Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) is one the premier art and history museums in South Mumbai. Visiting museums is often a part of the tourist experience. I walked several times through this place but for one reason or another, visiting inside the museum had not yet happened.

Once you enter the museum compound, you will be surprised to see the Indo-Saracenic style building which was designed by the British architect, George Wittet and it features  British, Hindu and Islamic architecture. The  largest dome atop  is similar to  Agra’s Taj Mahal and the entire compound is beautifully decorated with  tall palm trees and pristine lawns.

This museum has three floors . Two of the upstairs galleries are air-conditioned.

The Three Floors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Sculpture Gallery

The sculpture gallery features many Indian religious figures. One section is dedicated to Akhnoor Terracottas, Wood work of Gujarat etc. It exhibits Buddhist, Jain and Hindu sculptures.

There is a section dedicated to Lord Vishnu with different engraved sculptures on stone.

Lord Vishnu Sculpture

Pre & Proto History Gallery

The gallery has a display of Assyrian Collections. These alabaster stone reliefs once decorated walls of the palaces which are of great importance in the history of ancient art and civilisation.

The Royal Chariot

The great bath at Mohenjodaro is a brick structure surrounded by varandha's, rooms and galleries. A flight of steps lead to the pool.

The Great Bath

Himalayan Art Gallery

The Himalayan Art Gallery on the first floor showcases many artifacts from Nepal. As soon as you enter, you see a six-foot clay sculpture of Maitreya Buddha. thirteenth-century gilt bronze Maitreya that is the gallery’s most valuable exhibit.

Also on display are various ceremonial items such as musical instruments, water jugs, lamps and incense burners; figurines of Buddhist icons such as  Goddess Tara and poet-saint Milarepa and mythological paintings.

It has a display of seventeenth-century wood sculpture of Mahabhairava, Shiva’s angry avatar; a nineteenth-century jewelled plaque of the deity Chintamani Lokeshvara and a drawing of an eleventh-century Tibetan fresco.

Indian Miniature Painting

These miniature paintings showcase in intricate detail the life, culture, looks of people from yesteryear's.

Mughal Style paintings

Krishna Gallery

Cheera Harana

Sir Ratan Tata Gallery

Tata Gallery has a good collection of  European Paintings. The Tata collection comprises two major sections, the European and the Far Eastern.  Sir Edwin Ward, James Jebus Shannon, Jorge Romney, Thomas Gainsborough and Robert Hillingford are just some of the artists whose works are on show.

Lady Ratan Tata donated the furniture for the galleries.

Sir Dorab Tata Gallery

Indian Textile and Consume Gallery

This climate-controlled room showcases glimpses of the textile traditions of India. The Otni & Balni at the entrance reminds  us of  an era when hand picked  cotton and spinning wheels were used to spin yarn. The gallery has a good collection of  Religious items and  Royal Costumes.

The gallery has a large collection of shawls from Kashmir, ikat cloths from Gujarat and Sarees from Thanjavur and Kanchipuram.

Arms and Armour Gallery

This gallery exhibits a large collection of Indian weapons through the ages.

You can admire a collection of swords and armour belonging to Emperor Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

 Chinese and Japanese Art Gallery

The Chinese and Japanese Gallery occupies part of the top floor. Many snuff bottles from China are on display in a large glass case.

Natural History Section

Natural history section is situated on the  right of the ground floor. This section has a large selection of stuffed animals, including  fish, snakes and birds.

The entry fees to the museum is Rs.60 and Rs. 20 for permission to take photographs.

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A walk through Kamala Nehru Park and The Hanging Gardens

Old Woman's Shoe at Kamala Nehru Park, Mumbai

After visiting Mani Bhavan, I took a cab to Kamala Nehru Park which is located in the posh area of Mumbai Malabar Hills. I could not postpone visiting this place for a later time since I would be released from my current assignment on 12th and might have to leave Mumbai soon. In the end, we would be judged and keeping this in mind, I always work and live to my satisfaction.

Soon I was in Kamala Nehru Park. I had entered through the open gates. There was a huge old woman's shoe located inside it.  I stood infront of the shoe structure to take a photograph.  I could see kids trying to climb on the shoe and some of them even climbed to the top through the dingy steps inside the shoe. I have always been a kid and  I was trying to run away from that kid for the last several years but now trying to get closer to him.

I walked again. The pathways were nicely laid out with a couple of pergolas and benches, several lawn areas and lots of trees and shrubs.

I stopped at a viewing gallery from where I got  a spectacular view of the Chowpatty, Marine Drive and Nariman point.

View of Marine Drive from Malabar Hill

 

Just opposite to Kamala Nehru Park is the Hanging Garden which is a terraced garden and is made on a  water reservoir. I  crossed the road. My plan was to take  a quick walk, and then to go home. There were many people inside the garden.  The garden is situated on a slight elevation on Malabar Hill and  is a favourite spot of Mumbaites. 

Topiary art is displayed in  animal and human shapes cut into hedges which  make this spot unique.  The garden is covered with numerous trees, shrubs, and an array of colorful flowers.  I spent  some more time there as I had no haste to reach home.

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Mani Bhavan, Mumbai

If you have not visited Mani Bhavan, Mumbai - the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, you might want to reconsider. It was Mani Bhavan that Gandhiji stayed between 1917 and 1934 during India's freedom struggle and it is the place from where Gandhiji initiated the Non-Cooperation, Satyagraha, Swadeshi, Khadi and Khilafat Movements.

This three storied building  is situated near Nana Chowk, Gamdevi, Mumbai. The  visiting time is restricted from 9.30 am to 6 pm and is open everyday.

A plaque outside the museum has the full name of the place with Gandhiji’s trademark  'Charkha'  on top of it.

There is a small counter at the entrance for enquiry.  Entry is free and photography is allowed inside the museum. Once you enter the place, there is a library with a statue of Gandhiji where people offer their tributes.

The library contains more than 50,000 books on Gandhiji, Gandhian thought and allied subjects. The rooms on the ground floor have been  converted into a picture gallery that displays an array of photos depicting important events, copies of documents, noteworthy clippings and letters.

Picture Gallery

On the wooden stairs leading to the first and second floor, Gandhiji's pictures depicting his life have been  installed.  On the first floor is a simple auditorium where you can see films related to Gandhiji.

On the second floor is Gandhiji’s room that was used during his stay . There is a glass partition and  people can see a small bed, a writing table, few books and his favorite Charkha with open windows and doors. You are not allowed into this room.

Gandhiji's Room

This room has miniature doll-like figures depicting Gandhiji's life.

Of course, visiting Mani Bhavan is something all of us need to do.

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A journey through the Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Since I saw the Hindi movie 'Dil Se' , travelling in Nilgiri Mountain Railway had been my dream. Since then I had fantasized with the song "Chal Chaiyya Chaiyya" in which Shahrukh Khan dances with Malaika Arora and other dancers.

Nilgiri Railway is one of the three railway lines in India that has made it to the UNESCO listed World Heritage Sites. The Nilgiri Express is also known as the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) or the Blue Mountain Railway. 

The train covers 46 kilometers from Mettupalayam to Ooty in five hours. For a shorter visit, we can prefer Ooty to Coonoor.  With a  lot of excitement, I reached  Ooty (also known as Udagamandalam) station in the morning.

They are running a trip between Ooty and Coonoor  for tourists.  This trip starts from Ooty at 9 AM and reaches Coonoor at around 10.15 AM. This will return at 4:30 PM and reaches Ooty by 5:45 PM. One way is just Rs.10/-  and you don't have to wait in the queue, as they have a separate reservation window just opposite the station.

There were five stations between Ooty and Coonoor (Fern Hill, Lovedale, Ketti, Aruvakkadu, and Wellington).  The train runs on a meter gauge track which is rare elsewhere.The old steam engine is replaced by diesel engine which runs with jetropha diesel. Running at a speed ranging between 15-20 kilometer per hour, NMR offers the perfect choice  to enjoy the delightful scenic beauty of the Nilgiris.

The train passed  adjacent to the  Ooty lake.  Some prominent songs and visuals of  Bollywood, Tamil and Malayalam movies were shot along the Ooty Lake that spreads across 65 acres of the land in Ooty.  You can enjoy the picturesque beauty of the eucalyptus trees that cover the lake.

Gorgeous views of tea plantations; houses atop on the small hills and lush green field added up to the beauty.

If you remember the Malayalam movie ,' Classmates' , there was a song, where this train was seen and even in Priyadarshan’s  ' Summer in Bethlehem'  this toy train appears in some of the scenes.

Several movies have featured this train,which was started by the British in 1908.  The beautiful scenes of nature - mountains on one side and deep valleys on the other  is something you can cherish. There are about three tunnels on the way to Coonoor where the train pass through.

Running along the narrow gauge through the Eucalyptus forests, the Nilgiri Toy train is yet another historical mountain railway in India.

Ketti station is the 3rd station and lies exactly midway between Ooty and Coonoor and the valley lies just ahead of the station. After the train left Ketti station , I was completely spell bound by the view I was offered by this majestic valley.  Make sure that you  get a window seat on the right side if you are travelling from Ooty to Coonoor.

After crossing Aravankkadu station, the train passed through a big arch bridge.

Then the toy train curves its way through dense forests. With every turn that the train took, our hearts skipped a couple of beats.

After an hour of shrieking with excitement and taking a dozens of  photos, we saw the Coonoor station in the distance.  Deep valleys, forests, cultivation , tunnels, mountain ranges, picturesque beauty all around  make you feel that the train should not stop at Coonoor.  Do not forget to capture those moments for your memory forever.  For me, the entire train journey felt like I had been transported into a Bollywood movie!

If you are holidaying in Ooty, your trip will not be complete, if you miss the toy train journey.

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Trip to Pykara and Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are holidaying in Ooty and have one more day in your hands, the best option is to explore Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary which is around 31 kms from Ooty. En route you can visit Ooty's iconic locations such as Pine forest, Film Shooting point and Pykara Falls -  all in a day.

Pine forest
Blessed with lush and serene environment,  Pine forest offers you a chance to spend some peaceful moments with your loved ones. Spread over a small downhill area, the towering pine trees is a sight to behold.

The brown earthy pine forests amidst misty clouds have been beautifully visualized in many movies.  Do you remember the Hindi film ' Barfi' , the scene where Ranbir Kapoor went on a cycle ride with Ileana D’Cruz ? Well, it  was shot here. The song "Teri Umeed" from  the Hindi movie ' Deewana' was shot on the backdrop of these pine forests. One can easily spot the pine trees in the movies such as "David" and  'Raaf" along with movies from other languages as well.

Film Shooting spot
Situated about 7 kms from Ooty, this location is on the way to Pykara.  Also known as 9th mile, this is a popular destination around Ooty.  You can enjoy the landscape by walking around the area and you have an option for horse riding as well.

Many cine shoots have been done here and hence it got its name and popularity.  Scene from the song "Aisi Deewangi" was shot here. The stunning views of the mountain ranges and a stretch of clear meadows will mesmerise you.

Pykara Falls

Pykara is the largest river in the Nilgiris District and is located about 20 kms from Ooty on the Ooty-Mysore Road.

And a long walk from the main road will take you to the entrance of the Falls. After taking entry tickets, you have to walk down the steps. En route you can enjoy the forests, river flowing next to it and the mountains that surround the region.

It gets down majestically in a series of cascades and the last two falls of 55 meters and 61 meters are known as Pykara Falls. Some of the famous movie songs including songs from ' Mr. Perfect' , the Telugu movie, were shot here.

Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary

The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary also a declared Tiger Reserve, shares boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala.

After 2 hours journey from Ooty, we reached Mudumalai. We were excited for a Safari and for me this was my first safari.  The Safari is conducted by the Forest Department  in  their vehicle and is available only from  7 am to 10 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm. We  managed to reach the place well in time. The bus safari ride costs  Rs 135/- per head,  for 40 minutes. The first part of the safari was through well maintained roads.

You can spot deer, Bison, Peacock and birds, but you can spot wildlife animals very rarely. We were in constant lookout for wildlife but only saw few spotted deer and Macaques.

Deer are plenty all through.

No luck after that since we  didn't see any wildbeast or  big cats.  However, spotted one beautiful Peacock.

However we enjoyed Mudumalai Safari. Then we moved to the parking area. I could not  resist myself from clicking  my camera when I saw  beautiful blossomed gulmohar trees,  near the  parking area.

On our way back to Ooty, just after sunset, my camera gave me a striking image of stunning sky coloration with a black contrast of the hillside.

It was a day very well spent and will be cherished for a long time.

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Trip to Ooty and Coonoor sight-seeing

I was planning a summer holiday with my family and I wanted to do something different. Then I thought,  why not head to the south to enjoy the beauty of the Queen of the Nilgiris, Ooty.

The summer, especially  the months of April-May, is the ideal time to visit Ooty. Situated deep within the Nilgiri Hills, surrounded by many scenic spots, lush green meadows and beautiful lakes, the hill station Ooty has many offerings. This place is desired by the movie makers and most of them have achieved success.

Ketti View Point

Ketti is a small town in Nilgiris district and located en route to Coonoor.  Ketti valley is the second largest valley in the world which houses 21 villages. To reach this place, you need to drive along the Ooty-Coonoor road (NH67) for around 4 km.

From Ketti View Point,  you can get a full view of the local valley through a telescope. If your camera has enough zooming capacity, you can spot an ancient church in the valley.

Coonoor Tea Garden

Set at an altitude lesser than Ooty, Coonoor is a little village that offers some amazing view points. Just 20 kms away from Ooty, it has some marvelous tea plantations. If you are a fan of Hindi movies, you can see the place where Sajan movie was shot.

Coonoor Tea Garden

The chilly weather is something that will charm any nature passionate. You can visit outlet of tea plantations from where you can purchase tea, eucalyptus oil, spices and fruits or sip a tea  in different flavor. They will show you the  extraction of eucalyptus oil from leaves  and you can smell the fragrance of the oil wafting through the air during extraction.

Dolphin Nose

Dolphin Nose is an enormous rock formation that looks exactly like  a dolphin's nose. There are two ravines on both sides of Dolphin's Nose. From one side,  you can clearly see the Catherine Falls. You can enjoy the beauty on both sides through a telescope. In the other ravine, you can spot where the Coonoor stream meets the Kotagiri stream.

Catherine Falls from Dolphin's Nose

Sims Park

Sim’s Park is constructed and named after J. D. Sim, the Secretary of the Madras Club in 1874. Spread over an area of about 12-hectare, this garden is built following the Japanese style. It has a huge collection of about 1,000 plant species. It is mainly noted for its annual fruit and vegetable show held in May. You could also opt for boating in the lake nearby.

Doddabetta Peak

Dodabetta Peak is the highest point in the district at a height of about  2623m. Approx 10 kms from Ooty town, this  mountain peak is one of the tourist attractions in Ooty. It is better to visit this place as early as possible to avoid crowd. This is the right place to see the Sahyadri/Western ghat ranges. The song ' Dekha hai pehli baar ' from the famous Bollywood movie 'Sajan' was shot at Doddabeta. There again one can view the surroundings through a telescope.

Dodabetta Peak View Point

One can see as far as the plains of Coimbatore and the  Chamundi Hills (Mysore) if the climate is clear.  If you want to capture the best possible views of the valleys below, this is the place to be.

View from Doddabetta Peak

Doddabetta Tea factory

We also visited one of the tea factories where the workers eagerly showed us the process by which tea was made. The person in-charge explained to us the whole process of  manufacturing tea.

Coonoor visit will not be complete if you miss a visit to a tea factory. You can also sip a cup of masala tea or chocolate tea.

Botanical Garden

At the end of the day's trip, we visited the widely known Government Botanical Garden. The garden is divided into six separate sections called Lower Garden, New Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory, Fountain Terrace and Nurseries.

Indian film industry have utilized these Botanical gardens wonderfully in song sequences and other prominent situations.

McIvor House: The oldest building in Ooty Botanical Garden

A major part of the Hindi movie 'Maine Pyar Kiya' was shot in Ooty and the song  'Kabootar Ja' was shot in the Botanical Gardens. You can catch a glimpse of these gardens  in ' Geethanjali '  as well as Priyadarshan’s Malayalam movie ' Kilukkam'.

There is a wide range of flora and  indigenous vegetation that includes monkey puzzle trees, paper bark trees, and old fossilized trees. Towards the top, you can find vast stretches of land covered with pine trees. The garden houses a precious collection of flowers along with other exotic species of plants in different layers. The camping scene in the Hindi film "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" was shot here. It's beauty attracts nature lovers and honeymooners every year.

If you are a nature lover, interested in trees, plants, bushes and shrubs, this is the place to be!

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Gudi Padwa Festival Celebrations in Mumbai

Women dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attire take part in a bike rally at Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra

Gudi Padwa is celebrated by people across the state of Maharashtra, India,  as the Marathi New Year. A colourful Gudi is hoisted atop doors and outside windows on this occasion. A Gudi is a bamboo stick covered with red, yellow or saffron cloth with a pot made of silver,copper or bronze decorated with garlands, mango and neem leaves and red flowers. On this day,  people begin their day with a holy bath and wear new clothes. The women of the house wake up early to draw a rangoli in the front yard.

I was fortunate to witness a grand procession in connection with Gudi Padwa near Girgaon, Mumbai. Here then, is the Gudi Padwa Festival Celebrations through my lens.

People admire a rangoli made at Girgaon, Mumbai,Maharashtra as part of the celebrations

Women dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attire take part in a bike rally at Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra

Women take a selfie during a procession on the occasion of Gudi Padwa in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra

Women beat drum during the procession of Gudi Padwa in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra 

Women beat drum during the procession of Gudi Padwa in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra  

'Shobha Yatra' to welcome the Hindu New Year on occasion of Gudi Padawa in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra

Women dance at Gudi Padwa procession in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra

School children participate in a Shobha Yatra on the occasion of Gudi Padwa in Girgaon,Mumbai,Maharashtra 

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An evening stroll through the Sagar Upvan at Colaba, Mumbai

I walked along Shahid Bhagat Singh Road on my way to Sagar Upvan. It is lined with restaurants, cafes, shops and market bazaars - that makes the city tourist friendly. Then I turned from Shahid Bhagat Singh Road to Dumayne Road to enter Sagar Upvan. Spread over 12 to 14 acres, Sagar Upvan aka BPT Garden was  a Garbage dump yard in the year around 2000.  Located behind Colaba bus Depo, the garden is maintained by the Mumbai Port Trust.

The stroll took me past lush green lawns, many potted flowering plants, a glass house, a stone plaza and a cactus house. The garden is filled with various kind of trees -  banyan, palm, bamboo and blossoming flowers.  There are boards displaying the common name as well as the scientific name of every tree. The garden has many sections: Rock Garden, Cactus Garden, Sea-Shore Point and plant nurseries. The rock garden has an interesting landscape.

Overlooking the sea, crowds stroll at Sea-Shore Point and relax on the benches under trees to enjoy the cool evening.. Here crowds gather together to enjoy leisure time.

Blossoming flowers are seen in huge varieties and few Cactus too around the clean walking tracks and green lawns. 

When the dusk began to hover over the garden, I had the chance to experience the garden in the golden hour. Lucky for me, it was a picture perfect day and I was able to enjoy for few hours wandering around.  I hope you enjoyed the stroll. 

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