous generations are responsible for this “ENVIRONMENTAL DOOMSDAY”. Recently, on Thursday(18-3-2010) i got rid of a lot of "Sentimental junk luggage" of our household, junk electrical radios and music systems, collected over the decades, since our arrival to Mumbai from Mombasa. There was an "Exchange sale" at the "Big Bazaar shopping Mall" in Lower Parel and hence i decided to exchange this useless sentimental junk for something more practicable in the 21st century! The junk was exchanged at Rs 25/Kg, a sad commentary on the re-sale value of electronic items, some of this "Sentimental junk" was in our household for approx 45 years. This made me wiser and i have decided never ever to spend exorbitant money on the purchase of "ELECTRONIC DURABLES". After collecting the "Exchange Coupons' ,totally worth approx Rs 800 i later visited "Big Bazaar mall" and purchased a latest, cheapest 4- in- one system costing approx Rs 4100 as also some groceries."Electronics durables" have to be constantly upgraded every few years or maximum a decade, since new innovations make previous inventions obsolete, a prime example being the "VHS Video tape Recorder", a craze in the 1980's, that was phased out within a decade by the "CD Invention".Hence spending large amounts on "Electronic Purchases" is a waste, unless a person is a "Genuine Millionaire"!
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| As a child in "Mehrle-Devji Building" in Mombasa with "Bingo",the Coutinho's pet dachshund.I have been associated and owned pets since childhood.(Photo converted into digital form). |
A profound childhood memory was the burglary
in our house in 1968 just before we were to immigrate to Mumbai.
I clearly remember reaching home from school and finding a lot of people gossiping at home with our packed suitcases lying open all over the house. Mrs Deboo took me to their home and offered me lunch as our house resembled a "Funeral home" with mum crying and the police all over the place, a "Photographic memory" of that tragedy, although a child.
Our “House robbery” in Mombasa was the “talk of the town news” as we lost all our “Gold” worth approx Rs 4 to 5 lakhs at today's living costs. Police dogs were called but the robbery to date remains unsolved,many people termed it an “Insider job” since our house was opened with a “duplicate key” and the entire robbery was done in a few hours with the thieves knowing where to find the “Hidden gold”.
My mum had the habit of hiding her precious jewelery,hence for the thieves to trace the “hidden gold within a hour or earlier hints at a “Insider job”,elementary says Watson!The robbery upset our entire house-hold savings as well as migration plans to India but thanks to Dad’s well-paying job,since, although only a "cargo supervisor" by designation, he was working for an elite shipping company of the 1960's, besides, shipping was in a "Boom Phase" in the 1960's akin to the "I.T Sector" of India in the 2000's, where everyone made money on their hard work,from the Captain to the lowest utility hand of a shipping company. Dad earned all his money from "Overtime Duty" and i still remember him coming home late when the ship was in Mombasa port, busy in his duty when "B.I Ships" docked in Mombasa harbour and later being a "Sea-Farer" myself , understood his type of work and earnings. The trouble with Dad was that he was either scared or too honest to make a bit of "Extra Money" in the normal "Import-Export" that was a common source of revenue to most of the ships crew and petty officers of his shipping generation, my dad being a "Petty Officer".It was not "Corruption" but just buying goods in Mombasa and selling them in India at a time when "Luxury Goods" were at a total premium in "Socialist 90% taxation India"! A common joke in the shipping Industry up-to the late 1980's before "Economic Globalization" changed the entire operations ,ship design construction and manpower requirements of the "Shipping Industry" sums up the "EARNING POWER" of some of the ships petty officers and crew compared to higher ranked officers. The joke as quoted , a "Shipping illiterate" in a village asks a "Ships Captain" on meeting him after a few months,"Captain, when are you going to be promoted to "Chief Steward"! we managed to recover our losses, both emotionally as well as financially,and ultimately, we humans tend to forget bad memories, tragedies or losses with the passage of time, unless, it totally cripples or bankrupts the person..
Dad was working for “British India Steam Navigation” which was a “Blue chip shipping co’s” and being a “Cargo Supervisor” he made a good amount of wages from “Over-time earnings” as shipping was a booming Industry in the 1950’s,60’s’70’s.
COPYCAT ROBBERY IN VAIBHAV APARTMENTS IN 2012 :- The "Great Vaibhav Apartments robbery" which took place in A/402, the forth floor of my building in Mumbai was a replica of the "Great Mombasa gold robbery" that occured in the 1960's.
Here are the details of this robbery and the press clipping from the "D.N.A Newspaper(Tuesday 11-12-2012)" of Mumbai.
The next time you hire a domestic help, you might want to factor in the salary an air travel allowance for, like all of us, they also have dreams.
A family in central Mumbai's Prabhadevi area discovered this to their horror at the weekend, when their middle-aged household help, robbed about Rs13.75 lakh while they were away and police are saying that he left the city on a flight to Patna on Sunday.
The police said, the robbery was discovered on Saturday by the maid servant who entered the house of the Malpani family with the house keys that were left with a neighbour. The family that lives on the fourth floor of Vaibhav Apartments, had left for Indore on Friday.
The Malpanis had sacked their household help, Rajbinder alias Raju, only the day before.
He had worked for them for nearly three years. Police said that from their investigations they learned that “Raju slipped down a pipeline from the terrace and entered the flat through the kitchen window. He worked in several houses in the building, so he knew the premises well.”
They said that Raju took away about Rs13.75 lakh in cash from the house, and probably excited over having got so much money chose to take a flight out of the city the following day. “We have found out that he took a flight to Patna on Sunday morning. But we are yet to get details about where he may have gone after getting out at Patna,” said Dhananjaya Kulkarni, deputy commissioner of police (zone 5).
They say he probably paid Rs25,000 for the ticket to Patna via Kolkata. The average fare for the flight is Rs10,000. So it is also possible that Raju was fleeced by the agent from whom he bought the ticket, or that he may have travelled business class.
The police have also found that the domestic help had bank accounts with fake addresses. “While trying to trace him on the basis of the address he had provided to the bank, we discovered that he had opened accounts providing fake addresses. In a city that is constantly alert to terrorist activity, this is extremely dangerous,” they said. Also, none of the families Raju worked for had any details about him.
The Malpani Family are one of Mumbai's most prominent "Tanker Water Suppliers", besides, its very common for the wealthy Marwari business community in India to keep trusted domestic helps in their residence, treating them like house-hold members in most cases. This robbery and our own " Mombasa Gold Robbery" bear identical resemblances although decades apart and different country's and era's. Both robberies were the work of "INSIDERS", only difference, in our case the robbers were never caught.
Just to gauge Dad’s earnings, a simple fact is that he managed to contribute a major part towards converting his ancestral “Tenant land” in Barkur into “freehold property” beside’s being an innovator in introducing the “Gramaphone” into a village.
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| In Seychelles in 1968 during our last voyage from Mombasa to Bombay(Mumbai) .The Coconut tree is the World famous rarity found only in Seychelles called Sea Coconut, Love Nut, double coconut, coco fesse, or Seychelles Nut.[1] |
All the kids I grew up with mostly migrated to England, we and the Sequeira’s were a rare few who migrated to India ,Ronald Sequeira,very much my senior, later joined shipping reached the pinnacle in the profession and is today settled in Canada.
Today in the year 2009 I am not in touch with any of my childhood acquaintances from Mombasa, all left are “Black & White photographs” and memories of another era ,another generation another continent.
Interactions in my childhood with grownups was with Dad’s co-colleague’s , Mr Contractor, Mr Fonseca , Mr Kanitkar, Mr Ranga, Mr D’silva and Mr Castelino being some of the prominent names I can recollect.
strong>MIGRATION TO BOMBAY (MUMBAI)1968 :- Mum and myself emigrated to India in 1968 by passenger ship “M.V/Karanja” and arrived in Mumbai port and our new residence in "Room Nos 88,Haji ismail Gani Bldg” at Byculla.
Our residence in room nos 88 at Haji Ismail Gani Bldg was a initial “Cultural cum economic” shock for an eight year old boy since we were living in a palatial flat in Mombasa as also the huge human population and congestion.
Today in 2006 I understand the reasons for many non- resident Indians settled in first World country’s avoiding re-emigration to India, their Country of origin although there is a enormous difference between the India of 1968 and 2006 both in terms of living conditions as well as economic progress.
Gradually, I made new friends in my building , managed to “accidentally” get admission into one of Mumbai’s best schools of my generation, “Christ church school” and hence I am a firm believer in “DESTINY” .Beginning from school days upto my present age ,co-incidences and circumstances have played a major role in shaping my life and professional progress along with my own entrepreneurship in personal social up-liftment.
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| "STEAMER TRUNK":- The last memoir of our epic migration to Mumbai(Bombay) in 1968.Today in 2013 this trunk is a storage trunk for my library of all types of books.Have always been a "BOOK-WORM" since school days. |
I tried for school admission in the best as well as the mediocre schools in Bombay beginning from “Anza school” to “St Mary’s I.S.C” and the “Interviews” took their toll on an 8 year old still coming to terms with “Country Re-location" and "Cultural Adjustments".Imagine adjusting to living in a "Single Room chawl" in congested Byculla after having lived for 7 years in a palatial 2-bedroom flat in Mombasa.
Ultimately my cousin Franklin Ferts an ex-alumni of “St Mary’s I.S.C” suggested “Christ Church School” and funnily I got admission without any written or oral exams and as they say the rest is “History"!
Among my class-mates from age 8 at “Christ Church school”, although Rabin Chacko and myself joined school together , the only person of the “CLASS OF 1968” whom I am still in touch with is Biju Karian who has his own personal bio-data. Last gossip of Rabin Chacko was that he was a prominent dentist and as for Biju, he is settled close to my former house in Banaswadi (Bangalore). Mr Mohit .Kapoor , an advocate by profession and much junior to me, also an Ex-Christ Church alumni lives in our building in "Vaibhav Apartments", although we are mere acquaintances.
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| My " 800 meters( Intermediate group)" school record set in 1975 was unbroken till 1980 . |
Pedigree.
. Reza Kabul, designer of India’s tallest building “Shreepati Arcade” was my contemporary in school. ,I was the captain of the “Under 17 soccer team( 1975/76)” in which he played, a very average student academically. As for me, I was a genuine “ALL-ROUNDER”, good at sports as well as studies. Today(15/12/06),viewed his photo on the “Times Of India[Property section]” as he is the “Chief Guest” for the inauguration of the “ET REALTY EXPO 2006” at the Taj Lands End hotel.
Reza Kabul is a “Success Model” of the fact that academic grades at “School” or “College” level don’t matter much to achieve genuine success in a “Professional Vocation” at the highest level.
I am happy to have been associated with Reza personally and same for his success although I hope he recollects memories of me in his prosperity. “Success” does change people in the art of “name or face-dropping”. Facially Reza hasn’t changed much except seems to have put on weight as is the case with me and all my colleagues including “Standard 3", comrade” Biju.Karian to whom I owe my “Shipping Career”.
Strange paradox of “Christ Church School” of my generation is that it has given India its famous and infamous citizens, a very rare occurrence for any generation of any school in India let alone Mumbai. Sherlock Holmes would ponder the co-incidences of the “Good, the bad and the ugly” of “Christ Church School of the 1970’s Era”. Thanks to the "Christ Church Alumni" yearly get-together and "Internet Social website Facebook" some of us "Christ Church Ex-Students" of the Class of 1970's met together in January 2010. Among them, Elite architect Reza.Kabul, cardiologist Dr Shoaib.Padaria and ex- boxer and avionics specialist Rashid.Ansari were felicitated by the School for their excellent contribution to society in their respective professions.Rashid .Ansari , during school days was better known as the brother of famed Sports Journalist and proprietor of India's first sport magazine,"Sportsweek" later also starting the tabloid newspaper "Mid-Day" , Mr Khalid.Ansari . Besides being a Maharashtra State school boxer, Rashid.Ansari was also a pioneer in a true life "School love story" having later married his classmate Sabina.Chinoy and emigrating to the United States Of America, one of "Christ Church schools" celebrity alumni's. It was really nice meeting Benhur.Rao, Satish.Sojwal, Shahrukh.Yezdigardi,Juzer.Loharchawlwalla, Hyder.Pardiwalla after over 3 decades , as also Dr Mustafa.Khokhawalla and T.R.Krishnan whom i did meet in the 1990's after passing out from school in 1977.Famed Mumbai Architect Reza.Kabul did recollect my association and it was nothing but reminisces of a bygone era that can never again be re-enacted, as time and tide wait for none.Sadly T.R .Krishnan became a victim of throat cancer and later expired in January 2012, an unforgettable character for various reasons although we both met only in the company of Biju.Karian, after the school years of 1976/77.The fact is that none of us classmates knew T.R's actual name the first time he introduced himself on joining Christ Church School "ISC X1(Science)" class in 1976 having done his previous schooling in a posh public school in North India.He himself lived in the posh Cuffe Parade locality in a government rental flat, his father being a highly placed officer in the Indian Navy.He told us to call him "T.R" as his actual name was a long Madras South Indian name, difficult for "propah" English speaking "Christ Churchites" to pronounce, although i distinctly remember the T as being Tiruvarthan, accustomed to South Indian names.The "I.S.C " class of 1976-77 was unforgettable for various reasons and hence in 2012 after decades and although we rarely met later in life, the premature death of former classmate T.R.Krishnan saddened me a bizarre case of another class mate succumbing to cancer prematurely after Marine engineer classmate Mr Anees.Osmani. T.R.Krishnan later migrated to St Xaviers College after IS.C X11 and shifted residence to Chembur, close to Biju's residence and hence we later met whenever i visited Biju's residence.I later joined Shipping and we did occasionally meet later also drifting apart for various personal reasons.Among my classmates since childhood and school days, Biju and Late T.R.Krishnan were the only ones with whom i occasionally interacted,even accompanying T.R to "Tata cancer Hospital" in Mumbai for his chemotherapy treatment in 2011. Amongst my childhood friends Francis.Dmello from "Haji Ismail Gani building" in Byculla,T.R.Krishnan and myself were the only bachelors and this could be one reason for myself and T.R being on the same mental frequency of acquaintanceship.Visiting "Tata Cancer Hospital" brought back memories of my own mothers cancer treatment and hence i later refused to accompany T.R .Krishnan for future "Chemotherapy Treatment".Classmate Shahrukh.Yezdigardi took the responsibility of caring for T.R during his entire illness and i presume T.R had some grudge against me for he later totally avoided either saying a "Thank You" nor ever phoned me after the first "Tata Cancer hospital" chemotherapy treatment. I presumed T.R had recovered , happy for the same although he didn't inform me about the progress or treatment of his illness. Biju.Karian kept me informed of T.R.'s illness whenever he rang up, saying he had recovered and was leading a normal life.Suddenly on Saturday(21-1-2012) Biju rang me up from Bangalore informing me the sudden demise of T.R in Mumbai.Later on Sunday night Shahrukh rang me inquiring if i was aware of T.R's demise as he was away at his restaurant in Deolali, a hotelier by profession and informed the same by Mr Rashid.Ansari from U.S.A..They both were the best of friends and honestly, although i didn't know much of T.R's personal nor professional life, his death made me realize that life is too short for petty grudges or jealousies.We all have to die someday, today its the other person dead, tomorrow it could be me, the next day someone else, in life, you move on until death brings an end to life on planet Earth.Having visited the bathing and cremation Ghats of Varanasi in November 2011 my entire attitude towards life and death took a new meaning and understanding , travel definitely being educative .The sight of burning cremation pyres and casual tourists and pilgrims passing alongside open cremation pyres is frightening as well as thought provoking. Finally, its photographic memories, words and deeds that keep human memories fresh and relevant long after a person is dead. Ultimately, as they say, it took all types of students to make the class of the 1970's of "Christ Church School(Mumbai)".
On 6th April(Sunday) went with the B.N.H.S members for a trekking trip to Tunganeshwar hills which I last visited sometime in the 1970’s with the “Boy Scouts” of our school under Marathi/Hindi teacher Mr Parab’s leadership.It was one of the rare “Outdoor trips” during my school days besides the normal once in a year or two “Muluk” holiday visits to “ Barkur and Mabukal”.My mum was mortally afraid of sending me alone on outdoor excursions including swimming, besides, she was saving money to purchase a “Flat” hence money cautious on expenditures. Thanks to a lack of “POCKET –MONEY”, I became a “Book-Worm” spending idle hours in “Christ Church library” pouring through “Encyclopedia Brittanica’s” as well as normal books.Later in college, “The American Library” at Marine Lines which was free until the early 1990’s , and “Fiction Junction” at Prabhadevi run by Mr Abhay Wagle, today defunct were my sources for "Reading Material".In the 1990's i became a member of the "B.N.H.S(Bombay Natural History society)" and acquired a knowledge on 'Wild-Life and Nature" besides experiencing "Outdoor treks and nature camps" near to Mumbai city. My leap into “Blog Writing” and “Internet browsing” along with “Outdoor sporting activities” is a progress of my initial years activities and adaptation to present day with the passage of time and inventions. Today in 2008, having traveled most parts of the globe beside’s Indian City’s and being reasonably comfortable financially, it’s a strange paradox that in school and college I was one of the least traveled students with “ZERO POCKET MONEY!”The trip to Tunganeshwar Hills brought back old school memories, the place thankfully hasn’t been “Industrialized” and maintains its “Jungle innocence and purity”, best witnessed in monsoons. The “B.N.H.S” excursions have been educative in the sense I at least became partially “Botanically literate” beside’s meeting new acquaintances, but otherwise its more like a “Packaged Tour” with the normal pathways being trailed and no room for forest trekking or individual research. One unique sight I witnessed was Macaque monkeys swimming in a “Natural pool” near a temple at Tunganeshwar, something I witnessed for the first time in my life, having visited some of the World’s best zoo’s. These monkeys, akin to humans were playing , splashing and diving into the water and reminded us humans that we were an extension of their family and the most intelligent mammal on planet Earth.
Two individuals from Christ Church,who did influence my thinking have been late Dr Rajan Parab who expired sometime in 1970’s(Teacher Mr Parab’s son) and Late Marine Engineer Mr Anees Osmani who expired of Throat cancer in 2007.
Rajan Parab was purity personified, an excellent student (Topped I.C.S.E exams) a good school level sportsman, a president scout and humble, no airs of being the schools blue eyed student model. Tragically, he died on a picnic trying to save a drowning friend, an absolutely morally unblemished short life, but , wonder if he would have remained unpolluted by " Enforced Corruption" had he lived longer in the materialistic World. Mr Anees Osmani was “Vice-Headboy” of school, a post as powerful as today’s politicians since “Christ Church School” in 1970’s was on par with the “International Baccalaureate” schools of Mumbai’s 21st century era.A “Head-Boy” or “Vice-Headboy” of Christ Church was guaranteed professional success after school and college education. The very fact that Mr Nikhil Sen(Late president of Brittania Industry’s) was a “Christ Church Headboy” slightly senior to Mr Osmani and myself proves the achievements of “Christ Churchites” of the 1970’s era, the “GOLDEN ERA” of that school. At the extreme end of notoriety, controversial murdered business tycoon Ashraf Patel(Cricket related murder by Chota Rajan Gang) was an ex-student of Christ Church school of the 1970’s era.
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| A small middle-class family of 3 at home in Mumbai in the 1980's. Dad Louis.J.Furtado & Mum Greta.N.furtado with classic dachshund "lucky". Myself , son Rudolph.A.Furtado ,the "Photographer" not in the picture! |
Anees , Biju and myself wound up in the same profession and although we didn’t socialize much during “Mazdock Apprenticeship days”, we all did keep in touch in the docks on the “Mazdock gossip news!”.
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| Marine Engineer Apprentice No 12049( Rudolph.A.Furtado) with fellow batchmates at a picnic. This was a part of our " Marine Apprentice ( 1978-1982)" Group and this picnic was sometime in 1981 or 1982.Thanks to Class mate Mr Biju. J.Karian that I got a seat in the 4- Years " MARINE ENGINEERS APPRENTICE COURSE " at Mazagon Dock Ltd. Notice my unique " Afro Hairstyle" much before Michael Jackson made it a signature fashion. |
Anees Osmani disappeared from “Marine society gossip” and I only heard of his death at the “Mazdock Get-together reunion” at Matoshree club in Goregaon in December 2007. Anees’s tragic untimely death at a young age made me realize the importance of enjoying one’s hard earned wealth since life is very unpredictable, even to the most secure and privileged.Later, on another annual "Mazdock Marine Alumni re-union" on Saturday(18-12-2010) i got to know the terrible news of the suicidal death of one of our batch-mates, Mr Anil.Sawant.Akin to me, Anil came from a working class background and i knew him reasonably well during our Mazagon dock apprenticeship years(1978-1982) as we belonged to the same batch and later also joined the same shipping company, "Mogul Line Ltd" in 1983.He was a soft spoken introverted gentleman doing reasonably well professionally and his abrupt death really surprised people who knew him.As we age and lose colleagues, acquaintances and friends to death, the unpredictability of life becomes very obvious.
Visited “Karnala Bird Sanctuary” on Sunday (13-4-08) under the guidiance of B.N.H.S guide Mr Vithoba Hegde and after decades actually experienced an authentic “Jungle Trek”. The climate was intensely hot and the climbing terrain slippery and steep between solid rock boulders, besides at age 48 it’s difficult to recreate youth vigor, a accidental fall guaranteeing serious injury.
Ironically we didn’t observe much birds as they are normally active just before dawn and at dusk, besides I am more a “TREKKER” than a amateur “BIRD WATCHER” , hence the thrill of climbing to the summit of “KARNALA FORT”. I was a “Hunter” during teenage school and college years using a “B.S.A- 0.177 air gun” in the 1970’s in Barkur and Mabukal when on vacation, my last “HUNT SHOOT” being in 1978 after which I gave up “Bird shooting” becoming a conservator of wild-life. Ironically, the wild-life conservation movement is patronized mostly by former “Big- Game and Air-Gun hunters” since they realize the value of nature, its preservation and its impact on humans, most famous being Jim Corbett, a “TIGER KILLER” turned “TIGER CONSERVATIONIST”. During my recent treks to Tungareshwar hills and Karnala bird sanctuary I got to interact with kids and was happy to realize that the “Stereo type” image of 21st century kids being outdoor weaklings due to the “COMPUTER ERA” was a myth or either these kids were a rarity of their generations pass-times, besides I felt embarrassed at girl kids being better trekkers than the boy kids! Another observation was that rustic kids were more bold in trekking than city bred kids, something which remains unchanged since generations, reasons being numerous. Kids are innocent of the trappings of wealth or social hierarchy hence are authentic in their expressions and talents, the same if discovered and nurtured could lead to adult fame or genius .
“Communist Country’s” exploited this “Talent Spotting” to the maximum in the sports arena, result being that prior to break-up of the “IRON CURTAIN” , the “Olympic games” was a tussle between the U.S.A and U.S.S.R with lesser country’s competing for “Minor Placings”, the same reasons being responsible for “Communist China” becoming a “Olympic superpower” in the present era.
The “Karnala Fort” trek was worth the trouble and tested my physical fitness as well as educated me about forests since my interest in botany and insects was minimal.
Went for a botanical excursion to the Maharashtra Nature Park( Mahim Nature park) on Sunday(18/5/08) with the B.N.H.S group leaders Dr Swapna Prabhu and Mr Dhiraj Patil and thanks to these excursions I realized my absolute “ILLITERACY” in “Botanical subjects” although I am fond of greenery and planting trees as in my second home in Bangalore as well as in Mumbai apartment. The “Mahim Nature Park” was a waste ground converted into a picturesque pleasant forest in the midst of a polluted “Mithi river( infamous for flooding Mumbai ) and concrete jungles and its development as a forest park is similar to “Koregaon Park”s Rajneesh Ashram gardens development(Pune), forest beauty created from the gutters and sewage. The “Mahim Park” has a “Medicinal plant section” and it was mind-boggling to realize that almost each and every plant including common lawn grass has some therapeutic value for humans besides some were also poisonous.
In 1977 I joined “Kirti.M.Doongursee college” for H.S.C XII and proud to say that our group of 1977 pioneered a partial social revolution amongst our classmates in terms of fashion, English language and vernacular tolerance and vice-versa, tolerance of 'English language' .
A “I.C.S.E” student joining “Kirti college” in 1977 was akin to an engineering graduate seeking employment in a “Cycle repair shop!”, such was the pathetic reputation of “Kirti college” during my generation amongst the elite college Institutions of Mumbai, and it was a fact without biases.
Fashion amongst girl students was “Ghagra/choli” and amongst male students “chappals” the signature attire. Marathi was the only language spoken with English being a medium of instruction in lectures and not the “College campus lingo” as was and is common to majority colleges in Mumbai.
“C.C.S classmates” Biju Karian and myself made “English language” more familiar in “kirti college” and Urmilla Deshpande, a student junior to our class who later became a prominent “Bombay Model”changed the definition of “Ghagra/Choli fashion”.
Andrew Rebello was the equivalent of Amit Moitra(C.C.S) and Shirish Nadkarni introduced us to “Basketball”, our pleasures were real simple ,with movies being the main source of entertainment and a cycle was a luxury with a motorcycle being the equivalent of a “Rolls Royce”.
“Kirti college” in later years became famous due to Sachin Tendulkar’s presence as an “Arts student” and in 2007 seems a total different college than in 1977.
Motorcycle’s are parked to capacity outside the college and “Ghagra/choli’s” have given way to “fashion Trendz” as also chappals to shoes.
The simple observation of “kirti College” has made me realize that India is definitely in the “Stock market mode” and wealth is being created and flaunted even in the least popular colleges. My salute to “Kirti college” for its tremendous progress in deleting “SOCIAL BACKWARDNESS” and being a part of the multi-cosmopolitan student structure in a global World of “cable television and Internet”.
The “Common land-line telephone (M.T.N.L Monoply)” upto 1990 ( Pre-liberalisation) had a minimum “Waiting list” of 5 years on “Ownership basis” as also the “Bajaj Cheetak scooter” symbols of “Brand India” in the 1970’s and 80’s during my youth .
Today in 2009 my house-keeper Sabina Dias uses her personal “Cell-phone” as casually as a radio, and the “Bajaj Cheetak” has become a “Museum exhibit” with motorcycles being rolled off the “conveyor belt” every six months, proving the fact that we Indians have achieved "first world Status” in “Consumer products” something unbelievable just two decades ago.
The price of pedigreed “German Shepherd dogs” at over Rs 1,00,000 at the “9th Siger Dog Show”(Andheri Sports stadium) and the enthusiasm and “Purchase power” of our canine connoisseurs convinced me that the 21st century economic boom has just begun in India with “Mans best friend” leading the “Money Mania” and "Status symbol” rush.
The Media has projected the fact that in 2050 India will be the second largest economy after China and in a decade from 2007 would supersede England, the World’s greatest 19th and 20th century colonizer, proving the fact that “History repeats itself”.
India, “The land of maharajahs” upto 1947 will give way to India, “The land of Industrialists” in 2050.
Agreed, the gap between the super rich and super poor is also increasing at present but akin to developed country’s would comprise largely of a “Middle-classs base” by 2050 if India should truly become the World’s second largest economy.
99% chances are that I won’t be alive in 2050 and hope that the living standards I am enjoying as a educated urban middle-class Indian in 2009 would be a privilege of the majority and not minority Indians as is the case in 2009.
The major fear with rapid economic progress could be the rapid destruction of “forest vegetation” and “wild-life”as is the rampant case in Indian villages let alone city’s, hence could reduce the standard of human living with nature.
Will the generation of 2050 be privileged to see tigers, lions, rhinoceros’s and other wild species in their natural forest environment or only as “Zoological park exhibits”?
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| Conservation of trees in Mumbai city :- This small cybercafe that i visit for "Printing" purposes near my residence at Prabhadevi is built with a tree as one of its wall supports and is named "TREE COMMUNICATION CYBER CAFE" in Hindi Language.Notice the tree jutting out from the cafe.A rare sight in concrete jungle Mumbai. |
Today, I feel sad to read frequent newspaper accounts of caste and religious riots in various parts of India including “Cosmopolitan Mumbai”something rare during the 70’s and 80’s as also the progress of crime from knives to bombs.
I am a human of many vices and fragilities but one thing which even my worst enemy would not accuse me is of “Communalism or rascism”.
Thanks to my “Marine Engineering profession” and having roamed the globe I found myself comfortable in the company of Negroes, Caucasians, Chinese , Arabs , and non-resident Indians besides travel to various parts of India exposed me to the multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-linguistical India . Reading of “racial riots or religious attacks” confuses me as to the progress of human values having lived a privileged “middle-class life” in India’s monetary cosmopolitan capital, Mumbai.
Human progress has its merits and de-merits since change is permanent, hence the fragile balance of human living is to be maintained between the good and bad.
Regarding my Byculla building friends , it was a happy growing up phase in spite of the lack of playing and living space.It practical education of “Chawl living” ,”Gully cricket”and “Gully hockey” that toughened me as also the “tapori lingo” which i have unashamedly used in my writing of "MUMBAI-HINGLISH".
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| Landmark " Haji Ismail Gani Building" facing Byculla ( East) Railway Station. Dad purchased " Room No 88" on 2nd floor for Rs 5000 ( Pugree System) in 1960.Another Rs 750 was spent for building the teak wood loft( Mala in Hindi).We lived in this building from 1968- 1975.Sold " Room No 88" in 1976 for Rs 20,000( Pugree system) |
India,s most prominent first generation Industrial family “The Ambani’s” also have their roots in “Mumbai’s chawl culture” although different “Chawls” in different localities have their own unique social system and communal form of living.
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| Haji Ismail Gani Building built in 1936 as seen from the main road.Landmark " Regal Restaurant " and " Palace Theatre" both built in 1932 is next to longest building in Byculla " Haji Ismail Gani Bldg " |
The show at "Bhaidas Hall" began at approx 1015 hrs and ended at approx 1400 hrs, very lengthy as are all konkani concerts and programmes.The reason for the excess time was the felicitation ceremony's that were conducted in-between the musical interval, honouring prominent "V.I.P Guests".Among the Indian catholic community, Mangaloreans are very prominent in Banking Industry, "Indian Trade Unions" and "Politics" compared to the size of the population and hence two prominent Mumbai politicians of Mangalorean descent were honoured guests at the "St Peters Association(Barkur)" 23rd annual anniversary function.Mr Ronnie.Goveas(Vice-Chairman of Model Co-operative bank) was the chief guest while Mr Krishna.Hegde, M.L.A from Ville Parle(Mumbai) and Mr Clive.Dias, Councillor of Marol Ward(Mumbai) were the honoured guests.Strangely and bizarrely the catholic population of Barkur village is gradually reducing alarmingly as most of the younger generation migrate overseas or to city's for employment, abandoning their family ancestral agricultural business, most prominent being my own dad's family, the "Furtado Family" of Barkur.Christian family's barring a minuscule few have totally abandoned agriculture as a occupation in Barkur, the rice fields lying vacant, reasons being numerous, most common being a lack of profits in agriculture business. I dread the day when Barkur village would cease to exist as a part catholic Mangalorean village and just exist as a trade mark ,"St Peters Catholic association(Barkur)" in Mumbai due to massive exodus of its villagers from the agricultural sector into city's.In 2008, during my few days stay in Barkur i was aghast to find that just a single "Cybercafe" with one of the World's slowest and most erratic internet system due to frequent poewer outages existed in this small sleepy village of Barkur.It doesn't take a statistics genius to realize the reasons for the rapid exodus of young educated Barkurians to metropolitan city's after completion of basic education.Hope "St Peters Catholic association(Barkur)" does something to make village life in Barkur more interesting for the 21st century generation and avoid the obvious fact, an entire generation of aged catholic Barkurians gradually becoming extinct in Barkur village due to emigration of their children, a fate similar to the Parsi population in some parts of India. After the concert Martin, uncle Winnie and aunt Flossy went to Uncle Rozario's house on rickshaw while i went by my bike.It was a very unexpected get-together of my paternal family in Mumbai, today everyone very well-off , residing in palatial apartments compared to the pioneering immigrant years in Mumbai at "88 Haji Ismail Gani Building"."Wilfy Night" and "St Peters Barkur Association" bizarrely made a family connection and co-incidently it was also Uncle Rozario's birthday which i was unaware off, aunt Flossy informing me of the same on arrival at his residence.Uncle Rozario's daughter Lira.Britto was present along with her kids as also aunt Christine's sister and after the cake cutting ceremony it was a nice pleasant "Buffet lunch" with a little peg of "Chivas Regal on the rocks".I finally departed home at approx 1700 hrs, a pleasant and unforgettable day of konkani theater, paternal family gathering and a Octogenarian uncle's birthday.On Saturday(29-10-2011) attended the "Wilfy Nite" musical for the second time at "Our Lady of Good Counsel Ground" at Sion organized by the "Konkani welfare Association of Sion" at 1800 hrs in the evening.The entire program at Sion was a complete repeat of the Bhaidas hall "Wilfy Nite" show, no changes in music or jokes, except local politicians and different "V.I.P guests" felicitation.The major attraction was the bestowation of honorary awards to two elderly konkani theater artists of Mumbai. Harry.D'souza of Vakola with the pen-name "Harryboy" was draped in a shawl and honoured with the title "Kala Chakravarti".Mr Joe.D'souza of Sion was also draped in a shawl and honoured with the title "Konkani Ratna". Suddenly, konkani speaking citizens in Mumbai have realized the importance of preserving the "Konkani Culture and language" in a rapidly evolving globalized World with "English Language" dominating and most of the young generation of Mangalorean and Goan Catholics bred in city's or having migrated to foreign lands having little cultural bonds with their mother-tongue language or ancestral villages. One difference i observed between Mangalorean and Goan cultural programs is the emphasis on "Politics" in Mangalorean cultural functions with local politicians being given prominence and "Wilfy Nite" was one such function. Mangalorean Catholics have given India a few prominent Central government political leaders, the most recognizable and famous being George.Fernandes.Akin to politician George.Fernandes, seems late theater artist and musician Wilfy.Rebimbus is the most famous Mangalorean konkani theatre artist, a house-hold name among Mangalorians.Our former neighbour in "Vaibhav apartments" , prominent Mangalorean banker Mr John.D'silva was one of the "V.I.P'S" invited and he gave a short speech on the importance of preserving konkani culture , the first time i heard him speak in public.Attending "Wilfy Nite" for the second time in quick succession made me understand and appreciate the songs and musical skits much better and i picked up one sure hit song tune ,"Juana".Mangalorean konkani spoken in pure literary form is difficult to understand as it has a mixture of kanareese words, hence most songs lyrics were beyond my comprehension. As for the "Mangalorean Konkani jokes", i consider them on par with the best in the World, sadly, the jokes can't be translated as that would dilute the "repartee effect".A brief snippet from on-line Mangalorean newsletter "Dajiworld" about "Wilfy Nite" musical and comedy is pasted as follows :-Leslie Rego and Dolla left the audience laughing their hearts out through their hilarious skits namely ‘Budvont Bapoi (Wise Father)’, ‘Mashinar Hat (Hand on the Machine)’, ‘Baylechem Fone (Phone from the lady)’, ‘Parachute’ and ‘Mangalore to Goa distance’. My childhood was not “Luxurious”, in the sense the school pocket money was nil, beside’s, upto 1975 we were approximately at least 3 to 5 people living in a “One room chawl”, a genuine lack of space when compared to our present “One bedroom hall apartment” in plush Prabhadevi locality of Mumbai .In 2011, after the demise of my parents i reside all alone with my pet cats, a parakeet and my house-keeper Sabina.Dias, the one bedroom flat too spacious for bachelor living, a strange case of fate and destiny.Proud that the majority of my immigrant uncles were successes in Mumbai as are my cousins, many of them overseas in distant country's.
On Friday(30-11-2007), the “Times Of India, Mirror edition” had the front page news of Arun Gawli’s daughter getting married on December 5th at “The Turf Club, Mahalaxmi Race-course” with an estimated “Guest Crowd” of 20,000 people!
If “50 Cents” and “Snoop Dog” could reform from “Criminal gangsta” to “Rap King millionaire Status” in “Democratic U.S.A” so also our own India honours its “reformed criminals” by making them “POLITICAL TYCOONS” with the help of the people’s vote! Bhaskar Shetty, Sudhakar Shetty, Leonard Dias, Mohan Tandel, Suhas Tandel and ace “ENCOUNTER SPECIALIST”, Inspector Vijay Salaskar might be wondering about the reasons for the people of Byculla electing to power a “AUTHENTIC MAFIA MAN”.
Barring Inspector Vijay Salaskar, the rest of the names I quoted were local Byculla “Dada’s” of the 1970’s, the same generation of Arun Gawli and wonder how many of them are alive today in 2007 to witness one of their competitor's achieve "Gangsta Nirvana”. Sadly,Inspector Vijay.Salaskar who is credited with having gunned down 75 to 80 of Mumbai's criminals was himself gunned down by terrorists in the "26/11 Terrorist attack" on Mumbai city. While campaigning for the assembly elections Arun.Gawli was so mortally afraid of Inspector Salaskar that he never ventured out of his "Dagdi Chawl Fortress(Byculla)" on the penultimate day for campaigning, afraid that he would be killed in a "Police encounter" and explaining the same on "television", sounded absolutely hilarious."Terrorism" and not "gangsterism" is the main problem of the law enforcement world in India , especially Mumbai ,which, akin to New York is perceived as the jewel in their respective nations economic crown.I wonder if Arun Gawli attended the “50 cents show” as I am not sure of his “Musical Tastes” neither his knowledge of “English language” since akin to Rattan Khatri of “Matka Fame”, a regular “Race-course attendee”, I have read and seen these people but never intermingled with them. My largest race-course losses have been on “SECRET MEMORY” and “REUBEN STAR” both horses owned by “Race-course Politician!?”, Dr M.A.M Ramaswamy and ridden by his favourite jockey Prakash Bhonsle. One of the oldest sellers of India’s oldest racing guide book,“Cole ” is the paper mart in the ground floor of “Haji Ismail Gani Bldg”. On a recent visit to Byculla I saw Arun Gawli’s name painted as a political advertisement on “Haji Ismail Gani Bldg”, something unimaginable in the 1970’s or 1980’s and I wonder if “Gangsta Rap Music” has its origins in the ghetto’s of Nagpada and Byculla and not New York.
For reference I would refer Anthony Lobo, Agnello Lobo, Francis Demello, Trevor Carvallo, Villas Tandel, Purshottam Shetty, Martin D’souza, Wilfred Lobo and Denzil Santos to name a few of my contemporary’s who lived with me during the 1960’s and 1970’s in “Haji ismail Gani Bldg”, irrespective of their present social or monetary standing in society. As recently as late 1990's, one of the "Shetty Brothers", Mr Mangesh Shetty a contemporary of my generation was shot in his hotel opposite the building and was lucky to survive, reasons best known to him and his would-be assasins.Mumbai has evolved tremendously in 2009 since 1975 when we shifted from "Haji Ismail Gani Bldg(Arsiwalla Chambers)" and now a few of the rooms seem to be fitted with "air-Conditioners" and the entire building has been repaired by Bhai (Alias Daddy) Arun Gawli, hence proving that my memoirs are not hogwash or just "Hindi movie sensationalism" but pure facts.The entire "MUMBAI UNDERWORLD" has mushroomed from an area of less than 5 Kms comprising of the "Byculla,Nagpada,Sankli Street,Agripada and Lal baugh" localities, with the "Who's Who" of "Mumbai's underworld" being "BORN" here. Hats off to Bhai Arun Gawli for creating the “American Dream” in India, a illeducated convicted criminal achieving a seat in the legislative assembly a la “American Rap” in politics.
“Poverty breeds poverty”, “The rich are rich because they are rich” and “Circumstances make the individual” are common sayings from which a few individuals akin to gambollings 1:10 WIN: LOSS ratio break free to control and lead their own “NON-STEREOTYPE LIVES”. Politics is as uncertain as gamboling and whatever might be the future outcome of Arun Gawli’s political or financial graph, the fact that a petty criminal compared to his much better educated contemporaries rose to “Times of India banner news” will be a part of Mumbai folklore.
I personally know various other “rags to riches and “Riches to rags” story’s but the reasons for projecting Arun Gawli was because of his “Criminal status” as well as nostalgic remembrance of my early youth in Bombay’s chawl culture gradually becoming extinct along with the “Textile Mills”.
I requote a Hong Kong photographic exhibitions brilliant prophesy in 2005, “Remember Hong-kong before it disappears!” moaning the loss of “Old style Hong Kong culture and buildings”.The same quote applies to Bombay now Mumbai’s famous and infamous chawl buildings which are being demolished to pave way to “Apartment bldgs” and might become extinct by the next century (2100) or earlier.
Forget “Chawl type room buildings” becoming extinct but even “1bedroom/ hall” apartments within posh South Mumbai and suburbs is gradually being “Phased out” in the 21st century, the future apartments being “2 bedroom/hall” as a minimum living space with a “Rs 1 Crore price tag!” as “Economic Liberalisation” creates a “Noveau Rich” urban society.
We shifted into “Vaibhav Apartments” in 1975 and initially I was a bit culturally and socially maladjusted having shifted from a “Room system(Chawl System)” to a “Apartment system” with its “Isolationist living” unlike chawls where gossip and camaraderie is a part of living culture.
The original Indian English play “Black with Equal”(2005/07) is a classic satirical on plush and elite apartment living in Mumbai as well as any other city as contrasting as the Hindi play“Cotton56 /Polyster84(2005/07)” is to city chawl living and social changes.
To date we have lived for 36 years in “Vaibhav apartments” at Prabhadevi yet I hardly know much of the buildings occupants except my generation that has been living in the building since 1975.
“Vaibhav Apartments” has been in the news for various reasons akin to “Christ Church School” since both the famous and infamous have and are living here , names I wouldn’t quote since I myself could be in the “List” quoted by others!
India’s Hindustani classical singer Smt Kishori Amonkar is the most famous celebrity living in “Vaibhav apartments”, her sons Nihar.Amonkar and Bibhas.Amonkar being good acquaintances of mine with the younger son Bhibhas, a naturalist and artist/ photographer introducing me to "B.N.H.S" in the 1990's.As mentioned, Smt Kishori.Amonkar was and still is the most famous celebrity of our building and on Saturday(15-1-2011) a film crew suddenly swooped on our building premises to conduct a "Shoot" on her and her family.I was just coming out of the lobby when i did see a familiar face passing me in the lobby and suddenly i heard someone calling my name and realised it was Nihar.Amonkar from outside the building lobby. Was meeting him after ages and he told me about the family film shooting in progress at his residence with yesteryears hindi/marathi actor Amol.Palekar directing the shooting.In fact the gentleman who just passed me in the lobby was none other than film actor/director Mr Amol.Palekar, totally different in personal life from his memorable films like "Chithchor" and "Golmaal", films which are remembered to this day for their simplicity and middle-class story's during the "Pre-Economic liberalisation Era" .We all have changed over the years, including film star Amol.Palekar although both Nihar and his brother Bibhas are easily recognisable except for natural greying.Two Industrialist families ,“ The “Avarsekars” and the “Jiwrajika’s” have also lived in our building as also my previous neighbour ,“Abhyudaya Bank Promoter” Mr John.A. D’Silva, hence making “Vaibhav” a unique cosmopolitan mixture of wealth, celebrity and the ordinary!Akin to a "First world Country's", some buildings and localities in Mumbai are classified "Grade 1" due to its purchase price , locality and residents.
All the residents of "Vaibhav Apartments" have this unique habit of meeting or saying "Hello" to each other on "Republic" and "Independence Day", "Ganesh Chaturthi festival", besides the rarely held "A.G.M's" of the building society.Normally , the womenfolk of the building do gather in the compound and gossip while young children play, but, being a bachelor i am totally shut out from the "social gossip" of Vaibhav apartments, hence unaware of the trends or new residents of the building.The normal "Flag Hoisting" celebrations are religiously held on every Republic and Independence day in "Vaibhav apartments" although the entire building fraternity doesn't attend due to various commitments of their own on these auspicious days.Occasionally , a lunch get-together is held in the spacious garden of the building on "Republic Day" after the normal flag-hoisting ceremony at 0930 hrs and the same was repeated on Wednesday(26-1-2011), funded by the "Building residents Accounts", an annual get-together of the residents.The "Republic Day" celebrations of 26th January 2011 in "Vaibhav Apartments" will be remembered for two reasons , the first,Hindustani classical vocalist musician Smt Kishori.Amonkar being felicitated and the second,Mr Kishore.Avarsekar(Industrialist "Unity Infraprojects Ltd") raising the topic of "Vaibhav Redevelopment" during his felicitation speech in Marathi to Smt Kishori.Amonkar.Both Smt Kishori.Amonkar and Mr Kishore.Awarsekar are original occupants of "Vaibhav Apartments" in the 1970's when the price /Sq Foot was approx Rs 100 or less and a "LAKH" of rupees had the purchasing power of a "CRORE" of rupees in 2011! The extinction of the textile mills Industry in the 1990's led to tremendous ultra-rich housing projects developing in Lower Parel and Prabhadevi having large tracts of "Mill Land", hence the sudden rise in property prices in this once quiet "Middle-Class" locality of Prabhadevi.Today in 2011 the price/Sq foot in "Vaibhav apartments" is approx Rs 40,000/Sq Foot making all its original residents unavoidable "CROREPATIS" ,besides being a residence of the "Mega-Rich" ,new residents,post 2009, purchasing flats at Rs 40,000 /Sq Foot! .In 1970's we used to play games in the compound which was originally designed as a "Playground" while today in 2011 the same compound is packed with cars, and the "Mercedes Benz" is not an uncommon sight in "Vaibhav Apartments" nor raises eyebrows. Hence in 2011 "Vaibhav Apartments" has entered the rarified atmosphere of "Grade 1 Buildings" in Mumbai due to the basic price structure of owning a apartment in this building.This was the first time in 36 years that i saw Smt Kishori.Amonkar attend a building function and as mentioned,almost every resident of "Vaibhav apartments" is a "crorepati" holding important executive designations in service or either proprietors of businesses or Industrialists.The latest media celebrity to purchase residence in "Vaibhav apartments" is Mr Kunal.Vijaykar,a hindi film actor, director and television star. In 2011, he has become a familiar face on "Indian Television" in the popular "Times Now channel" called "The Foodie". I personally envy his simple job of travelling various exotic locations in India and the World sampling food delicacies and interviewing the chefs or people for "Times Now" television. As they say, it takes all types to populate planet Earth, similarly "Vaibhav Apartments" have residents from various economic strata's of society, ranging from industrialists, executives, lawyers, business proprietors and retirees. As for me, i would like to read a biography on Mr Kishore.Awarsekar & Fly, a carbon copy of the "Ambani Family Saga's" rags to riches story, from working class to Industrialists in just 3 decades.Mr Kishore.Awarsekar's company intends redeveloping our building and the same has to be discussed and implemented by the "Building Committee", a long process but definitely unavoidable as the building is nearing its "certified life-span".There might be other billionaire Industrialists in Vaibhav apartments of whom i am not aware as the "Post economic Liberalisation-1992" has produced numerous young Indian billionaires.I personally know only some of the original inhabitants of Vaibhav as being a bachelor and a loner has its disadvantages in keeping abreast with "Building or society gossip" , which most writers(Bloggers), poets or artists tend to be, irrespective of professional or financial success.
Another unique feature of “Vaibhav Apts” is that it is one of the rare bldgs in the heart of Mumbai having a magnificent garden with Guava and coconut trees. After years on 9/8/07(Thursday)I saw coconuts being removed from one of the tallest coconut trees in our compound, reminding me of my childhood and youth visits to Mangalore and the rice and coconut plantations of the villages. Our building compound also provides honey and its strange, I learnt of honey and honey extraction from our bldg situated in one of Mumbai’s most crowded concrete jungle and not the actual jungles or forests that I have visited numerous times. Truth is stranger than fiction.
"Sacred Heart Church(Worli) Golden jubilee celebration week- 2011" ; As a parishioner of "Sacred Heart Church since the last 36 years attended the final day of its "Golden Jubilee Celebration week" on Sunday(16-1-2011).My mother was excessively religious, participating in a lot of church prayer activities and i was and still am a practising catholic, attending Sunday masses but not involved in any local religious activity's, a passive catholic.A talent contest was organised for various age groups and communities of the parish, most notably, the marathi speaking "koli community" and the "konkani speaking" manglorean and goan communities. Worli village has a large fishing community called "Kolis" many of whom are catholics and it was excellent seeing them in their traditional attire at the parish celebrations.Skits and songs were performed and a pair of child artists performed a "koli ceremonial dance" beautifully and the evenings entertainment was excellently organised.without body-guards. Well , this is a bit of the story of my decades at Worli parish . I have personally witnessed the evolution of "Sacred Heart Church(Worli)" as well as "Our Lady of Salvation church(Portuguese Church" at Dadar from decrepit old crumbling churches into new modern constructions.Both these churches broke down their old structures and rebuilt their edifices into the modern structures. The new construction "Portuguese Church" in Dadar was designed by famed architect Mr Charles.Correa and its ceiling of stained glass was painted by India's most famous as well as now controversially infamous painter Mr Maqbool.F.Hussain.A lot of controversy was also involved during the rebuilding of "Sacred Heart Church(Worli)" during the 1970's, mind boggling church politics between the local catholic "Koli Community" also called "East Indian Catholics" whose ancestors were the original inhabitants of Bombay converting to catholocism when it was a tiny fishing village discovered by the Portugueese.The "East Indians" of Worli village and Dadar owned large tracts of property and one of the most famous Individual catholic philanthropy has been donation of prime property to the Worli parish from the "Catharine Kinny trust", the same formed into a Worli Parish trust for the benefit of "East Indian parishioners" of "Sacred Heart Church(Worli)".Hence the "East Indian community" have "Veto Rights" in the management of the affairs of financial transactions and welfare of the Worli parish compared to other catholic communities. Late Fr Joseph.D'souza, the parish priest of Sacred Heart church who took the initiative of rebuilding a new church edifice faced numerous controversies and opposition for the church re-construction during his tenure and successfully completed the same.The most famous celebrity parishioner of Worli church is former police commissioner of Mumbai and later Director General of police of Punjab during its worst insurgency years, also a Padma Bhushan award winner, Mr Julio.F.Ribeiro.He attends the weekly mass with his wife sans any curiosity or public attention, formerly accompanied by a escort police van upto the church compound.My dad who spent most of his lifetime in Kenya , East and south African city's compared Mr Julio.Riberio's simplicity in church to former Tanzanian President, late Mr Julius.Nyrere,President of a country who attended church in Dar-es-salaam mixing freely with the common parishioners.
Visited Victoria Gardens(Veermata Jeejabai Bhosle Udyan) at Byculla on Sunday(10-2-2008) on a “Botanical excursion” conducted by B.N.H.S. I have been familiar with Victoria Gardens since 1968 and yet at the age of 47 in 2008 realised how “ILLITERATE” I was regarding the rare plants existing in the garden’s precincts.
I have never been a botanical enthusiast, the closest being planting of trees and creepers but never studying the life and growth of plants or trees unlike “Wild-life and Birds” on which I can be a guide to newcomers or tourists, having visited all the major zoo’s in the World as well as India. The B.N.H.S study excursion was conducted by Mr Naresh Chaturvedi,Dr Swapna Prabhu, Mr Hemant Tripathi and Mr Alger Fernandes with prominent botanist writer Dr Ashok Kothari being the overall consultant.There were approx 30 to 40 B.N.H.S members on the excursion and honestly I did learn to appreciate the use and importance of plants in our environment a totally new education.
Victoria Gardens as a zoological park is pathetic by our own Indian standards let alone “International zoo’s” but its “Botanical collection” is definitely a rare treasure trove and hope the same is preserved .
Staying at “Vaibhav Apts” has another hidden advantage of experiencing mountain biking, breakwater swimming and agricultural farming, all in the midst of the third most populated city in the World.
Riding to Mahatma Gandhi swimming pool on a cycle is absolutely treacherous in the peak traffic hours,I myself escaping death on one occasion.Akin to trekking in steep mountains or unknown rugged terrain, similarly, swimming in heavy rains is indescribable unless experienced. The small vegetable farm formerly owned by Sacred heart church(Worli) being gifted property by the “Kinny Family”, Mumbai’s original East Indian land owners when the city consisted of 7 islands is situated adjacent to our building. This could be the only genuine farm cultivating vegetables on land worth crores of real estate value when Mumbai was just a developing fishing village in the 19th century. The very fact that “Honey bees” had found the trees in our compound suitable as “Honey nests” producing kilo’s of pure honey was because of the farm and the partly preserved natural greenery in our locality.This farm has recently been purchased by “Lokhandwalla builders(2003)(“Shootout at Lokhandwala!?”)” and so the last of Mumbai city’s “Agricultural land” will give way to a ultra- luxury building, completing the circle of village transformation to one of the World’s costliest Megapolisis.
“Vaibhav Apartments, Old Prabhadevi road” , an “Infamous” and “Famous” Mumbai Address?A tragedy that took place in the flat above us (A/604) was reported on “Star T.V” as well as the press, the drowning of Mr Mehul and Natasha Shah’s fourteen month daughter Neona on “Superstar Libra Cruise Ship” but was known to me, a building resident only on the childs funeral day.
Today (15/12/2006) I got to know the actual tragic drowning story from the “Times Of India” as also Reza Kabuls architectural fame and since it concerned the “Shipping Industry” I am surprised at the mishap, having personally been 23 years sailing on the “High seas”.
“Star Tv” reported that a “Life-boat” taking tourists from “Star Libra” to Kadmat Island in Lakshwadeep capsized due to “Stormy seas” and in the “Times Of India”, the childs parents intend suing the “Star Cruise Lines” for “Negligent death”.
According to “Shipping Safety Rules” especially “Passenger luxury ships” every person
boarding a life-boat should wear “Life-Jackets”to prevent drowning in case of the launch or life-boat capsizing ,hence I wonder the reasons for the child drowning.
Now the only solace for the young couple is to seek “Monetary Compensation” from “Star Cruise Lines”, a very respected international cruise company as also a monetary giant, since every individual on board is insured akin to the airlines Industry.
Well , this is “Apartment life” where neighbors are acquaintances and building residents tragedies or successes are first heard from the media or gossip. This is what is known as the “Americanization” or “snobbishness” of “Chawl Living”, something which wealth and success breeds in all people of which I myself am a victim.
We were amongst the first apartment owners, hence I am well versed with the history of “Vaibhav Apartments” but would comment on only “Newspaper reports” since writing is my hobby as also “judicial probes and verdicts”. Dr Sharad Shah residing in “C-block” and the Udhani’s residing in “B-block”, akin to us, were the “Original inhabitants’ and later Dr Sharad Shah shifted from “Vaibhav” as did most of the “Original inhabitants” a common feature in every building society.
Rajesh Udani, was a kid in the 1970’s many years my junior and in those days we used to play football in the building compound, least bothered about “Celibrity or monetary status” amongst us youngsters . In 2007 he is featured in the “Times of India,june 4, 2007” edition over the tragic misdiagnosed death of his 14 year old daughter Vidhi Udani on 21/9/2006 by former building resident Dr Sharad Shah at his Mazgaon clinic. After joining shipping I was and still is totally out of touch with the building politics as well as social structure since being a loner as well as a bachelor has its own advantages and disadvantages. As we age , our friends as well as enemies evolve depending upon our financial and social status in society.
A sad fact is that Rajesh Udani and Dr Sharad Shah have known each other since they were residents in “Vaibhav apartments” in 1975 and in 2007 they both are the worst of enemies. To my knowledge it’s a rare instance where a “Practising doctor” has been sued in an “Indian court” for “Professional malpractice” and found guilty by the “Medical Tribunal” although these “Medical suits” are common in developed first World country’s like the U.S.A. In India it is very difficult to convict a “Doctor” for professional negligence or death caused due to medical mis-diagonosis, reasons being numerous and the most common being the lethargic progress of “Court Cases”.
A human life lost can never be regained but Rajesh Udani through his financial well-being and perseverance has been a rare person in setting a trend of judicial litigation in “Medical Negligence deaths”, a neglected crime in India. Tragic that the guilty criminal involved was an ex-resident and family friend as well as the upper echelons of society , a doctor by profession. Agreed, “doctors” are humans and not “Gods” hence liable to mistakes but a “Doctors” mistake can result in a “Human life” hence they are treated with utmost respect in society akin to god and rarely prosecuted for their mistakes or negligence resulting in death.
The Udani’s had a close association with the builder Mr Kishore Kanungo and in the formative years of the building were actively involved in social as well as cultural events organized in the building.
The earliest tragedy to take place in “Vaibhav” was the accidental or suicidal fall from the 5th floor of our neighbours father, an aged citizen, Mr Kamat ,sometime in the 1970’s, a grossly sight that is still vivid in my memory.
In the 1980’s the former flat owner living on the 6th floor of our block was apparently murdered by his mistress in another locality with a “Grinding stone”. This horrendous “cold-blooded murder” was sensational news since this was before the advent of “encounter deaths” and “Supari killings” in Mumbai city culminating in the “1993 bomb blasts”.The “1993 Mumbai bomb blasts” tragedy also has a “Vaibhav link” since two of the Ramodiya brothers ,a prominent family of building owners, lost their lives in the blasts and one of the Ramodiya brothers stays in “c” block. Sometime in early 2000’s Joshi living in “B” block lost his life in a fatal motorcycle accident and I remember him once giving me a lift to “M.G.M Swimming pool” on that motorcycle.
As for me , a survivor of “ 9-motorcycle road falls”, the last on 19th February 2007 almost shifting me to “Haines Road cemetery” would make even a “Psychic” unexplainable. The “Rat Invasion” of our house from January 2007 until the isolation fence made by us in the bathroom and toilet stopped them was to be seen to be believed.
A male rat has got so attached to our house that he has built a home outside the toilet fence and is least scared of us when we enter the toilet behaving like a pet white mouse, a situation that is absolutely paranormal.
In Mumbai city “Sterling Apartments” at Peddar road is considered “Haunted” since many “Unexplainable suicides and deaths” have taken place in this poshest of posh buildings and according to the factual evidence, “Vaibhav Apartments, Old Prabhadevi road” could be a close second. Rationalists would claim that every building has its history of unusual deaths since ultimately we humans can’t avoid death and hence there has to be a reason for every death . Akin to the “Bermuda Triangle” , “King Tutankhamen’s curse” or “The Hope Diamond Curse” certain buildings or houses do have a “Paranormal existence” that is unexplainable to scientific debate.
For the first time in my living memory there has been a total shut-down of the entire city’s water supply due to the main line pipe repairs from the lake reservoirs. Vaibhav apartments was one of those rare buildings whose builder Mr Kishore Kanungo had the foresight of building a well for the “Toilet water supply” of the building and in times of “water crisis” like today 27/12/06 (Wednesday) the buildings well water supply has proved efficient at least as “Wash and toilet water” and as the saying goes “Something is better than nothing”.
Posh buildings in Mumbai’s plushest localities have “water supply problems” and are a source of business to the “Water Tanker supply Industry” proving the importance and value of “vaibhav apartments” which generates its own water supply in times of crisis.
“RUDOLPH COTTAGE( Bangalore)” :- “Dreams do die and new dreams arise” can sum up our second home at “Vijaya Bank colony(Banaswadi,Bangalore)” , a brainchild of my “Investment dabbling” in the 1980’s.
In the 1980’s Bangalore was a hot topic in “Real Estate gossip” and I advised mum to check if plots were available for sale since I intended purchasing a residence for “Marriage” as our “One-Bedroom flat” would be a “Pigeon hole” once I got married.
Cousin Jayshree Ferts , a “Bangalorite”was approached for advice on buying property and co-incidentally her bank was developing land at “Banaswadi” which could be purchased by “Non-Vijaya bank Employees” and hence a plot “1200 Sq Ft” was purchased by us in 1988. In 1989 I got engaged and disengaged in “Page 3 style” followed by “Personal and professional Trauma” yet took the initiative and began construction of “Rudolph Cottage” in 1990 which in 2009 proves a “Smart investment” unlike my disastrous attempts at “MARRIAGE BLISS”.
In 1988 “Banaswadi” was akin to barren wasteland with scattered trees and we purchased that land for approx Rs 30,000 in comparison to the Rs14,000 approx for the now obsolete “National G-20 videocassette” that I purchased from Singapore. In 2009 the same land is valid at approx Rs2800/Rs 3000 per Sq ft, an appreciation unimaginable even by Mumbai’s real estate appreciation values proving that “Investment” is a matter of study, chance and luck. Our Rs14,000 investment on the “Videocassette” a “Collectors electronic item” in 1988 is today worth “Rs zero” while Rs 30,000 invested in land has appreciated to 120 times its original value!. I have personally been witness to the development of a “Township” and “Banaswadi” reminds me of the “Hong-Kong photographic exhibition” ,quote, “ See Hong-Kong before it disappears”.. Between 1988 and 2009 “Vijaya Bank colony(Banaswadi)” could rival Hong-Kong in its rapid transformation but tragically it hasn’t preserved its “Green forest cover” and I am proud to boast of being one of the few “Cottage owners” maintaining a “Authentic natural forest cover” akin to mangrove forests.
A tiny portion of natural forest land is also preserved near the railway tracks as also the ancient anthills in this tiny “land island” amongst a rapidly spreading concrete jungle.
I personally purchased saplings and planted them in our garden and at present we have a “Hibiscus rosasinesis tree”, a Guava tree with excellent fruits and the “Mangrove forests” with a “Papaya ” and “Custard apple tree” perishing during the years. In 2009. only the "Mangrove forest" and the Gauva tree are existing, the rest perishing for various reasons.
I have some very happy memories of our Bangalore years and very familiar with its main entertainment and shopping complexes. Cycling was my mode of transport, mum and myself went there at least twice a year and she did the cooking and it was typical village life with occasionally cattle grazing near the house . I even stayed alone for a month in the cottage experimenting on my culinary skills and on occasions Biju and Leonard would be there to reminisce old school days and present living conditions. Cousins Jayshree and Sheela along with their husbands Percy and Robert and children have also been visitors our country farm , “Rudolph cottage”, similarly I have visited their bungalows and some memorable party’s.
Cousin Sheela D’souza has an excellent collection of cats and has bred a family of cats in her bungalow besides maintaining a beautiful garden.
. Cousin Rocky Ferts did help me in sightseeing in Bangalore in the 1980’s during my first visits where he was residing with sister Jayshree Ferts, then unmarried, at Ulsoor in the heart of Bangalore city. Rocky Ferts my cousin expired on 28th July 2007 at Kallianpur(Mangalore) from pneumonia and he was helpful in accompanying me to the various tourist spots and pubs of Bangalore . I still remember the Bangalore of the 1980’s and early 1990’s, a real authentic “Pensioners paradise” and not the traffic congested concrete jungle that it is gradually converting into, something explaining the word “global warming”. Among my cousins I was more familiar with Rocky since he lived at our Byculla residence as well as Prabhadevi residence in Mumbai, besides we both were bachelors and he resembled a jockey in physical stature and his dad had also owned a race-horse at Mahalaxmi race-course during the “Maharajah era”. Tragedy of Rocky’s life was that he never utilized his immense knowledge and university degree for a suitable employment, was a prolific liquor drinker akin to my present day, post 1990’s “Heart Attack gamboling” vice, reasons known to him and hope he was happy in his final vocation as a private tutor in Kallianpur.Besides Rocky, amongst my male family relatives , i was more familiar with Steven.D'silva and Martin.furtado, whom i initially met during my holiday vacations in Mangalore in a total different rustic life of farming.Both my grandparents were farmers and numerous childhood holidays were spent at my ancestral paternal and maternal homes along with my cousins, uncles and aunts.Steven.D'silva, an excellent angler and myself would go on 'air-gun hunts" in my maternal ancestral home at Mabukala while in my paternal ancestral home,Martin , much senior to me would guide us around the village, swimming in the river being a main attraction.It used to be fun in the 1970's during holidays in Mangalore, meeting and mingling with all my cousins as well as indulging in the sport of "air-gun hunting", hence, even today i am very familiar with Mangalorean local culture and village life.Today, in 2011, i am an excellent swimmer, "Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Olympic pool" at Shivaji park being my playground, but, i learnt the basics of swimming in the river of barkur and Mabukala with my cousins.Most of my paternal as well as maternal cousins all migrated to city's in the late 1970's and early 1980's, typical first generation "City immigrants". Mr Martin.Furtado migrated to Mumbai and became a successful first generation entrepreneur of our family without holding any fancy degree nor financial capital, just a minimal rustic educational background and an ambition to make it rich in the city of dreams, a role model to budding rustic entrepreneurs.Akin to late Rocky.Ferts, myself and Martin are the only "Old World Bachelors" of our family tree, reasons for Martin being a bachelor are a mystery to me as he is financially wealthy and has no intoxicating vices unlike late Rocky.Ferts or myself.In Orthodox Manglorean society as in normal Indian middle class society, being a bachelor or a spinster is a handicap in social circles, the person is usually pestered as reasons for remaining unmarried or becomes a topic of ridicule."Marriage", good or bad is considered mandatory although divorces and "Live-In relationships" are no more frowned upon as they were about 2 decades ago when i broke off an engagement , remaining a bachelor since then.As for me, i am absolutely happy being "Single", although it does has its handicaps as does a normal marriage.My city bred cousins, younger than me , have managed to acquire reputed college degrees and a few have migrated to the "Developed World",typical of brilliant or financially well-off students of my generation, before India itself became a fast developing economy, post "1992 Economic Liberalisation". Mum took a lot of physical trouble to build "Rudolph Cottage", travelling frequently between Mumbai and Banglore since our builder harassed us in construction work and also overcharged us, besides, I was confined to sailing at sea and hence not on land to supervise the house construction. A house that is normally constructed within 6 months took us 5 years to build, akin to building a monument or a huge housing complex. Mum expired in 2004 and the entire scenario of “Rudolph cottage” changed with the maintenance of two houses becoming difficult for me to maintain and hence I kept tenants since December 2005, all computer professionals. Anish Kuriachi the present tenant is the oldest having lived in the house since December 2005 and is expected to emigrate to U.S.A in July 2007. Anish migrated to U.S.A and at present Mr Jatheesh Nambiar a former tenant who went to England in-between has returned and is staying at “Rudolph cottage” and he also migrated to better job prospects in 2008 with Mr Baiju.Joseph being the present oldest resident.
On one of my visit to Bangalore(6/6/07 to 12/6/07) I decided to do some “Sting operation” on Bangalore’s “Prostitution Industry!” since I always wondered as to the reasons for a mega polis city like Bangalore not having the equivalent of Mumbai’s “Falkland road, Pilla house, Shukhlaji street” or Calcutta’s “Sonagachi” since all men don’t have girlfriends or wives and not all single men are homosexuals!
Learnt that the infamous “Brigade Gardens” on par with Mumbai’s “Topaz dance bar” had changed its name to “Paradise” and now dealt only in a live orchestra and not “Mujra dances” since the Bangalore police had banned the same akin to Mumbai.
A Rickshaw driver took me on a “Whoring tourism” for a decent sum of Rs 300 and was a honest person in a dishonest illegal business as sophisticated as Bangalore’s “Information Technology Industry”. In Bangalore, the brothel keeper is contacted on phone by the Rickshawala and he arrives in a car with a few whores in the backseat at a given location. The customer then enters the car, selects a girl and takes her to a hotel for the night, average payments ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 8000. The whores that were introduced to me were pathetic girls and I honestly sympathized for their bonded labour, but then, that’s life in an unequal world where everyone earns a living from a dishonest business including the exploited whores! I declined the girls and thanked the Rickshawala for the generous informative ride through Bangalore’s posh areas, most famous being “Ramaiah hospital” a huge hospital complex and “Sadashiv Nagar”, home to late Kannada superstar Raj Kumar.
Circumstances and situations change and so also have mine, I have now put “Rudolph cottage” for sale as it is difficult for me to maintain two houses, besides we are a family becoming extinct ourselves ! Public Transport in Bangalore is the major problem and rickshaws are a real luxury with normal day travel between my house and M.G road costing Rs 100 approx at 1 ½ times the normal fare(2007), a normal way to fleece tourists or Non-Bangalorites. The buyer might demolish the cottage and either build a new bungalow or even a small building since the majority of Old Bangalore houses and land akin to Bandra’s cottages and Mumbai’s mills are being demolished for malls or fancy buildings. Finally only the photographic memories would linger and akin to the Hong Kong old building photographic exhibition, “See Rudolph Cottage before it is demolished”, a rare cottage that took 5 years to build!.
No Planning is Best Planning!:- 24/12/2006(Sunday) on Christmas eve a surprising totally unplanned series of events made it a memorable day. As usual was at 2nd home (Mahalaxmi race-course) in the afternoon and witnessed Southern Empire’s fluent win in the “Johnnie walker 2000 guineas grade 1 race”, the entire racing day being sponsored by “Johnnie walker co”.
Later went to Mumbai’s latest mall “Atria” and really felt a festive cosmopolitan atmosphere with beautiful X’Mas decorations and a huge X’ Mas tree besides a throng of shoppers. First time in my life witnessed the creation of a “Guiness World Record” where a group of six Indian classical musicians who were playing musical instruments since 22/12/06 broke the 50 hrs record set previously in front of a packed audience on the 3rd floor. The continuous singing of “Carol songs” at the entrance foyer by local singers and a classic finale with Indian /Australian singer Bobby Cash (The only successful Indian Country singer export to Australia) made it a memorable Christmas eve without intoxicating booze.
The “Artificial atmosphere” at the Atria mall as also in other malls in Mumbai has really transformed Mumbai’s image in the International city’s of universal entertainment.
The average Indian can experience the pleasures of “Foreign travel luxuries” in the shopping malls of our city’s a real transformation considering that pre-1991 the only “Malls” were small department stores of which the now extinct “Century Bazaar” and "Akbarallys " were the biggest and fanciest.
New Year 2007 was celebrated by “Stag Rudolph” at the “Starboard Lounge, Taj Mahal Hotel” since it is one of the few classic top restaurants that allow “Singles”, and not “COUPLES ONLY!”,a discrimination unique and common in most eminent discotheques and hotels in Mumbai. I am also not a "Homosexual" and hence unaccepted in "Drag Parties", a bizarre case of the "Lonesome George syndrome"!It was a memorable “New Year 2007” with a variety of booze ( Patiala peg style), D.J Music, and a truly International cosmopolitan crowd. The party began at approximately 2100 hrs and continued upto 0400 hrs and at age 46 tested my physical and social compatibility, reaching home safely in the morning.
New Year-2011:- Saturday(1-1-2011) was the quietest and most sober New Year of my life ever since i began consumption of liquor.Decades of "Binge-Drinking"had made me realise that just drinking to death on one particular auspicious day or event was akin to living in a "Fools Paradise" thinking that tomorrow would be normal.Touche! Topi!Went for a long "Motorcycle Ride" with my camera through Mumbai on New Years eve and had a ice-cream at "Baskin Robbins(Marine Lines)" and a snack at "Sukh Sagar Restaurant" near Churchgate for the New Year-2011.The most humble and simple New Year of my life during adulthood. Returned home absolutely sober at approx 0130 hrs and went to sleep getting up the next day without a "Hangover".
22% of India’s population is on “Poverty level” and in India’s richest industrialized state Maharashtra , farmer suicides(2005-06) due to poverty is endemic yet ironically “property prices” are at its zenith in Mumbai as also in other Indian metropolitan city’s. This is a strange paradox that is uniquely, “Indian” where the extremely poor and rich co-exist inspite of “Horror Disparities” of living conditions and education.
I myself if unable to maintain my “Annual income” would be “Phased out” from posh Prabhadevi and I am terrified at the thought of “Re-settling” having spent my entire life within “Downtown Mumbai”. At my age and being my own boss, adjustment to a new living environment would be painful but possible.
I repeat my quote (copyright), “Invention of the automobile has replaced the horse-carriage, similarly economic progress will replace human living standards and social conditions, change is an irreversible process”.As humans we either adjust to social and economic changes or perish , yes it’s a real tough survival.
I have and will always be a “SPORTSMAN” at heart as well as “Occupation!” through “Sports betting”, case of a passion becoming a means of livelihood.
Soccer, boxing and athletics were my initial sports at school and later progressed onto swimming and cycling as also horse-racing. Strangely, cricket as a sport was as alien to me as base-ball although “Shivaji Park’, India’s Cricket capital is only a walking distance from my house. Only after the invention of “One Day Cricket” did I get to study the sport from a financial angle of “Betting!” since being a “horse-racing punter” I realized “One-Day cricket” speculation had better dividends than “Stock market Day trading”, equivalent to a normal “9 to 5 job!?” or “ family Business!”.
Cycling has been a passion with me which is a strange phenomenon for an Indian since “Cycling” as a monetary sport is almost non-existent in India with the “Mumbai- Pune cycle race” being the most prestigious sport with a prize money of Rs25,000 in 2007!A imported “Racing cycle” costs approx Rs 4 to Rs 5 Lakhs in Mumbai and competing for Rs 25,000 prize money would be an insult to the bike’s manufacturers unless the competitors were India’s super-rich on a leisurely “Mumbai to Pune travel”.
On Friday(14-1-2011) i enlisted my name paying a fee of Rs 382 at the payment counter of "Landmark Mall" in Phoenix highstreet(Parel) for riding in the "Green Ride-15Kms" of the "Mumbai Cyclothon-2011",a token gesture at the age of 50.Being a life-long cyclist, a freak hobby in Mumbai, a city totally cricket crazy and "vehicle status conscious" its really wonderfull to see an International cycling event like the "Mumbai Cyclothon" take place in one's own life-time. Lance Armstrong’s biography “Its not about the bike” is according to me a mandatory reading book for every human, irrespective of being a cycle enthusiast, poor, rich or a couch potato. I am a book-worm having and still reading numerous travel catalogues ,technical books, biographies, encyclopedia’s, Internet wikepedia’s, fiction novels, sports literature, crime analytical literature and last but not the least, the original reading material, the daily “Newspaper”.
As a blogger on various topics under the sun, keeping abreast with the latest news, innovations, style and society trends heilps in keeping me in touch with reality, both controversial and non-controversial.The reason I rank Lance Armstrong’s book on a pedestal could be for the similarities between his and my life although, at different wealth, social and celebrity status.We all humans like to see a "Mirror-Image" of ourselves in our "Hero's" and at times also secretely admiring the "villains", hence no story, film or a real life saga among humans is complete without the polarisations of "Hero's" and "Villains", depending on an individuals outlook to society values and life.Finally realised my dream of participating in a genuine cycle race, contesting in the "28Kms amateur ride" of Mumbai Cyclothon-2011 on Sunday(13-2-2011). I have written a blog on the event, absolutely thrilled at completing the entire race-circuit with loads of reserve energy.Not bad at age 50!
My mother expired in January 2004 after almost a year of battle with “Breast Cancer” and I closely observed the horrific medical treatment of “Cancer chemotherapies” and its after-effects as also the various cancer patients in “Tata Cancer Memorial hospital”. Lance has been absolutely honest about the treatment of cancer patients and its psychological scars as also the monetary costs involved, thankfully he was a rare case of “Cancer survival” in the final stages. My mum expired at the age of 65 having lived a fruitful life but Lance Armstrong contracted cancer at the age of 25, the prime of human youth and for Armstrong the pinnacle of sporting success, hence his psychological turmoil of a “death sentence stay order”.
As far as my knowledge of “Sporting comebacks”, no individual in the history of “COMPETITIVE SPORTS” has ever won laurels after recovery from a terminal sickness like cancer or a near death accident.
Lance Armstrong’s recovery as well as his post-cancer training schedule to finally win the 1999 Tour-De-France is the stuff of “Ripley’s believe it or not”, a source of inspiration to the common human let alone a professional sportsperson. Armstrongs honesty in admitting his infertility due to cancer chemotherapy and later his efforts to father a child with his wife Kristin Richard through “artificial insemination” demystifies “Sterility and childlessness”, a taboo subject to the average male or female let alone a World famous celebrity sportsperson.
Akin to “International horse-racing” I have always kept in touch with the “Tour-De- France”, a strange unique spectator sport for an Indian where cycling is considered a poor mans transport and Lance Armstrong another inconsequential sporting name besides India’s Cricket Megastars.
I have cycled “Marathon distances” in Bangalore and Mumbai as a hobby and for sightseeing, the fact being that mum wouldn’t let me purchase a “motorcycle”, hence “Necessity was the mother of invention!” In Bangalore I have cycled the length and breadth of the city covering vast distances and in the process familiarizing myself with the city including my favourite haunt, the Bangalore race-course. The “Hero hawk racer cycle” I presently own was purchased at Commercial Street in Bangalore in the 1990’s and later brought to Mumbai by bus having cycled with “back packer luggage” to Majestic Bus depot(Bangalore) and then by bus to Mumbai. Unlike Mumbai, public transport was and still is a major problem in Bangalore hence my cycling was a real necessity besides a source of sightseeing. I had learned car driving in 1987 and also obtained a “Car driving license” but the fact that I was almost 6 to 8 months sailing during those years prevented me from purchasing a car since dad was too old to drive and mum didn’t learn driving. I developed into a “Long distance cycle rider” initially out of Necessity, and later on possessing a “Motorcycle” in 2004 as a hobby.Have finally realised my ambition of at least feeling the experience of competing in a cycle race having registered for the "Mumbai Cyclothon-2011" to be held on Sunday(13-2-2011).The "Mumbai Cyclothon" had its inaugural year in 2010 with some of the Worlds top cyclists paricipating and it was a "Cycling carnival Atmosphere" at the "Bandra Reclamation grounds", something unbelievable in cycle unfriendly Mumbai roads.As for me, although i didn't participate, managed to create "cycling awareness" by means of photographs and video's, posting the same on the internet.In 2011 i decided to participate and hence registered myself initially for the "15Kms Green ride" at "Landmark mall" in Phoenix highstreet at Parel. On Friday(11-2-2011) i had to personally go to "M>E.T Grounds" at "Bandra Reclamation" to register and collect my "Identity Number".After interacting with some fellow participants decided to participate in the "28Kms" ride since that route is through the "Bandra-Worli sea-link", a scenic route, besides i was not competing for a prize but for the simple experience of being in a World class event."Destiny" again played a vital role in my participation in the "28Kms Cyclothon" as after registering for the "15Kms Green Ride" and collecting my "Competitors Nos 3510" i had to again cancel the event entry for registration in the "28Kms Cyclothon".For Re-registration for the "28Kms Cyclothon" the same nos 3510 had to be produced and suddenly i realised that i had either lost or misplaced the same, hence would either have to "Re-register" paying fees of Rs 382 again, something i detested as i was just participating for the fun and experience at a grand young athletic age of 50.The event organiser guides were helpful in helping me find the number and consoling my depression on the fate of destiny, trying to help me compete since i had already paid the fees of Rs 382.Finally, just as i was about to leave the "Registration Centre" disappointed for not being able to compete i suddenly found my number on one of the registration tables, sheer destiny and the rest as they say is history.Will be competing in the "28kms cyclothon" on Sunday(13-2-2011), the first competition after donkeys years as a commuter cyclist.Now readers would realise my reasons for being a firm believer in "DESTINY" as it has definitely played a very important role throughout my life, beginning from chilhood to the present era.
In 2009 riding a cycle on Mumbai’s streets is an invitation for an accident since unlike European city’s, Mumbai roads do not have “Cycle tracks” and have to compete with motor vehicular traffic for road space. Today the maximum road cycling that I do is to “Mahatma Gandhi Swimming Pool” opposite Shivaji park where I swim or to the “Mahalaxmi race-course” and honestly I dread the dangerous rides due to heavy vehicular traffic. Closure of the "M.G.M.O pool" since june 2009 has left me with no other alternative but cycling as a sport to keep me fit and hence at times i regularly cycle from my residence and back via worli hill, the steep inclination providing strenuos exercise.
Once somewhere in 2005 a car just ran over the front wheel of my cycle near Sayani road and literally sped off, a hit and run case and a miraculous save for me as I jumped off the cycle on seeing the vehicle speed towards me. My front wheel was totally twisted and had to be reshaped but still in use as also my cycling.
Photograhed below was my “Marathon cycle ride” from home at Prabhadevi to the “Taj Mahal Hotel” in Colaba and even further upto “Navy Nagar”.
Cycling is the best mode of transport for leisurely sightseeing but sadly its becoming extinct in Indian city’s due to a lack of road space as well as lack of enthusiasm from “Cycle road racers”. Strange but true is the fact that “Road cycling” is an “Elite sport” of developed country’s and not a mode of cheap common transport with statistics to prove the facts. All “Cycling Tour –De- Winners” are from wealthy country’s with Europeans being the patrons of the sport reasons being quite obvious to any individual who has visited European Country’s. Among Asian Country’s, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia have their own “Tour-De- Races” which are internationally televised and also with international competitors.
Those were the days in the 1990’s and early 2000’s where I “EXPLORED” Mumbai and Bangalore on a cycle, vivid in my mind is the past mid-night cycle ride after a “Mujra dance exhibition” at “Brigade Gardens hotel”, Bangalore’s infamous nightspot at Brigade road approximately a 45 minutes bicycle ride from my house in Banaswadi . This route was infested with highway robbers according to newspaper reports who thankfully must have viewed me as a poor Indian unfit to rob since i was riding a bicycle and not a car or mobike!
I have never been a “Dance Bar patron” as its not my cup of tea since my entertainment and relaxation is“Rock & pop shows”, “horse-racing” as also drama and movies.
“Brigade Gardens” was the only late night “dance bar” with live Hindi music in Bangalore, a classy place akin to “Topaz Bar” and its crorepati bargirls at Grant road in Mumbai made infamous by scamster Abdul Telgi , and hence my visit due to curiosity and scandal.
ELECTIONS, VOTING AND "VOTING REGISTRATION CHAOS":- I have been a regular voter since the age of 21 in every election , be it "Lok Sabha',"Maharashtra State assembly" or "Municipal Elections"."Politics" was a subject i had taken in "Arts" and my subject of interest during my ambitions of becoming a "LAWYER" in 1978. Destiny took a turn and i became a "Marine engineer" diverting all my "Mental Brawn" onto a sea-faring career, finally rising to the rank of "Second Engineer(2/Eng)" in the "Mercantile Merchant Navy".Spare time on board ships on cumbersome long voyages of 15 days or over were spent on "Reading" anything from "backdated newspapers" and "magazines" to biographies and novels. I can comfortably call myself an arm-chair politician since "History" was one of my pet subjects.Hence the tendency to express my Franchise in every and any election that concerned me. Post 2006 , after permenantly retiring from "Sea-sailing" due to various factors i took up to "Cyber-blogging" as a way to keep myself informed and active, besides educating others as well as educating myself through others blogs.The "Maharashtra State elections -2009" on Tuesday(13-10-2009) proved to be a bouncer to me as i found my name missing from all the local contesting party election locality census sheets, strange for a person living for 34 years in the same building and locality since 1975.Normal voting booth for "Vaibhav Apartments" at Old Prabhadevi road is on the 1st floor of "Adarsh English High School" in Kalpataru Building, a 2 mins walk from my building.Prior to the "Lok Sabha Elections -2009" some election census officials had come to my residence during my absence and given some forms for "Voters correction", since both my parents had expired and hence their names had to be deleted from the voting registry. I voted for the "Lok Sabha-2009" elections and found no discrepancy but was surprised on inquiry at "Kalpataru Building" with the "election officer" after producing my "Election Identity Card" that our entire family's name was mistakenly registered in a different building, hence the normal omission in "Party Registers lists".I took down the details of my registry no 221/37 and made my way to the 1st floor voting booth.I felt like a "V.I.P" in the voting booth as there was again confusion regarding finding my name on the "Voters Register" and in fact i personally guided them to my name and also the error in my residential adress.Finally, i voted and returned home , a wiser person regarding political voting confusion.
"Era of 'PACKAGED TOURS AND TRAVELS'" :- As mentioned in previous blogs, post "Sea-Sailing Retirement" the "Wanderlust" of exploring new places and visiting new city's has become a source of "Self-entertainment" as well as "self-Education", later blogging my experiences for the benifit of other travellers and back-packers. Visited the "Times of India Travel Fair" at the "Bandra-Kurla Complex" on Friday(29-1-2010) with an entrance fee of Rs 50 and the visit opened a gold-mine of "travel Information" under a "Single Roof", definitely worth the "Entrance ticket".Some of the best travel companies of the Country had their stalls and were really helpfull in explaining the intricacies and costs of tours conducted by them, something unheard prior to "1992 Economic Liberalisation". I was in search of a cheap packaged tour to Europe costing within a lakh of rupees but had difficulty in finding a "Travel Companion" as being "Single" meant extra hotel costs and i never spend on 'Costly hotels or lodges" on tours as i feel it totally is a waste of money since the accommodation is only used in the night for sleeping, besides, i am unmarried and hence no "HONEYMOONS" in hotels as is the norm with most couples travelling on "Packaged Tours". I took a chance by registering with "Thomas Cook Tours" for their "Europe on a Budget tour(12 days) with a "NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT" of Rs 1000 as registration charges for the tour. The tour operators assured me that they would try their level best to find another single tourist who could be accommodated with me, besides, i gave them a 'Time Margin" of 3 to 4 months for accommodating me in their "Tour Package".The disadvantages of "Bachelorhood" are realised on such occasions and i hope akin to the "Holy Land Tour" which i underwent with "Mosiac Tours" in 2008 i do find a co-traveller .As a former "sea-farer" i don't find it difficult mingling with strangers or making new acquaintances as Mr Stephen.Lewis my co- hotel roommate of "Mosiac Tours" would vouch for the same, the "Merchant Navy" educates you in living and mingling with different cultures, nationalities or sex.Ultimately, i do hope "Thomas Cook" do find a travel mate at the earliest and hope to travel to Europe between April to June-2010.Came back from the "Travel Exhibition" with a load of "Travel and Tourism Literature", enough to start my own "Travel Agency"!The memory of "Red-Tapism" involved in converting Indian rupees into 100 US Dollars, at Mumbai airport in 1995 while flying to Tehran to join the ship "Nand Rati(Essar Shipping)" seems like a JOKE" in 2010, where "FOREIGN TRAVEL" by "Middle-Class Indians" has become as common as a vacation to any common "Indian hill Station"."HAVE MONEY, WILL GO ON A FOREIGN JAUNT, IS THE NEW MANTRA OF THE AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS INDIAN".
JANUARY,THURSDAY THE 13TH, TWO THOASAND AND ELEVEN(13-1-2011):-Strangely, of all the days in my life, i would remember this particular day as it was one of the worst days in my life in recent years since i started maintaining a personal diary blog.On the way to the race-course dropped by at our "Second Family Home" at "St Peters Cemetery" in Mahalaxmi to check the installation of my parents "Ceramic Portraits" on our "Family Gravesite".Our "Family Gravesite" , purchased on a 30 year lease was modelled from a "South African Family gravesite(Gunns family)" with a little bit of my own innovative designs , one of the best graves in the cemetery, akin to a "First World Grave" seen in films , Switzerland or developed christian country's.The "Ceramic Portraits" were not installed despite having paid and ordered for the same almost a fortnight ago and sincerely hoped that the "Undertakers" were not planning to install my posthumous photograph along with my parents,completing the "Family Grave residence", such was my anger at the delay.From St Peters cemetery drove to the race-course and decided to try the accuracies of "PROFESSIONAL HORSE-RACING TIPSTERS". In the "HR Shantidas Trophy" a 3 horse race, bet on the "www.indiarace.com" internet racing tipsters favourite of the day, "Living the Dream" which came last in the race, the public favourite "Moon Star" winning at odds of 80/100.Lost all my previous horse-race winnings in just 3 races at the Mahalaxmi race-course on very fancied horses,all favourites,most famous being "Clinton" @ 60/100(Played Place,came 4th) and "Maddox" @70/100(Played Win, Came 2nd) losing on "Luck" rather than "Horse-racing corruption" as we gullible punters often complain as reasons for being tagged "losers"!.An elderly Anglo-Indian gentleman at the race-course, a familiar "common face in the racing crowd" accosted me with "Racing Tips" although he himself knows me by face as a "never-say-die" punter at the tracks, still "ALIVE' despite lakhs of rupees of losses.He gave me a few tips as i just wanted to test his "Bragging Rights" as quoted by ex-boxer and now Pigeon racing fancier Mike.Tyson.This gentleman usually attired in traditional formal clothes with the trade-mark tie had an air of a "Self -Important horse racing soothsayer" always saying his "Predictions" were true after the completion of a race, the typical "but i told you so" phenomenon common amongst race-course punters.Since he genuinely seemed to hobnobble with all the multi-billionaires gracing the "Members Enclosure" from which we common punters are segregated, besides, seeming to be on first hand names with jockeys and some owners, i decided to test his "Prediction skills" .He brought back my school reminisces of late "Pegasus alias Cecil.Hendricks", the famous horse-racing correspondent of "Times of India(1962 -?)" whose writings got me interested in "Horse-racing" as a youngster.Cecil's brother late Ron.Hendricks was the famous sports editor of "Indian Express Newspapers ", a talented family of Anglo-Indian sports journalists whose children were my contemporaries at 'Christ church School(Byculla)" in the 1970's .To me, he is either an under-cover "C.I.A Operative","R.A.W Operative" , "Racing Journalist" ,or a "Horse con-man akin to Maddox" since he genuinely roams around the race-course with an air of authority like the unofficial "Police Commissioner of Mumbai",besides, speaking fluent marathi, very rare for an "Anglo-Indian".I wonder how much money he bets on his own tips? Touche! Topi!For the first time in my life i tested his "TIPPING ACCURACY" and honestly,in hindsight, i have beaten him by miles on an average,although a loser and despite no "Inside Information(KHABBAR)".I now realise the reasons for manny billionaire horse-owners, trainers, jockeys,members or people closely connected to the horse-racing Industry going bankrupt in this unforgiving sport of "Money Power" throughout its history,most contracting the fatal sickness of "Horse-racing Overconfidence".No wonder i am a target of "Invisible Enemies" at the race-tracks, once having been robbed of Rs 11,000 by the "Bookie Lobby" of "Lachman Raj & Co" and today my "Cell-phone" was robbed from the motorcycle in the race-course parking lot.After the last race of the day at 1730 hrs, on returning to my bike found the side-dicky box broken and my cheap nokia phone missing.This phone had no monetary value, the cheapest model used by the lowest income group in India, yet, someone broke into it proving some undecipherable hatred towards my presence at the "Mahalaxmi Race-course' on gambolling racing days.Since ages i have been keeping my "Cell-Phone' in my motorcycle dicky whenever attending races and today was the first instance of vandalism against my personal belongings at the Mahalaxmi race-course.Later on returning home i quickly approached the "Vodaphone Office" at Prabhadevi and told them to disconnect my "Sim Card" and issue a new card.Switching on the television realised that the "Bombay stock Exchange" had nose-dived wiping a few lakhs from my portfolio, a totally disastrous day in all aspects and not one particular incident.Thanks to my "Family" at home which consists of my house care-taker Sabina.Dias and my 3 non-human companions, traditional Persian cats Matahari,Matata and parakeet Mittoo that i manage to relax my frustrations and disappointments, the eternal optimist,living on the proverb "Tomorrow is always another day" inspite of all the troubles the previous day.Touche! Topi! On Saturday(15-1-2011), i purchased a new cheapest "Nokia phone" for Rs1350 having "F.M" music, excellent to my taste.Strangely and Bizarrely, as the cost of living rises yearly with inflation, most notably petrol, the reverse is true for "Electronic products" with "Cellphones" and "Computers" decreasing in prices with added inventions every corresponding year.Thank God for the small mercies to the average Indian consumer.Got a new "Sim Card" from the Vodafone office at Prabhadevi and as suspected the miscreants who broke into my "Motorcycle Dicky" are my "Invisible enemies" and made me realise my importance in "Betting Society".First the "Bookie Lobby" trying to evict me by dubious means from the "Mahalaxmi race-course ring" and next "Toughies" breaking into my motorcycle locker and vandalizing my cell-phone.Yes, i am important and feel envious as well as embarrassed of the same. Astronaut as a profession, a childhood ambition:-On Monday( 23-4-2012) attended a lecture by American Astronaut Marsha.Ivins at the "Nehru Planetarium" in Mumbai.As a young nine year old boy remember queuing the street with my paternal uncle Winnie.Furtado to watch Apollo 11 crew consisting of Astronauts Neil.Armstrong, Edwin.Aldrin and Michael.Collins visit Bombay city on 16th October 1969.I had dreams of becoming an "ASTRONAUT" as a youngster, a common ambition of most youngsters of my generation brought up during the "COLD WAR" years of the "SPACE RACE" and its publicity.Hence, at the grand young age of 52 years was privileged to come face to face with one of my childhood idols, a real life astronaut Miss Marsha.Ivins.The talk was sponsored by American center and the space lecture and photographic display was fantastic, space travel and space living explained in simple English by Astronaut Marsha.Ivins. Surprisingly, the auditorium was not filled to capacity, something i anticipated ,although most of the audience consisted of children, most below the age of ten, reminding me of 1969 when as a child i had stood on the pavements of Byculla to get a glimpse of the first astronauts to land on the moon.Today in 2012, "SPACE EXPLORATION" is not the topic of glamour interest of most children as it was in 1969, the modern idols of technology being innovators of the "Internet Era", the greatest invention of the modern era in human history.Astronaut Marsha.Ivins resembled a woman jockey in stature, short, slim and delicate which proves that space travel doesnt require brawn but peak physical fitness. She had spent 55 days in space and been on 5 space flights in her long career of 36 years at the Lyndon.B.Johnson space center.I felt like a school kid in front of her, manny school kids also seated next to me, listening to the lecture and photographic display .After the lecture there was a question and answer session where astronaut Marsha.Ivins answered queries from the audience. I put forward the topic of commercialization of space travel and entrepreneur Richard.Branson's founding of a tourist space travel programme and if there would be competitors to Mr Branson's space travel company.She answered my query stating that another private company would soon be venturing into tourist space travel and hence Mr Richard.Branson would have some competition and space travel would not be a monopoly enterprise by a single entrepreneur.Later Took her autograph,a rare autograph in my collection. Finally with age and maturity realized that i didn't have the "Brains" to become a "N.A.S.A" traveller, but pursued my childhood dream of exploring places and hence later a career in shipping and now a solo-backpacker traveller cum blogger.Realized that i did have the "BRAINS" for writing and adventure travel , hence have become a "Land and Sea Traveller".If there is one thing that might elude my "BRAGGING RIGHTS" on travel then it would be "Submarine Travel" and "Space Travel".I have displayed a list of the lucky few billionaires who have traveled to space as tourists, courtesy "Wikipedia". Space tourist Nationality Year Duration of flight Flight Amount paid (USD) 1. Dennis Tito American 2001 8 days (Apr 28 РMay 6) Launch: Soyuz TM-32 Return: Soyuz TM-31 $20 million[18] 2. Mark Shuttleworth South African 2002 11 days (Apr 25 РMay 5) Launch: Soyuz TM-34 Return: Soyuz TM-33 $20 million[19] 3. Gregory Olsen American 2005 11 days (Oct 1 РOct 11) Launch: Soyuz TMA-7 Return: Soyuz TMA-6 $20 million[20] 4. Anousheh Ansari Iranian / American 2006 12 days (Sept 18 РSept 29) Launch: Soyuz TMA-9 Return: Soyuz TMA-8 $20 million[21] 5. Charles Simonyi[22] Hungarian / American 2007 15 days (Apr 7 РApr 21) Launch: Soyuz TMA-10 Return: Soyuz TMA-9 $25 million[23] 2009 14 days (Mar 26 РApr 8) Launch: Soyuz TMA-14 Return: Soyuz TMA-13 $35 million[23] 6. Richard Garriott[24] American / British 2008 12 days (Oct 12 РOct 23) Launch: Soyuz TMA-13 Return: Soyuz TMA-12 $30 million[25] 7. Guy Lalibert̩ Canadian 2009 11 days (Sept 30 РOct 11) Launch: Soyuz TMA-16 Return: Soyuz TMA-14 $35 million[26] The astronomical cost of a single flight into space, the cheapest being 20 million U.S Dollars makes us normal terra-firma humans realize the accomplishment of Marsha.Ivins, a 5 times space traveler.Thanks a lot Marsha.Ivins, for making space travel knowledge available to the common human.
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| Viewing the transition of planet Mercury at Worli Sea-Face in Mumbai. |
Monday(9-5-2016) OBSERVING THE TRANSITION OF PLANET MERCURY ON THE SOLAR DISC IN MUMBAI :- "Been Here, Done that, seen that" in my own backyard of Worli Seaface in Mumbai. Witnessed the transition of planet "MERCURY " across the sun through powerful telescopes installed at the sea-face promenade by the "Nehru Planetarium".The staff and students of the Planetarium were extremely helpful in explaining the transition phase and the view seen through the powerful telescopes. For the first time in my life gazed into the heavens through a telescope to view a rare phenomenon visible in India.A few astronomers had set their own private telescopes to view and photograph the occurence..Also got to view the various methods of viewing the Sun without getting blind through reflection method which can be seen even through ordinary binoculars on a common handkerchief. The same was demonstrated by Nehru Planetarium Director Mr Arvind.Paranjpe. The press was in full view as also a lot of the youth.A few photo's.This event occurs only 13 times in a century and next visible in 2019 and 2032.In 2019 it won't be visible from India so its definitely my first and last view of a important celestial occurence of our planet.
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| "ALL SOULD DAY(Saturday 2-11-2013)":- Parents grave in "St Peters Haines Road Cemetery in Mumbai. |
SUPERSTITIOUS WEDNESDAY 12-12-2012 :- WHAT I DID ON AUSPICIOUS WEDNESDAY 12-12-2012(Once in a hundred years occurrence, next being 1 January 2101!):- Had a 500meters swim at M.G.M.O pool in the morning.Squid /Pork Paya with Chota peg Smirnoff for lunch.Whats life without a small
occasional drink on an auspicious day ! In the afternoon rode to
"Haines road Cemetery(Mahalaxmi)" and paid the "Family Grave" annual
maintenance charges since we all have to die some day.From Haines road
went to Mahalaxmi race-course to buy a "Cole Book", Mumbai's horse racing encyclopaedia for races on
Thursday(13-12-2012) to celebrate 22 years of regular visits to the
Mumbai race-course.From the race-course rode to Kemps Corner and had a
"Head/Shoulder Massage" at the posh Rudra Spa, the first time in my
life that i ever had a "Official massage".The "Massage" was excellent
and would advice executives mostly confined to desk jobs to at least
have a complete 4 hours massage at "Rudra Spa" which costs around Rs
4500.If you are the outdoors type involved in active sports then a
massage is a waste of money, just a ego trip.From Rudra rode up the 10th
costliest street in the World, "ALTAMONT ROAD". Climbing and weaving
past this road felt i was in another Country, a First world city, just
fascinatingly beautiful and rich.Stopped in front of the gate of
costliest building in the World, "Antilia" owned by Mr Mukesh.Ambani of
"Reliance Industry"and was lucky to see the hydraulic gates open to
let a car inside. There were some beautiful statues at the entrance
inside the towering gates. "ANTILIA" is on the "TOURIST MAP" for
visitors visiting the city .From Antilia it was a long ride home to
Prabhadevi and as usual onto the computer with the cats asleep and
parakeet mittoo exercising in the house gallery. The recent unbelievable
robbery on the 4th floor of my building which was in the newspapers
has shaken my confidence a bit,but than, nothing in life is totally safe .
THIS WAS MY 12-12-12 DAY ROUTINE..
Saturday(16-11-2013)Cricketer Sachin.Tendulkar "SIGNS OFF(RETIRES)" from the "CRICKET WORLD" at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai:--Is my lifestyle at present a replica of the Hollywood movie "LIFE OF PI" ? At times i feel my house is a "SHIP" and myself along with my pets and housekeeper Sabina.Dias striving to keep the ship afloat and profitable.After my retirement from the "Shipping Industry" at the young age of 46 years and adjusting to a life as a a "Self- Styled businessman" its been a total "ADVENTURE", akin to a game ,to keep myself reasonably wealthy and physically active.Cricket was never my favourite game unlike majority of us Indians, myself being a footballer and athletics man.I did know the names of all the prominent cricketers while growing up as every Bombayite held a "Transistor" radio during a cricket match during the early 1970's.The introduction of "One Day cricket" aroused my interest in the sport and gradually became familiar with Sachin.Tendulkars exploits on the cricket field, besides, he also belongs to my Alma mater Kirti college. The recent introduction of 20/20 Cricket" made me a "T 20 " cricket addict and i have been striving to legalize "Sports Betting" in India.The very fact that Sachin.Tendulkar played cricket for 24 years makes him a part of a generation of Indians growing up with his exploits, records and a few batting flops.I normally never watch "Test Cricket" but was glued to the T.V to witness the last batting performance of maestro Sachin.Tendulkar.I am happy he retired at the right time when age was catching up with his cricket skills and hence his final score of 74 runs was a formidable score at the appropriate time in his cricketing career.Agreed, Indian cricket has very good new stars who have replaced him in scoring runs and with time Indian cricket fans will have a new Cricket hero.As for me, i would definitely be addicted to "T-20 Cricket" but to most Indians, cricket without Sachin.Tendulkar would take a long time to understand that ultimately all humans retire some day, even if a cricketer named Sachin.Tendulkar, A few of Sachin's cricket records would be existing as long as the game of cricket is played.
NAME MISSING FROM "VOTERS" LIST IN 2014 MAHARASHTRA STATE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS :- Wednesday(15-10-2015) :- Went to the "VOTING BOOTH" to vote and was amazed to find my name missing from the "VOTERS LIST" but my deceased parents name included in the list.Have been voting for donkeys years since the age of 18 and this is the first time in my life that i could not vote due to error in "VOTING LIST".We have been living in "Vaibhav Apartments(Old Prabhadevi Road)" since 1975 and i even have a "Voting Card" as did my late parents.
Hence the reason for this error is surprising and ridiculous. Bizarrely just yesterday(Tuesday 14-10-2014) i got a "Free T-Shirt" at "Operation Ink Dot" held at "High Street Phoenix(Lower Parel)" to advertise to the young generation the importance of voting.Today, i myself myself couldn't vote.Hindi Actor Anupam.Kher would say in Hindi "Kutchch bhi Ho Saktha hain Election -2014 Main( Anything can happen in election 2014!)". Ha Ha Ha Hee Hee hee. Posted a few photo's taken outside the voting booth in my locality in Prabhadevi with the "VOTING ADVERTISEMENT T-Shirt"."REAL LIFE" can be hilariously bizarre at times.I will treasure this "VOTING T-SHIRT" for the rest of my life.
Friday(3-6-2016) Accidentally discovered "Shivaji Park Open Gymnasium" while getting my "VOTER'S CARD" re-issued :- In my entire lifetime since school never ever used a gymnasium although a sports fanatic .Was always a follower of "Free hand natural fitness regime" as a middle distance skinny athlete.Accidentally while in the process of getting my 'Voting Card" re-issued stumbled upon the "Shivaji Park Open" gymnasium situated next to the "Shivaji Park Gymkhana " on Shivaji park ground premises.This Gymnasium is free of charge and has excellent body-building mechanical equipment.This gymnasium is akin to a mini temple having photographs and idol's of Hindu Gods and all Hindu body builders are followers of the God Hanuman. Non-Hindu's might feel uncomfortable in this gymnasium as unlike normal professional gyms there is a religious and political overtone to this free gymnasium.But then aren't a majority of the most sought after schools' in Mumbai run by Christian religious order with majority of students being non-Christians ! Sports does not distinguish between religions as does education in Cosmopolitan Mumbai.Will be using the gymnasium during the monsoon until the "M.G.M.O" pool situated on the opposite road opens and hope its a great monsoon otherwise the pool would remain closed .Two cute puppy bitches "Dolly" and "Sweety" are resident pets of the gymnasium and are real guards and pampered pets of the gym. One of India's elite model/actor Mr Milind.Soman residing in Shivaji Park vicinity might have some competition for "Middle-Age model Roles" ?
Wednesday(20-4-2016)"BETTER LATE THAN TOO LATE. Refreshing my "CAR DRIVING LICENCE" at the grand young age of 56 years ! :- As a young kid in Mombasa i would always tell my parents that i would buy a long impala car and take them for a drive.
As a child in Mombasa remember being presented with a long toy impala car and a collection of dinky toy cars by my dad, the fancy of every child. My parents friends would sometimes take me along for drives with my parents as we didn't own a car in Mombasa although most of my dad's colleagues owned cars, the most common being the Morris-minor and the Volkswagen beetle.Mombasa in the 1960's was a mini-India and almost every Indian household owned a vehicle akin to First World Country living where a car or a two wheeler was a necessity and not a luxury. My Roy.Pacheco today in his 70's and settled in Canada whom i accidentally got acquainted to on "Facebook" was one such gentleman in whose car along with the Coutinho family we occasionally went for movies in the "Drive-In" theater in Mombasa.Yes i am talking of the swinging 1960's generation.
Sadly my parents never could afford to purchase a car after we migrated to Bombay(Mumbai) in 1968 and in fact from a spacious 2 bedroom flat my mum and i got accustomed to living in a single room chawl in Haji Ismail Gani Building in Byculla. School activities and childhood activities kept me busy as the years flew along and in 1975 we shifted to a single bedroom flat in what was then "Middle-Class Prabhadevi" locality.Years flew along in Prabhadevi and i became a "Marine engineer" sailing the high seas but the elusive impala car i boasted as a child was as elusive as cracking the "Indian Derby jackpot" !.Honestly i never ever fancied a car but loved cycling and was fond of motorcycles which my mother never allowed me to purchase fearing for her only child's safety and life ! She was forcing me to purchase a car as it was the ultimate "Middle -Class Status" symbol in the 1980's besides being a safe mode of transport for her precious only son. India upto 1992 was a closed socialist economy where possession of a "Land Line phone" was the privilege of the wealthy. Kids of the millennial generation reading this appraisal would laugh to think that the common phone was once a luxury symbol of status in India ,let alone a car. Ownership of a landline phone could upgrade your middle-class status in the "Proposal Marriage market" let alone a car.
Once saw a hilarious Jaspal.Bhatti satire titled " FLOP SHOW " where on purchasing a new car after being promoted in his company he feels his status has been alleviated among his co-colleagues and hilariously portrays the status symbol of a car in the average "Middle Class Indian" household.Bizarrely the Satirist of Indian television late Mr Jaspal.Bhatti tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2012 leaving a big void in Indian comedy theatre through his episodes of "FLOP SHOW" television satires..In 2016 the "Landline Phone" is getting obsolete and its the era of "Smart Phones" and i wonder what satires Late Jaspal.Bhatti would have thought for his "FLOP SHOW" episodes if alive in 2016 ! Unbelievable change in such a short span of time. .Finally in 1985 at the age of 25 years i did learn driving on a "Ambassador" car from "Gomantak" car training school in Prabhadevi .
On my "Marine Engineers" salary a car could fit into our small household of luxury items.Later i realized that since i would be sailing for at least 6 months in a year on ships purchasing a car and parking it in the building compound would be akin to gifting a brand new vehicle to a junkyard for scrap.Dad in his 60's was too old to drive in Mumbai traffic although he did drive in Jeddah port during his employment as a port "Cargo Supervisor" . My mum was the typical middle-class house-wife and driving a car was not her cup of tea at her age.Over the decades i only used a cycle for travelling in Mumbai and later in Bangalore much to the embarrassment of my parents.Mum expired in 2004 and it was after her death that i learnt to ride a motorcycle at the young age of only 46 years !
As mentioned i was never ever fascinated by cars be it a "Rolls Royce" or the tiny "Nano"."Harley Davidson" motorcycles and fast bikes impressed me and i did think of purchasing the cheapest "Harley Davidson" model but realized that its maintenance would be difficult as i didn't own a garage in my building. Met with two almost fatal motorcycle accidents in 2004 and 2007 , the same year that dad expired.After 2007 i have had a smooth ride on my motorcycle never ever thinking about possessing a car nor envious of car owners.Maybe upgrading to a a "Royal Enfield" motorcycle after the demise of my present "Bajaj wind-125CC" bike.In March 2016 i had visited Dad's ancestral village home of Barkur now the residence of Uncle William.Furtado, dad's younger brother.Uncle William's eldest son businessman Chales.Martin.Furtado had kept a car in the village for his own personal use as also for the use of his parents.The car was maintained By Uncle William's former farm employee's son and now Martin's colleague Mr Peter.D'souza. If i knew driving i could have used the car during my short stay in Barkur and it was then that i realized the importance of driving a car and hence decided to learn driving as a necessity and not as a luxury, After my holidays on arrival in Mumbai enrolled with "EXPERT" driving school for refreshing my now totally forgotten driving skills at a cost of Rs 6,150. On Wednesday(20-4-2016) was taken to the "R.T.O" centre in Tardeo along with other co-learner drivers by the Institute owner Mr Panchal for getting our "Learner Drivers Licence"..It was a tedious process among a large crowd of applicants made a bit easier since i already possessed a motorcycle license..After registering myself at the "R.T.O" for the "LEARNER'S LICENCE" came back home on my bike and in the evening at 1800 hrs began my first driving class on a "Maruti Swift" vehicle.My driving instructor Mr Kaustaubh was a young man who got me accustomed to the various functions of the car which was very different to the "Ambassador" car that i learnt my driving in 1985.The "Ambassador" once the pride of Indian roads is today all but extinct and a future museum exhibit in a car history museum.To my disbelief i realized that i had almost totally forgotten driving but quickly did manage to shed some of my car driving rust, embarrassed as i was the oldest among all the driving students.As a daredevil Adrenalin junkie the only civilian stunt missing from my profile was "Tandem Para-jumping" from a plane and here i was behaving like a school student on the steering handle of a ordinary car ! That's life .You are always a student at something until your death, irrespective of medals, felicitations or experience.On Sunday (24-4-2016) we had our first theory class between 1000 hrs -1200 hrs at "Expert" training school office.Owner Mr Panchal gave us a excellent lecture in Hindi language and i was surprised at seeing half the students being young ladies making me realize the importance of driving in 21st century India akin to First world Country's where driving your own car or two wheeler is mandatory for travel.On Monday(25-4-2016) i was taught driving lessons by a new instructor Mr Triloki.Kewat as previous instructor Mr Kaustaubh was on leave.Practicing driving around the lanes of Prabhadevi in 1st and 2nd gear while also learning "Clutch Handling" and finally reverse parking.My theory classes finally got over on Sunday(15-5-2016), a total of 4 lectures of driving and car handling.Excellent.Finished my practical driving classes on Tuesday(17-5-2016).and appeared for my driving test on Friday(20-5-2016)..It was akin to repeating a exam after failing in the first attempt.Passed my "DRIVING TEST" comfortably and realize that its ultimately "PRACTICE" that makes a man's driving perfect akin to my motorcycle riding in which i am a expert at a very late age in life.Not a single Ambassador car was in sight and spotted "Gomantak Driving School" car at the "R.T.O test Driving ground". They were using the normal Hyundai cars used by most of the driving schools for teaching driving and conducting the driving tests. yes, India and the World has evolved a lot since 1985 when i first got my driving licence.
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| Saturday(16-11-2013):- Sachin.Tendulkar "Signing Off" from the "Telivision Camera's" at Wankhede Stadium. I am watching the same from my house with cat matahari occupying prime seat !The "Black-Market" rate for a complimentary ticket was approx Rs 15,00 0 ! |
Saturday(16-11-2013)Cricketer Sachin.Tendulkar "SIGNS OFF(RETIRES)" from the "CRICKET WORLD" at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai:--Is my lifestyle at present a replica of the Hollywood movie "LIFE OF PI" ? At times i feel my house is a "SHIP" and myself along with my pets and housekeeper Sabina.Dias striving to keep the ship afloat and profitable.After my retirement from the "Shipping Industry" at the young age of 46 years and adjusting to a life as a a "Self- Styled businessman" its been a total "ADVENTURE", akin to a game ,to keep myself reasonably wealthy and physically active.Cricket was never my favourite game unlike majority of us Indians, myself being a footballer and athletics man.I did know the names of all the prominent cricketers while growing up as every Bombayite held a "Transistor" radio during a cricket match during the early 1970's.The introduction of "One Day cricket" aroused my interest in the sport and gradually became familiar with Sachin.Tendulkars exploits on the cricket field, besides, he also belongs to my Alma mater Kirti college. The recent introduction of 20/20 Cricket" made me a "T 20 " cricket addict and i have been striving to legalize "Sports Betting" in India.The very fact that Sachin.Tendulkar played cricket for 24 years makes him a part of a generation of Indians growing up with his exploits, records and a few batting flops.I normally never watch "Test Cricket" but was glued to the T.V to witness the last batting performance of maestro Sachin.Tendulkar.I am happy he retired at the right time when age was catching up with his cricket skills and hence his final score of 74 runs was a formidable score at the appropriate time in his cricketing career.Agreed, Indian cricket has very good new stars who have replaced him in scoring runs and with time Indian cricket fans will have a new Cricket hero.As for me, i would definitely be addicted to "T-20 Cricket" but to most Indians, cricket without Sachin.Tendulkar would take a long time to understand that ultimately all humans retire some day, even if a cricketer named Sachin.Tendulkar, A few of Sachin's cricket records would be existing as long as the game of cricket is played.
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| Wednesday(15-10-2014) :- Outside the "VOTING BOOTH" sporting a "Voting T-shirt" in Kalpataru building in Old Prabhadevi road. |
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| A "SELFIE" for "VOTING ADVERTISEMENT". |
NAME MISSING FROM "VOTERS" LIST IN 2014 MAHARASHTRA STATE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS :- Wednesday(15-10-2015) :- Went to the "VOTING BOOTH" to vote and was amazed to find my name missing from the "VOTERS LIST" but my deceased parents name included in the list.Have been voting for donkeys years since the age of 18 and this is the first time in my life that i could not vote due to error in "VOTING LIST".We have been living in "Vaibhav Apartments(Old Prabhadevi Road)" since 1975 and i even have a "Voting Card" as did my late parents.
Hence the reason for this error is surprising and ridiculous. Bizarrely just yesterday(Tuesday 14-10-2014) i got a "Free T-Shirt" at "Operation Ink Dot" held at "High Street Phoenix(Lower Parel)" to advertise to the young generation the importance of voting.Today, i myself myself couldn't vote.Hindi Actor Anupam.Kher would say in Hindi "Kutchch bhi Ho Saktha hain Election -2014 Main( Anything can happen in election 2014!)". Ha Ha Ha Hee Hee hee. Posted a few photo's taken outside the voting booth in my locality in Prabhadevi with the "VOTING ADVERTISEMENT T-Shirt"."REAL LIFE" can be hilariously bizarre at times.I will treasure this "VOTING T-SHIRT" for the rest of my life.
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| In "Shivaji Park Open Gymnasium" :-First workout in Gymnasium at age 56 years ! |
Friday(3-6-2016) Accidentally discovered "Shivaji Park Open Gymnasium" while getting my "VOTER'S CARD" re-issued :- In my entire lifetime since school never ever used a gymnasium although a sports fanatic .Was always a follower of "Free hand natural fitness regime" as a middle distance skinny athlete.Accidentally while in the process of getting my 'Voting Card" re-issued stumbled upon the "Shivaji Park Open" gymnasium situated next to the "Shivaji Park Gymkhana " on Shivaji park ground premises.This Gymnasium is free of charge and has excellent body-building mechanical equipment.This gymnasium is akin to a mini temple having photographs and idol's of Hindu Gods and all Hindu body builders are followers of the God Hanuman. Non-Hindu's might feel uncomfortable in this gymnasium as unlike normal professional gyms there is a religious and political overtone to this free gymnasium.But then aren't a majority of the most sought after schools' in Mumbai run by Christian religious order with majority of students being non-Christians ! Sports does not distinguish between religions as does education in Cosmopolitan Mumbai.Will be using the gymnasium during the monsoon until the "M.G.M.O" pool situated on the opposite road opens and hope its a great monsoon otherwise the pool would remain closed .Two cute puppy bitches "Dolly" and "Sweety" are resident pets of the gymnasium and are real guards and pampered pets of the gym. One of India's elite model/actor Mr Milind.Soman residing in Shivaji Park vicinity might have some competition for "Middle-Age model Roles" ?
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| Tuesday(17-5-2016) :- Last day of driving lessons on "Maruti Swift MH01PA 3277 " |
Wednesday(20-4-2016)"BETTER LATE THAN TOO LATE. Refreshing my "CAR DRIVING LICENCE" at the grand young age of 56 years ! :- As a young kid in Mombasa i would always tell my parents that i would buy a long impala car and take them for a drive.
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| Refuelling the "Maruti Swift MH01PA 3277 " |
As a child in Mombasa remember being presented with a long toy impala car and a collection of dinky toy cars by my dad, the fancy of every child. My parents friends would sometimes take me along for drives with my parents as we didn't own a car in Mombasa although most of my dad's colleagues owned cars, the most common being the Morris-minor and the Volkswagen beetle.Mombasa in the 1960's was a mini-India and almost every Indian household owned a vehicle akin to First World Country living where a car or a two wheeler was a necessity and not a luxury. My Roy.Pacheco today in his 70's and settled in Canada whom i accidentally got acquainted to on "Facebook" was one such gentleman in whose car along with the Coutinho family we occasionally went for movies in the "Drive-In" theater in Mombasa.Yes i am talking of the swinging 1960's generation.
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| My driving Instructor Mr Triloki. Kewat. |
Sadly my parents never could afford to purchase a car after we migrated to Bombay(Mumbai) in 1968 and in fact from a spacious 2 bedroom flat my mum and i got accustomed to living in a single room chawl in Haji Ismail Gani Building in Byculla. School activities and childhood activities kept me busy as the years flew along and in 1975 we shifted to a single bedroom flat in what was then "Middle-Class Prabhadevi" locality.Years flew along in Prabhadevi and i became a "Marine engineer" sailing the high seas but the elusive impala car i boasted as a child was as elusive as cracking the "Indian Derby jackpot" !.Honestly i never ever fancied a car but loved cycling and was fond of motorcycles which my mother never allowed me to purchase fearing for her only child's safety and life ! She was forcing me to purchase a car as it was the ultimate "Middle -Class Status" symbol in the 1980's besides being a safe mode of transport for her precious only son. India upto 1992 was a closed socialist economy where possession of a "Land Line phone" was the privilege of the wealthy. Kids of the millennial generation reading this appraisal would laugh to think that the common phone was once a luxury symbol of status in India ,let alone a car. Ownership of a landline phone could upgrade your middle-class status in the "Proposal Marriage market" let alone a car.
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| "Expert Training School" in Prabhadevi. |
Once saw a hilarious Jaspal.Bhatti satire titled " FLOP SHOW " where on purchasing a new car after being promoted in his company he feels his status has been alleviated among his co-colleagues and hilariously portrays the status symbol of a car in the average "Middle Class Indian" household.Bizarrely the Satirist of Indian television late Mr Jaspal.Bhatti tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2012 leaving a big void in Indian comedy theatre through his episodes of "FLOP SHOW" television satires..In 2016 the "Landline Phone" is getting obsolete and its the era of "Smart Phones" and i wonder what satires Late Jaspal.Bhatti would have thought for his "FLOP SHOW" episodes if alive in 2016 ! Unbelievable change in such a short span of time. .Finally in 1985 at the age of 25 years i did learn driving on a "Ambassador" car from "Gomantak" car training school in Prabhadevi .
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| "Gomantak Motor School" in 2016 at R.T.O Test ground. |
On my "Marine Engineers" salary a car could fit into our small household of luxury items.Later i realized that since i would be sailing for at least 6 months in a year on ships purchasing a car and parking it in the building compound would be akin to gifting a brand new vehicle to a junkyard for scrap.Dad in his 60's was too old to drive in Mumbai traffic although he did drive in Jeddah port during his employment as a port "Cargo Supervisor" . My mum was the typical middle-class house-wife and driving a car was not her cup of tea at her age.Over the decades i only used a cycle for travelling in Mumbai and later in Bangalore much to the embarrassment of my parents.Mum expired in 2004 and it was after her death that i learnt to ride a motorcycle at the young age of only 46 years !
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| "Expert Car" during "Driving Tests" at Tardeo R.T..O |
As mentioned i was never ever fascinated by cars be it a "Rolls Royce" or the tiny "Nano"."Harley Davidson" motorcycles and fast bikes impressed me and i did think of purchasing the cheapest "Harley Davidson" model but realized that its maintenance would be difficult as i didn't own a garage in my building. Met with two almost fatal motorcycle accidents in 2004 and 2007 , the same year that dad expired.After 2007 i have had a smooth ride on my motorcycle never ever thinking about possessing a car nor envious of car owners.Maybe upgrading to a a "Royal Enfield" motorcycle after the demise of my present "Bajaj wind-125CC" bike.In March 2016 i had visited Dad's ancestral village home of Barkur now the residence of Uncle William.Furtado, dad's younger brother.Uncle William's eldest son businessman Chales.Martin.Furtado had kept a car in the village for his own personal use as also for the use of his parents.The car was maintained By Uncle William's former farm employee's son and now Martin's colleague Mr Peter.D'souza. If i knew driving i could have used the car during my short stay in Barkur and it was then that i realized the importance of driving a car and hence decided to learn driving as a necessity and not as a luxury, After my holidays on arrival in Mumbai enrolled with "EXPERT" driving school for refreshing my now totally forgotten driving skills at a cost of Rs 6,150. On Wednesday(20-4-2016) was taken to the "R.T.O" centre in Tardeo along with other co-learner drivers by the Institute owner Mr Panchal for getting our "Learner Drivers Licence"..It was a tedious process among a large crowd of applicants made a bit easier since i already possessed a motorcycle license..After registering myself at the "R.T.O" for the "LEARNER'S LICENCE" came back home on my bike and in the evening at 1800 hrs began my first driving class on a "Maruti Swift" vehicle.My driving instructor Mr Kaustaubh was a young man who got me accustomed to the various functions of the car which was very different to the "Ambassador" car that i learnt my driving in 1985.The "Ambassador" once the pride of Indian roads is today all but extinct and a future museum exhibit in a car history museum.To my disbelief i realized that i had almost totally forgotten driving but quickly did manage to shed some of my car driving rust, embarrassed as i was the oldest among all the driving students.As a daredevil Adrenalin junkie the only civilian stunt missing from my profile was "Tandem Para-jumping" from a plane and here i was behaving like a school student on the steering handle of a ordinary car ! That's life .You are always a student at something until your death, irrespective of medals, felicitations or experience.On Sunday (24-4-2016) we had our first theory class between 1000 hrs -1200 hrs at "Expert" training school office.Owner Mr Panchal gave us a excellent lecture in Hindi language and i was surprised at seeing half the students being young ladies making me realize the importance of driving in 21st century India akin to First world Country's where driving your own car or two wheeler is mandatory for travel.On Monday(25-4-2016) i was taught driving lessons by a new instructor Mr Triloki.Kewat as previous instructor Mr Kaustaubh was on leave.Practicing driving around the lanes of Prabhadevi in 1st and 2nd gear while also learning "Clutch Handling" and finally reverse parking.My theory classes finally got over on Sunday(15-5-2016), a total of 4 lectures of driving and car handling.Excellent.Finished my practical driving classes on Tuesday(17-5-2016).and appeared for my driving test on Friday(20-5-2016)..It was akin to repeating a exam after failing in the first attempt.Passed my "DRIVING TEST" comfortably and realize that its ultimately "PRACTICE" that makes a man's driving perfect akin to my motorcycle riding in which i am a expert at a very late age in life.Not a single Ambassador car was in sight and spotted "Gomantak Driving School" car at the "R.T.O test Driving ground". They were using the normal Hyundai cars used by most of the driving schools for teaching driving and conducting the driving tests. yes, India and the World has evolved a lot since 1985 when i first got my driving licence.
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| Dad's vintage camera collection.Dad was a avid photographer in his youth . A ultra expensive hobby before the invention of " Digital Photography. |
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| With Mrs Silva.Storai at the Mahalaxmi race-course, the only female jockey to have won 2 Derby's . |
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| DRESSAGE SHOW at Mahalaxmi Race-course in Mumbai. |
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| In December 2021 with Mr Douglas.Saldanha owner of this tallest natural Conifer Christmas tree in India. |
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| Tallest natural Christmas tree in India at " M.I.G Colony " in Adarsh Nagar in Worli. |
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| Friday (24/5/2024) :- Celestine Peter D'Souza( Peter D'Souza) and self signing the " sale Agreement of " Acharya Bettu Gadde" at my house in Vaibhav Apartments in Mumbai. |
IS 2024 END OF THE GREAT BARKUR PROPERTY SAGA REAL LIFE " FURTADO FAMILY " SOAP OPERA THAT BEGAN IN 1966 ?
So now in 2023 i was left with a valuable saleable inheritance of " ACHARYA BETTU( KAMBLE GADHE) " which is the equivalent of 2 football fields.Was once the most fertile land among all cultivated fields of grandfather,purchased by dad in 1966 and was hence registered in his own name.Now this land would probably go into house construction after various legal formalities that could take ages. ACHARYA BETTU LAND DIMENSIONS :- A) Survey No 41-2b total area = 47 cents out of which 4 1/2 Cents to be donated to " Barkur Gram Panchayat" for road construction.B) Survey 41 -1 Total area = 91 Cents out of which 1 1/2 Cents to be handed over to "Barkur Gram Panchayat" for road construction. Hence final total "Acharya Bettu Gadde" = 42.5 + 89.5 = 132 Cents or 1.32 acres.Mr Peter.D'souza was interested in purchasing "Acharya Bettu" land and was in touch with me and finally on Friday(24/5/2024) he along with his wife Mrs Priscilla.D'souza arrived at my house in Mumbai all the way from Barkur.He brought a "Sale Agreement" letter agreeing to purchase "Acharya Bettu Gadde" at the price quoted, paying a token advance by cheque to formally seal the purchase agreement.The final payment would be on registration of the property on Mr Celestine Peter D'souza's (Peter D'souza) name which he told me could take 6 months or more.Finally it seems there is a closure to my parents ancestral property investments.
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| A few of us " Christ Church School Alumni " ex- students and well wishers outside the church after the service. |
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| View of Rev Dr P.B.Amolik memorial service in Christ Church built in 1833 and one of the last 19th century churches in Bombay built in Neoclassical style. Church was built by a Portuguese architect named Augusto |
Saturday (21/9/2024):- Attended the memorial mass of Rev Dr P.B.Amolik principal of Christ Church School during my tenure in the School from 1968 - 1977 and met fellow school Alumni and classmates.After the memorial mass at Christ Church Biju and myself who joined School on the same day in 1968 had dinner at my residence .In 1968 ,three of us Biju.J.Karian,Rabin.Chacko and myself were interviewd along with our parents by Mr P.B.Amolik and selected to join school.That day changed my life as three other schools, Anza school( Byculla), St Mary's I.S.C) Mazagon and St Mary's ( S.S.C) Mazagon had all rejected my admission.We made a last try at " Christ Church School ( Clare Road) thanks to my maternal cousin Mr Franklin.Ferts, a ex- student of St Mary's ( I.S.C) who knew about the existence of Christ Church School,a Protestant school and hence in those days not well known by the Catholic community.Rest is history and i am what i am today due to my basic upbringing in one of the best schools of Bombay now Mumbai.Biju and myself have known each other since 1968 which is 56 long years while Mr Rabin.Chacko now a Dentist disappeared after passing out from school in 1975 and later in 1980's happened to meet him at St George's Hospital in Mumbai during his internship as a dentists at that hospital..Destiny also played a role in 1978 when after passing the " H.S.C XII" it was thanks to Biju's father's recommendation that I got admission in Mazagon Dock Ltd as a " 4- Year Marine Engineer apprentice(1978-1982)" and joined the Merchant Navy in 1983 putting in 23 years of sea service.Quit Merchant Navy employment in 2006 and became my own boss as a " Investment Portfolio Speculator" and in 2024 it is " So far so good".Biju is still very much active in the Merchant Navy reaching the top of the profession in managing cruise ships and is involved as a Vice - President on Cruise ship's.
We lived in 80 Haji Ismail Gani building. Left in 1975. Very interesting reading. Regards Vilma D'Souza, vilmad@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteVilma if i am not mistaken you'll lived on the second floor, the same as ours and Allwyn.D'souza was your brother. It's a small World !
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