After our 5th stop to the Bangkok airport, we flew into Mumbai, India and caught a cab to Mr. and Mrs. Seth’s home. My friend Jill helped arranged for us to stay with them while we were in Mumbai. We arrive at their home in Worli, Mumbai where a young man who didn’t speak much english greeted us. We then spoke to the Seth’s daughter, Priya, on the phone, who explained that her parents were out of town and their cook/servant, Vijay, was there to take care of us. He was a sweet young man, who immediately brought us water every time we arrived back at the Seth’s and also cooked fabulous meals. Priya suggested we headed down to Colaba for dinner and sightseeing, so we dropped up off our stuff and headed out to see Bombay.
Before catching a cab to Colaba, we walked the boardwalk across the street from the Seth’s home. It was a gorgeous setting, there were so many people out walking, sitting watching the water, and kids playing in a patch of water surrounded by rocks. As we were getting ready to leave three young men walked up to us and asked for us to take their picture. Alan took a few photos, and then would show them their picture on the digital camera. They would get such a kick out of see themselves on the camera they kept asking to take more, then they wanted a picture with me and then with him, then individually. They asked for the pictures to be sent to them, Alan suggested by email so they took down our email address, but we still haven’t heard from them. They were so funny, I think they would have gotten their picture taken all day if they could have, but Alan finally said we had to go.
Then we hopped into a cab, it was a old cab from the 1970′s. Poor Alan didn’t fit it the cab at all. He had to scrunch down just right to keep his neck straight, I guess cabs weren’t meant for tall people back in the day. The cabs used a really old meter where you had to use a chart to actually calculate the taxi fee. We didn’t learn this until a few days later…I am sure we paid a few extra dollars for our taxi rides. The taxi cars do not have rear view mirrors and their is a reason. The traffic in Mumbai is crazy! They fit four cars on a three lane roads, cars are inches away from each other. I am so amazed we didn’t see any accidents while we were there, but is must mean it works for them!
Colaba is where the Taj Hotel terrorist attacked was in November of last year. We were curious how the hotel would be only a few months after the attack. We had to go through 3 sets of security checks with metal detectors at all three, but when you walked into the entrance, it seemed like business as usual. We walked around the hotel some and talked to one of the people that works there and they said they have limited all their services to guests only so we did not end up being able to stay very long. It was great to see the hotel was busy with different business conversations going on and others lounging around by the pool. The hotel seemed very busy, especially if all the people were guests. I read later that the TaTa group reopened the hotel within a month after the attacks to show that India is strong and the terrorist could not impact their way of life. I definitely felt this as we were walking around the hotel and other areas of India.
We headed back after a little sightseeing and dinner to get a good nights rest. The next morning we headed out early (around 1030am – that is early for us!). We wanted to see the Slumdog Millionaire movie which was set in Mumbai, we had some time until the movie started so we headed to Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, the place were 5,000 men wash about 100,000 pieces of clothing a day. I could not understand how everyone would get their cloths back, but I am told they have a system that works and all cloths get to their rightful owners.
Then we headed to the Mahalakshmi Temple, where the goddess of wealth Lakshmi sat. We happened to come during a time when people were preparing to give their offerings. There were so many people, and the women looked beautiful in their colorful sarees. They divid up the men and women on each side and they have to standing (I have heard it can take hours) holding coconuts, flowers and sweets to offer to the goddess.
After walking around the temple, we bought some India sweets, and headed to see the movie. It was fun seeing the movie Slumdog while in Mumbai. Little scenes like stealing someones shoes from the temples and then reselling them, made me think twice about leaving my shoes when siteseeing at the different temples. We also talked to the Seth family about the movie and how India hasn’t felt that it portrayed the true slums in Indian, because there is a sense of happiness and acceptance of where you live and who you are in India, and it is not just a way of life people are trying to escape as described in the movie. Priya, one of the daughters, is a cinamagapher in Bollywood (Mumbai or Bmobay’s Hollywood) and helped us get a better idea of how it was recieved in India. It was way cool to see the movie here, unfortunately, there were no beers sold at the movie theather like the one in Vietnam, Alan was a little disappointed…
After the movie, we walked through Mumbai University, where hundreds of cricket pickup games were going on and Kamala Nehro Park (spelling?) where there was an amazing view of the city. On our way back past the beach back to Mr. and Mrs. Seth, Alan took some incredible shots of the Bombay skyline as well.
That night we meet Mr. and Mrs. Seth, they were wonderful and so much fun. We had sooo many questions for them. I think the most questions we asked were around the servants, cooks, and drivers…just kidding, but we were very definitely fasincated with their way of life. And of course…also enjoying having our food cooked and bed made for us. We had a tasty Indian dinner at home, then Mr. and Mrs. Seth wanted to take us to a few places in Mumbai at night, so we headed out in the car and they took us around. Showing us the area Mrs. Seth grew up, the Queen’s Necklace drive with a beautiful display of lights, and the area where the other Mumbai attacks were and how there friends were injured and killed. After the drive we headed back to their home and got some sleep so we could get up early to go on their early morniing walk and tea at the race horse tracks.
So, we didn’t get up early enough for the walk, but Mrs. Seth showed us their morning stroll before getting picked up and heading for tea. A man selling fresh, vitamin packed juices right out of the back of his car, so had a taste then rode over to the race horse tracks. When we walked into the club, it was like walking onto a movie set with the trainer and jockeys exercising the horses. We sat with a group of the Seth family friends, they have been coming to the tracks together for exercise and tea for over 20 years. They were alot of fun, cracking jokes and poking fun at each other, sharing plates with each other, and knowing how each person liked their tea. I wish we would have gotten a picture of them together, but I remember them all very clearly. There was one moment, when one of the ladies asked Alan if he was a movie star, I was laughing so hard, he made a joke trying to play it off, but he was definitely grinning the rest of the time giving the women a little more attention the rest of the time. I was ready to strong arm her if she wanted him to walk her to her car, but they left
Mrs. Seth let us borrow her car and driver for the day, so we dropped her off at her women Gin Rummy card group at the country club, then took off to check out some of the bazzars and shopping. I was soo wonderful to have someone who lived in the area helps us get around, she told her driver where to take us and magically we were there without a worry. It was such a nice break from the battles of haggling for a price of a taxi and wondering where to go shopping or sightseeing. We firest went to pick up some beads for my mom, they street was full of bead shops – I went a bit overboard on the beads for her, but she is my mom!! Then we headed to the “Chor Bazzar” Thieves Market. Alan wanted to see where all the shoes they take from the temples steps are taken then resold. When walking around, you could see people reselling shoes, taking a part motor bikes and selling parts, even tearing apart cloths and sewing it back together in a different pattern. It was crazy!!! I wondered how much was stolen and how much just found on the street and of course paid for, but there was not way to tell. I didn’t see another women in sight the entire time we were there, so we were getting even more stares that normal. I wanted Alan to do a jumping shot in the middle of the street with all the hussle and bustle, but we soooo chicken…so of course I made a bet…thinking it would be the first time he would not take the bet, but he did it! I was so surprised! He was horrified after and everyone was laughing at him. After that he was ready to get out of there!
After our tour around Mumbai, we headed back to have dinner with the Seth’s. Priya and her husband took us to a restaurant where we learned all about cinemphotography, since they are both in the business. Her husband, Vishnu, is doing a big budget flim, it was fun to hear all about how they do the different scenes, and Priya has her film releasing in a few weeks as well called “Barah Aana”. At the end of the night, we tried to pay for dinner, but Priya had already told the waiter at the beginning of the meal she was paying in Hindi right in front of us! The waitor said to me later, “you better learn Hindi” after he handed her the check.
The next day we went with the Seth Family to a work celebration, where they invited all of their employees and family member to a lunch and to celebrate Holi. There were some employees that had been working for Mr. Seth for over 40 years, who brought their grandchildren and others brought their children all dressed up. The kids would greet Mrs. Seth by touching her feet, a custom in India, it was interesting to watch the little customs and traditions of India. I see the respect for the elders an focus on the family, as the most beautiful thing here. We took photos of all of the employees with their families and also some pictures of the factory, then had lunch a traditional Rajasthan meal where I kept eating with my left hand and the kids were starting at me (big faux-pa as that is the hand you wipe with) and then Mrs. Seth gave each child some color for Holi and some Rupees, and then we toured the factory.
The factory use to be for textile manufactoring, then it became a warehouse, and now Bollywood studios are renting out the one of the warehouses. So, it was fun to check out the one and the new areas of the factory. Mr. and Mrs. Seth have planted a garden and also are beginning to landscape the property. Mr. Seth says in a year it will look totally different, I believe it. They are also renovating the other warehouse to a studio, so it will be complete refurbished.
Right now, there are two studios, one studio for a new TV and the other for the #3 primetime TV show in India. We were able to walk around the sets and watch one of the show be filmed. It so interesting to watch the filming, at the end of the shot, the voice over was talking in to the camera while the actor would give all these different facial expressions, similar to a U.S. soap opera where the person would be talking to themselves during the show. It was so funny, I knew if I looked at Alan or Priya, I would just lose it and start laughing.
Then, we walked over to the other set, Mrs. Seth was explaining all the different areas of thet set and what was going on in the TV show since we was a big fan. I made her walk down the stairs of the set, since she it is the stairs where something takes place in every show.
After the factory, we stopped off for some coffee and donuts in a nearby mall. We also checked to see if Pryia’s movie was advertising yet. And they were! So we of course took some pictures of the poster with her name on it!
For dinner, the Seth’s took us to their Cricket Country Club, where we dressed up in saree’s. Mrs. Seth gave me this beautiful saree, I was speechless when she gave it to me. Alan recorded how to put the saree on since I have a feeling I won’t be able to do by myself! I was the joke of the evening with the nickname “Indian Princess” but that is ok. I was enjoying my saree!!
I have to thank the Seth family for their amazing generousity and making our trip to India so wonderful. Through the rest of the time here in India, they have take care of us in so many ways, and connecting us with their friends and family in India with places to stay in Armistar, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. Their generiousity makes be think about how I want to create a home as welcoming as theirs, I will forever be thankful for all their generousity. And as Alan and I keep saying, the Seth’s will be our first guests at our villa in Tuscany!
More Pictures of our time in Mumbai: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanseideman/sets/72157615073477098/
