Walking Around Matunga

 

Off Gardens and kids

 

You have numerous avenues in and around Matunga to Walk. With its broad and properly tiled footpaths . Thanks to BMC and local Corporators who have woken up from their usual slumber to do something for the common men , women & especially the senior citizens of this constituency. Matunga always had broad footpaths even in its bylanes right from pre-independence days but these had got into ruins over a period of time with neglect from the local authorities. The day local municipal corporator’s got 1Cr fund to spend on development work in their constituencies , they started work on  beautification of pavements , gardens and local heritage structure ,as if there was competition going on , on who was doing better developmental work than the next municipal corporator. Good for common people like us . Hail to the system… I know there always is a selfish motive and some small corrupt practices behind these works where ever the local politicians are involved. But if it is in great good of the locality and its citizens then I am all for it.

So if you want to walk , as in early morning or late evening walk for health benefits you can head to anyone of the numerous Gardens in Matunga. The B.N.Vaidya garden opposite IES School (Raja ShivajiVidyalaya) ,The Maheshwari Udyan (King Circle Garden ) , The Napoo Garden in Matunga Market  Or the best , the largest and oldest garden “ The Mancherji Joshi Panch Garden” or simple known as Five Gardens. It is situated the heart of Parsi Colony and spread across on a sizeable area. It has 5 distinct gardens each with its own characteristics and very well known to locals here .They know which garden to visit on which occasion. If you enter the lane from the Ruia College traffic signal end you will notice 4 large gardens encompassing a central garden which has lights and a water fountain. During my childhood days there used to be light and water show every evening in this garden. The water flow used to change with the change in colours and we used to love watching this for hours together.

Just on the right side of this central garden is a circular garden recently renovated with landscaping and a joggers track meant for Family and kids. Here you will find Dad’s & Mom’s with their kids enjoying with a fun game of Pakda-pakdi or Lukkachuppi (desi for Hide & Seek) . Some playing football , some playing with flying disc (Frisbee) or some just sitting on the green grass enjoying. And if it’s this time of the year that’s winter . You can enjoy the slight cold breeze blowing across your face and giving you the chills. Sometimes you find groups of people huddled in a circular shape sitting and discussing. These are people belonging to workers unions of old shutdown mills in Dadar and Parel-Lalbaug. If you visit this garden early in the morning you will find Laughter clubs having a blast of a time. Hearing them laugh loudly no matter how much you control yourself , you too start laughing or at least a broad smile comes to your face. And that’s just what the doctor ordered, a hearty laugh to bring down the everyday stress.

You will also find the serious walkers, totally engrossed in their music playing out in their ears through their mobile phones . Earlier the same music used to be played out from a contraption called the Walkman .Made very famous by Sony. Anyways some of these walkers are very particular , you will find them in trendy jogging track suits , the best off sports shoes and with classy head phones from JBL or Sennheiser connected to their iPhones / Galxy Notes . Huffing and puffing and jogging as if training for the Mumbai Marathon. And then you will find the same joggers / walkers enjoying a plate of Panipuri from the bhaiya near the Lovers garden.

Yes you heard it right Lovers Garden , where you will see lot of couples from the nearby Ruia ,Poddar&Khalsa Colleges and even the nerdy types from VJTI Engineering college. This garden is on the left opposite the family garden. This too is now landscaped but little differently. You will find small bushes and cozy benches. You might embarrass yourself once in a while, when you encounter some couples making out behind the bushes or on the benches. But then you remember your youthful college days and a Cheshire cat like smile may come on your face. There used to be long benches on the periphery on which these couple would be perched upon. These were removed by the local moral police types and single chair type seats were installed to curb this suggestive behavior. But as they say necessity is the mother of inventions. The couples got bolder. The GF’s started sitting on their BF’s laps which became more embarrassing and the garden authorities had to bring back the old benches to maintain some level of decency.

Just outside this particular garden you will find the Chatwallah – with his spicy and sweet panipuri’s or the tastiest Sev and Bhelpuri. Then there is the usual sandwich wallah and the peanut seller. Sometimes you will find the Ice –gollawallah selling the perfect Kala-khatta and rose ice gollas to kids and the old alike. If you visit this place early in the morning you will find a special juice wallah selling the most healthiest & fresh juices. You can drink the Sweet lime juice or orange juice or try the more exotic Beetroot and tulsi juice. Tank up on a healthy drink and move on.

Moving ahead on the left is a garden which is much bigger than the other 4 gardens and is like a Maidan. Lined with red mud and very open. Here you will find hoards of children and teens playing cricket or football to their hearts content. During Summer and Winter vacations when the schools and colleges are closed there is total chaos. At one end of the garden installed is an open gym by none other than Deno Morea (model , ex-BF of Bollywood hottie Bipash Basu ) and inaugurated by none other than Bollywood action hero Sunil Shetty. You will find the body builder types working out in this corner with chin ups , pull ups , shoulder bar dips , parallel bar dips ,tricep dips and weight’s chained to the equipment’s.

Just opposite to this is the childrens garden. A new, huge colourful play gym with regular slides , bumpy slides , helical slides has been recently installed . The ground below is covered with the latest soft crash mats meshed together like tiles to buffer the impact when a child lands on his bum while sliding. There are also some swings where the kids can enjoy the feeling of flying while swinging high. A little away you also have the see-saws and a jungle gym .

Personally I think a little thought should have been given to separate out the young toddlers& kids section from the older kids section (10 and above).  As this creates a huge mess on Sundays and other holidays when the entire Matunga ,Dadar and Wadala family population descends in this garden. Its nearly a war zone during peak vacation time . And if you don’t watch your child there are chances he/she may get lost here if the kid is below 5 years. 

Just outside this garden you will find lots of activities and games to entertain you child. You have the merry go round in the shape of cars or the giant wheel painted in the most eye popping colours. Then there is the shoot at the balloons game with an Air Rifle . But the best attraction for kids and their parents is the Horse Cart and the Horse rides around the five gardens. For a small sum of Rs.30 you can enjoy a Horse cart ride or have the kid ride on a Horse or a pony depending upon their age. You will find 1 black and 1 brown stallion a white mare and a pony available for these rides. The kids below 10 are co-ridden by the horse owners handlers (big boys from the family ) . The older kids can try their hand at horse riding on the Stallions or the white mare and perfectly handled by their handlers. Starting off with a brisk walk , then a trot and finally a speedy dash toward the end point. Most of the children love these horse rides and are regulars here .Riding for 2-3 rounds at times.

Most of the times when I bring along my daughters here.We enjoy a game of pakda-pakdi or Frisbee then a quick ride on the horse cart for my little princess Bhakti and a Horse ride for my elder one Netra. Once done we enjoy a sweet bhelpuri or some chips and a Energy (cold sweetened Milk ) and then sit on the grass for a long time just chatting about and catching up on the happening life of my lovely Netra. She will tell me about her wishes , off going to the latest movies or something that happened in school , about her friends , how some one teased her or bullied her and some moments of pride when she won a game or when the class teacher praised her . Looking at her I sometimes miss my childhood but then again I live these moment through her eyes and become a child again playing and just having fun with her. These are the best times when i am totally stress free from the regular work and other house hold chores. And  generally escaping from being an adult and behaving like a grown up. (A note to myself should do this more often )

I suggest you try it this week end , if your kids are still small do take them out to garden locally and have a blast.

Wishing all my readers a belated Happy Children’s Day and praying that the child in you never grows up……………..