India Mumbai 2015
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TRAVEL TRAVEL By Verne Maree “Prepare to be overwhelmed by the noise, the colours, the dancing and the feasting,” my Indian expat friend Jyoti warned me, as I was about to leave on my first trip to Mumbai and my first wedding in her country. “And the hospitality shown to guests at a Sikh wedding is out of this world.” 236 March15 March15 237 TRAVEL TRAVEL hen Roy’s long-time Getting Around Nevertheless, we had an enjoyable story, including its Portuguese and colleague, Uma, had said. “Let me help with little or no need for alteration – and shipping colleague, We had just three days to see some of time ticking off sights such as the British colonial history, but for the you.” With her help, I was able to leave that was true both in Singapore and in Satnam Singh, pressed the sights – and, most importantly, shop Gateway to India, a grand example tranquil beauty of the museum’s Indo- Singapore with two outfits – a tailor- Mumbai. I only wish the same could be Wus to attend the four-day for wedding clothes – before the wedding of Indo-Saracenic architecture; the Saracenic architecture. made turquoise sari and a readymade said for Zara. wedding in Mumbai of his and Jaspal’s began. If sightseeing had been our main Gothic Revival-style Victoria Terminus Another highlight was tea and Indian floor-length gold Punjabi suit. With two outfits in the bag, I reckoned only son Harjot, we thought: why not? It goal, we’d have based ourselves in the (now renamed the Chhatrapati snacks – including pani puri – at the Those trips to Little India with Uma I’d need to somehow find another two in would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime city district of South Mumbai, either at Shivaji Terminus, and a UNESCO Taj Mahal Palace’s Sea Lounge, just were a cultural experience in themselves. Mumbai. Jaspal sorted Roy out on the very experience. Though Roy called Bombay that relic of colonial splendour, the Taj World Heritage site); the Hanging opposite the Gateway to India. To One of her favourite shops, Haniffa’s in first day, whisking him off to her favourite (as Mumbai was then) his homeport for Mahal Palace hotel, at the Oberoi or at Gardens, a bit parched and dusty in Roy’s happiness, we were served by a Buffalo Road, was where we found the tailor: Mumbai Millionaire, self-styled as a number of his 10 years at sea, this the Trident Nariman Point. the pre-monsoon dryness; shopping venerable and very proper waiter who’d perfect sari. I’d only plucked up the “a designer groom wear that comes with would be my first visit. Though it’s home to the US General for wedding jewellery in the packed been working there since Roy and his courage to wear this traditional garment all the trapping of good fashion that you’ll As the wedding party was spending Consulate and various five-star hotels, Colaba Causeway market, with a beer British India Steam Navigation Company – a six-metre length of intricately pleated need”. Don’t bother bargaining, by the the week at the Trident Hotel Bandra Bandra Kurla is not a pretty area. The at famous Leopold’s Café; sunset at the (BI) buddies used to pop in for tea and draped fabric – when she assured way; they’re above all that. Kurla, it made sense for us to follow same can be said of most of Mumbai, Chowpatty and Juhu Beach, famous during the early seventies. me that one could get the waist pleating On the recommendation of our driver, suit. The Trident brand is the business to be honest; and if we hadn’t had for street food such as my favourite pani “stitched” by a tailor. This wonderful and I went to the huge and glorious sari arm of the more famous Oberoi hotel a car and wonderful driver at our puri: crispy-fried, hollow puri filled on Nothing to Wear invisible cheat eliminates the clear and emporium Paaneri, in Dadar East, group, and we couldn’t fault our hotel on constant disposal (for the equivalent the spot with a spicy, tangy liquid and I admit that I agonised over my outfits present danger of your sari falling off. and found a formal blouse, long skirt anything, from the comfort of our Club of a mere S$60 a day), I’d have been devoured immediately. Outstanding! for the four-day wedding. First, could I After Uma’s rapid-fire Tamil instructions and matching shawl in jewel-encrusted Suite and the 24-hour Club Lounge to more nervous of going out. The traffic Allowed one museum, as usual, I get away with Western gear? No, as it to an elderly tailor on the upper level black fabric. So heavy! The fourth and the superbly efficient, warm and friendly is indescribable, and the sheer mass of chose the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj turned out; the strapless short dress I of Tekka Mall, much measuring and final ensemble – voluminous pink silk hotel staff. Wedding suits and saris humanity and frequent scenes of painful Vastu Sangrahalaya. Mercifully wore to the first event felt embarrassingly discussion and a couple of fittings, the pants with a raw silk tunic – was from a were whisked away by housekeeping poverty can be overwhelming for the acronymed the CST Museum; it may louche. (When a small child touched my work was completed within a week. designer store at the massive Phoenix within two minutes of a phone call, and uninitiated. Except for parts of South be easier (if less politically correct) to knee, wonderingly, I got the message.) Amazingly, most of the off-the-peg Market City in Bandra Kurla. This mall returned immaculately pressed. I’ve Mumbai’s touristy destinations, streets ask for it by its old name, the Prince of How many ensembles would I need “suits” (meaning an Indian-style tunic has everything from Marks & Spencer’s to never seen anything like it at a Western are lined with piles of decaying garbage; Wales Museum. What a gem! – not only – and of what sort? “You’ll be ripped off of any length worn over matching pants Levi’s, plus great Indian labels like Global hotel. even the sea smells bad. for the way it tells the city’s fascinating if you go to Little India alone,” my kind and with a churidar or shawl) fitted me Desi, Satya Paul, Ethnicity and Fab India. 238 March15 March15 239 TRAVEL TRAVEL Speaking of food, Guru ka langar is a sword, at least he had an umbrella for DAY #1 FRIDAY NIGHT: Masti, Dance and Music the lavish vegetarian buffet provided in shade. Not so the rest of us: in the fierce “Masti” means “fun” in Hindi. The the gurudwara dining area. While langar midday sun, on dirty pavements and in general jollity took place at a banquet- means kitchen, it also encompasses the crazy Mumbai traffic, dressed in all catering venue, complete with band, the idea of “conscious cooking while our finery, family and friends danced hired dancers and an open bar. meditating on the divine to inspire frenetically to the beat of the band and humility”. The delicious food is vegetarian, the rat-tat-tat of fireworks. so that everyone can eat equally. SUNDAY AFTERNOON: DholiA bride becomes DAY #2 SATURDAY MORNING: Tikka Ceremony part of her husband’s family, and the and Guru ka langar DAY #3 dholi is traditionally the ceremony during More usually held a week or so before SUNDAY MORNING: Wedding, proceeded which she leaves her parents’ home after the wedding. Here, the groom’s family by the Baraat and followed by Guru her wedding. In this case – her previous and guests assembled at their gurudwara ka langar. home being Delhi – it’s a jolly party held in (temple) for something akin to a betrothal The baraat is the noisy, colourful and a small hotel with a lot of jubilant dancing ceremony. The bride’s family (but not the festive street procession of the groom’s and singing. And more food. bride herself) arrive with gifts and the party to the gurudwara where the SUNDAY EVENING: Bride’s Parents’ tikka material: rice, saffron, dried dates bridal party is waiting. Harjot had been Reception and coconut, which the bride’s father up since 4am to undergo purification More of the same, really, but this time at the and other relatives smear on the groom’s rituals, and a screen of beads had been Kohinoor Hotel. As we’d arrived too early forehead as a blessing. So yes, there is a hung in front of his face. Mounted on an again (only an hour later than the official connection with chicken tikka! ornately decorated horse and carrying starting time), Gurleen’s lovely uncle and his cronies insisted we join them in his suite and plied us with whiskey – maybe the best part of the evening. DAY #4 The Programme MONDAY EVENING: Wedding Reception For us uninitiated Westerners, the Perhaps the most formal and dressy pack of filigreed invitation cards for the of all the events – and that’s saying various events that make up a traditional something! – this was hosted by the Sikh wedding was more baffling than groom’s parents at the Trident Hotel’s informative. Googling various Indian Golconda Ballroom. Tuesday morning’s terms generally brought up accounts hangover was well earned. and images of Sikh weddings in Northern America or the UK – not in India, where the guests are presumed to know what to do! Gurudwara Etiquette It seemed that every meal throughout Just two rules: the four-day affair (bar breakfast at the • Both men and women remove hotel) needed to be catered for, to show their shoes and cover their proper Sikh hospitality towards the many heads to go into the temple guests who have travelled from afar.