Walking Around Matunga

Sports Culture

With the Olympics 2016 just ending in the exotic location of Rio in Brazil, debates have started doing the round of all news channels – “A nation of 1.2 billion people and only 2 medals” . The news anchors trying to out do each the other in dissecting this hot topic . Some exposing our Union Sports Minister’s selfie obsession with the athletes . The other exposing Haryana Sports ministers escapades at the Copa Cabana pubs and the Rio’s famed beach parties instead of meeting our Indian athletes and boosting their morale. Some other like the top rated news anchor of the #1 news channel shouting from the roof top and cutting out even the subject matter expert in his debates and Asking the question “India wants to know “ why we were not able to win more medals . Is it the apathy of our Sports Ministry or the lack of infrastructure or is it the lack of sporting environment and culture.

There is no perfect answer to the question Why ? But yes there are small small things that contribute to the success of a nation at the highest level of the games that are played at the Olympics. And that starts with the basic sporting environment.

To that extent I can say Matunga has a long history of sports friendly environment and laurels at the Olympics. You have most active and sports enthusiastic college like the Guru Nanak Khalsa College of Arts and Science my Alma mater and a well college in Matunga-King Circle. Their hockey teams have repeatedly brought laurels both at State and National championships. This college boast of Olympians like Balbir Singh, Silma D’Silva, Lorraine Fernandes, Joaquim Carvalho , Marcelus Gomes , Marl Patterson, Jude Menezes , Adrian D’Souza and Gavin Fereira as their ex-students and represented India in Hockey at the prestigious games. They also had S S Narayan representing  Football and  Mary Leela Rao participated in Athletics at the Olympics. The college has always supported sporting activities be it Hockey Football or Basket ball . Special attention is given to students joining from the sports quota and the management is more than happy to lend a helping hand to the student union if they come up with proposal for sports events.

Just next doors there is the Don Bosco School an equally sports friendly school and with a vibrant and active sports body run by the school. They are the only school in the vicinity with a full fledged Football ground and a champion football team . Students like Gaston D’Silva being selected for 2017 FIFA World Cup in under 16 category to represent the indian Football team. The students here train under the watchful eye of their coaches Mr. Leslie Machado, Mr. Mohan Pillai, Mr. Naresh Solanki.Their teams out playing bigger and better schools and winning State and National u-8, u-14  and u-16 football championships consistently.Besides bringing laurels in Football , they also have Basketball and hockey teams winning at the inter school and state level championships. The School is at the forefront in terms of sports promotion and nurturing sporting talents. The Savio Club operated and managed by the school administration and run on school premises has been active for more than 50 years. Every year during Summer Vacations this Savio Club hold various coaching camps for the children not just from the school but from outside. The Coaching camps are run by well know sports coaches and the students are taught all nuances of the sport. Be it Basket Ball , Tennis , besides the regular Cricket . They have great facilities for indoor sports like Carom and Chess.

All these facilities were available by becoming part time members of the Savio Club in summer vacations for a measly sum of Rs.30 per month. You could both enjoy and learn the chosen sport right here in Matunga. Today also this club charges minimal fees for the summer sports camps .It encourages the children to take up sports as hobby or even profession. Creating a pool of talented sports enthusiasts. Giving that much need boost to the activity starved kids of today.

Next I line for special mention is the local Basket ball club going by the name of Hooper Club. This club has a rich tradition of promoting Basket ball in the vicinity of Matunga , King circle and Dadar. Just as Shivaji Park is regarded as the mecca of cricket with its Cricket coaching nets, the Hoopers Club has been the mecca of Basket ball with its multiple basket ball courts and famed famed coaching. With active support of the local Corporator and Mumbai Municipality the courts have been upgraded from the red mud to cement courts and international games oriented Basket ball hoops.

The Hoopers Club has tied up with all the schools in the area for imparting Basket ball coaching. The students who want to learn and go ahead in the sport join their respective school teams which get trained at pre defined slots on week ends . The training stats as early ad 6 am. And continues through the day breaking only for lunch and finally winding up at 6 pm in the evening.

The other sport that is much in demand after Saina Nehwal’s bronze at London 2012 Olympics and this years champion P.V Sindhu bringing in the silver medal for India at Rio 2016 is Badminton. A real common mans game, all that is need are two players , rackets and a badminton cock and you are ready to play even below your buildings. Matunga boast of 3 international level wooden courts. One at the Matunga Gymkhana with its prime and proper enclosed indoor court. The membership for this is much saught after. Within the Gymkhana it has 2 wooden courts of great quality.  The other famous academy in the vicinity is the Padukone Shuttlers Academy , though not related to the famous Prakash Padukone , it is run by  a local Badminton player Jitesh Padukone . This academy is right behind King Circle Station on the Bhaudaji Road. It has good facility for the young shuttlers and teaching timings can also suit the students as it operates Monday through Friday between 3 pm – 7pm and on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am – 2 pm. Great way to gain practice and in focused environment. Due availability of these facilities and easy access to sports infrastructure Matunga has a well developed Sporting culture.

It’s these basic facilities that needs to be made available at the local level to our energetic and budding sports persons-young boys and girls. If local level administration too can get involved in providing best in class infrastructure it will go long way in creating the right sporting spirit  & overall sporting environment. This in turn will give a boost to creating a sports friendly localities at the bottom of the pyramid which will eventually lead to creation of a sports enthusiastic nation.

Then every four years , we will not be debating why we didn’t win medals at the Olympics but on the contrary we will be discussing  how many more medals we can win at the Olympics.

My Salute to all the sports persons and their coaches who represented India at Rio 2016 and brought name and fame to the country despite the pathetic infrastructure and lack of government support.And also hat’s off to the parents of these athlete for firmly standing behind their wards in their struggle.

Here's wishing we get more medals in Tokyo 2020....

Walking Around Matunga

Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudchya Varshi Lavkar Ya…..

With the 11 days of Ganesh Festivities coming to a close on Anant Chaturdashi , its time to bid adieu to lord Ganesh or Bappa as his reffered by his devotees. There is a feeling of mixed emotions , a sense of sadness as the Bappa departs for his abode in the heaven and feeling of hope that he will once again visit this earth next year. Till then he will always reside in our hearts and minds in his most appealing form of Lambodar , the portly elephant headed god. He is most loved by the children (grants them 5-7 days of holiday from school ) the young ( grants them freedom to go out late in groups have fun and dance to DJ music during processions) and the old (grants them mental peace and a few days of stress free life) all this encapsulated in his kind gaze and loving demeanor. As right written in the Puranas , a true Vighna harta ,the remover of obstacles.

Matunga is the palce to be if you are a true  Ganesh Bhakt . During Anant Chaturdashi the last day when processions are taken out for Ganesh Murthi Immersion (Visarjan), this is the place to be. The whole of Dr.Ambedkar Road is caurdoned off vehicular traffic and special arrangements are made for the Miravnuk’s (procession). Just after 2.30 pm the traffic flow is changed and made to travel in reverse direction so that the tempos and trucks carrying the Bappa can smoothly access the Tilak bridge to go to Shivaji Park Chowpati for the immersion. The first Ganpati that goes by is the Duke’s Ganpati form Chembur. This large idol installed at the Dukes Factory (if you remember the real mango juice based beverage Mangola ) rushes through the main road right in front of our home.

Next in line come the Ganesh Mandals from Chembur and as far as Mankhurd. Some in small tempos some on top or Trucks. The decoration has to be seen to be believed. The road in front of our home is transformed into a mela. You will find stree vendors selling Mumbai’s famous fast food “Vada Pav” and Bhajji Pav. Served hot and crispy alongwith spicy garlic chutney. Then there are the chat stalls near Bakul Mansion the building at the coner of the lane leading to Matunga Railway station. Here you will get the juiciest and succulent Pani Puri’s and best ever sev puri with mint chutney and gila bhel with sweet and tangy imly chutney. Just next doors you have the merry-go-round , giant wheel and flying boat operators providing a thrilling time to the children who tag along to their parents to watch the Ganapati visarjan procession. Small street vendors sell plastic toys , dolls , kitchen sets , kiddie mobiles , cameras , trains, cars ,Disney character masks et all. All for a measely sum of Rs.10-30 but giving immense happiness to the children. I still remember during my childhood we would take a pocket money of Rs.20-50 and spend on these goodies to our hearts content. A special purchase would be the Aapti bar or the small fire cracker wrapped in silver or golden paper , which when thrown on the ground with force gives out a small bang. A paisa vasool item. Some of us would spend the money of the pipri -plastic or card board based sound emanating kids bugle. “Blowing once own trumpet” would take an altogether different meaning.

The Ganesh Miravnuk not to be missed is the tradition procession taken out by the Ruia College students for the Vidyarthyancha Raja. The process starts around 7.30 pm with tradition Nasik Dhol and tasha band specially flown in from Nashik or Pune. Last year they had all female band drumming away on the Dhol and tasha with such vigour and in rhythm even the male onlookers would feel awed by their enthusiasm. Their energy so contagious that unmindful of the surrounding you are sure to start tapping your feet and dancing on the spot. The miravnuk starts at the pandal and winds down to the Ruia Signal of the main road. In between all that drumming , the students light up crackers on the road. This procession is sometimes attended by ex-students like Sanjay Narvekar (Dedh Phutiya of Vaastav fame).The miravnuk’s grand finale is the sky show of crackers (rockets). What a great way to bid adieu to the Bappa.

At the same time on the main road you can see the Raj Kapoor’s Ganpati with its traditional decoration of Ganga flowing from Shivji’s jatta (hair) and Ganesh ji siting on his lap in the front . The sevadars on the truck spraying water on the crowds gathered on the sides of the roads. A little fun while moving towards chowpatty.

The whole area is filled with chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya , pudchya varshi lavkar ya. Sounds of dhols , tutari and lezhim in traditional miravnuk. Or the ear blaring Bollywood songs played by would DJ’s from huge speakers mounted on separate trucks. Groups of young boys and girls dancing in the front.

Just as the darkness sets in you can see the most beautiful sights with Ganapati’s big and small mounted on trucks decorated with colourful lights and spreading the glow. As children we used to run towards these trucks to get a closer look at the Bappa and collect the Prasad. We used to fill our hungry tummies with sakhar phutana’s , boiled channa , pedhas , Lhaya’s (puffed rice) and sometimes sev bundi and sweet moong khichadi.

The procession continues well into the night even past mid night. Only the sounds and music systems curbed by the traffic cops. The Ganesh idols looking serene in the soft glow of the lights.

You wipe the tears in your eyes and with a heavy heart but with a hope in your mind that Bappa will be back next year you trudge back home……

Sometimes if you look up in the sky I feel Bappa would also be wiping his eyes and saying “Ho nakki” when a shout of “Pudhchya Varshi Laykar ya goes up “.

Walking Around Matunga

Ganpati Bappa Morya

Varkra Tund Mahakay , Surya Koti Samaprabha

Nirvighna Kurme Devo , Sarva Karyashu Sarvada

This  shloka invokes the blessing from Lord Ganesha before start of any new project . It prays to the elephant headed God of Art and Knowledge to drive away all the obstacles  (Vighnas)  and bless the requester with success in his work.

At start of this week every body will become busy in welcoming the Vighnaharta , the God of 18 Vidya and 64 kala’s the lovable Ganesha into their homes and in buildings at the Sarvajanik Mandals. Here he will stay with us for the next 10 days from Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi . Bringing along with him happiness and a mood of festivity and with a promise to ease the stress and burdens of his lakhs and lakhs of devotees. He is the embodiment of art , culture and peace. Just looking into the eyes of his Murthy will melt away your sorrow and and bring around a sense of hope and happiness.

Matunga being close to the culturally vibrant areas of Lalbaug , Parel and Shivaji Park and pre dominantly a Maharashtrian enlave , the Ganesh festival is celebrated in great pomp . This place has close to 10 -15 sarvajanik mandals dating to back pre independence years with a rich historya and tradition of 50 – 75 years . Take the example of  2 of the richest Ganesh Mandals , the GSB Ganesh Mandal at Wadala celebrating 75 years of incorporation and GSB Gaesh mandal at King Circle celebrating this festival for last 62 years . Both these are said to be Iccha Purti Ganesha’s , where if you make a wish with you pure heart the Lord will bless youa and make it come true. I have personally experienced the same on may occasions over the years. Both these Mandals have their unique style of celebration. The King Circle GSB Ganesh Mandal celebrates the Ganesh festival for 5 days on the SNDT grounds on the RA Kidwai Road with a huge pandal and an equally huge Ganesh Murti. The Ganesha idol is decorated with real Gold ornaments like the glittering and bejeweled crown , Gold necklaces , palm and feet covers made of gold and golden kaddas for hands and feet. The nearly 20ft idol sits on the stage in great style bestowing all those whom come with his blessings. The area in front of the idol is demarketed for Gana hom (havan) and another are is designated for Tula bhar ( a custom of offering coconuts equal to once weight to the Lord Ganesh).

For all 5 days there is a special Prasad Lunch free to all the devotee who visit the pandal. Close to 4-5 Lakh devotees take this prasadam over the period of the 5 days. At a time nearly 100 people can eat in one sitting . The food is prepared the kitchen set up right behind the Mandap and close to 50 -60 cooks prepare the special menu . Then there are another 50-100 sevadaars at any given time inside the pandal to help organize this festival and make sure the festival passes without any untoward incidents. I personally recommend to try the special lunch atleast once , you will come back again again every year like I do. The menu is simple mix of GSB traditional items like Udit Methi (sweet and tangy curry made from coconut spiced with udit and fenugreek seeds) Tendli upkari ( smashed and fried tendli vegetable) , Sar (Rasam) , Kachi Kela Bajji (Raw Banana mixed in Chick pea batter and crispily fried) , fresh mango pickle or mixed vegetable pickle, fried papadam, Steamed rice and Dali Toy (yellow dal) . For sweet there is the Madgane paysam( sweet made of channa dal and coconut milk ) flavoured with elaichi and jai phal and soft bundi ladoo. All this is served on a banana leaf the most eco friendly plate you can use.The sevadars keep coming with refills and urge you to take second or third helpings . Sitting there cross legged on the floor makes you content and you may end up eating more than you can imagine and your routine appetite. The food is simple but really tasty. Do try it atleast once…

Same is the case at the Wadala GSB Ganesh Mandal . here the Lord is hosted for 10 days with equal apolomb . This Ganesh is said to be richest Ganesh Mandal outdoing even the famous Lalbaugcha Raja the 10 day festival is insured for close to 260 Crores. The jewelry on the Lord Ganesha’s murthi itself is valued at more than 22 Crores. But this mandal still believes in the old values with traditional functions like Shloka patthan , traditional dance performance and late evening bhajjans by local and community groups performing very day. There is never a rush and the chaos associated while visiting the pandal which is open close to mid night. You can peaceful stand in the que , reach the lords feet , soak  in the serene atmosphere and pray at the Lords feet and take his blessings in a calm manner.

The Sarvajanik Mandal next to our building in Aggarwal Nagar even hosted a mini film festival. Screening the famous Amitabh Bachan starers like Namak Halal ( with dialogs as funny as “I can talk English I can walk English”) , Shaan (made famous by the baldy villain Shaakal  , Coolie ( Sari Duniyaan ka boj hum uthate hain a tribute to the porters of Mumbai) , Deewar ( With the famous lines “Mere paas bungla hai gadi hai paise hain , tere pas kya hain and Shashi Kapoor desimating him with a counter “ Mer Paas Maa hain” )and the epic Sholay with the characters of Surma Bhopali ,  Angrezo ke zamane ke Jailer , Thakur , Jai ,Veeru and the notorious Gabbar all etched in our minds. We would sit on the steps on the central garden on news paper spread to protect our clothes and enjoy the movies of the large white screen and dialogues and song blaring from huge speakers.

During our childhood we used to roam around visiting the numerous Ganesh Pandals in the vicinity and enjoying the festival and having a gala time.The tradition is continued with me and my wife taking our kids Netra & Bhatki and visiting all these pandal and enjoying the decorations of each mandals.

You have the Vidyarthyancha Raja (Students Ganesha) at the Ruia Naka with decorations based on current topics and news. Visited by Marathi television and movie celebraties . Walking further you arrive at the tallest Ganapati Murti in the Brijwasi Ganesh Mandal with decorations of water fountains and cutains.The murthi close to 15 ft with the Ganesh idol in traditional yellow pithambar. Moving ahead you come to the Matunga Market Ganpati Mandal earlier patronized by the erstwhile gangster Vardharajan Mudaliar on whose life was made the famous Tamil Movie “Nayakan” with Vardha bhai role espouced by vetran character actor Kamal Hasan and directed by talented and award winning director Mani Ratnam . Till he was alive Vardha bhai used to lavishly celebrate the Ganesh festival tasking over the entire space in front of the Matunga Railway Station. Spending  heavily on the theme based decorations and lighting . Though over the years the celebrations have toned down after passing away of the DON . The madal celebrates the festival with apolomb and the devotee still throng to take the blessings of Lord Ganesh and the idol set in traditional south Indian form.

Walk a little further and you come to the Phulwalon ka Ganpati or the Ganesha of the flower sellers in Matunga Flower market. The Pandal here is decked with fresh flowers in vibrant colors from deep chrome to sunshine yellow to deep blues and rich reds. Using flowers like marigold , jasmine , orchids and roses. For ten days the flowers are changed every day and the decorations are the talk of all Matunga.

Next of the list is the Pramanik Ganapati Mandal decked up in Silver jewelary and decorations based on puranik katha’s or religious themes. Walking ahead you land up at the Tejukaya Ganesh Mandal. Here the decorations are theme based  like the hawa mahal from Rajasthan or the miniature Meenaxi Temple or other of palaces and traditional temples. The artisans take months to complete the pandal and bring these exotic places right here in Matunga. This Ganesh Mandal is also famnus for lip smacking and finger licking food stalls righ out side. You can choose from the spicy tangy Butter Pav Bhaji to the mouth watering and hot vada pav  or wolf down the Delhi chaats of alu tikkis , dah wada and golgappas. On public demand they have now started Cheesy pastas and pizzas and even the paneer and muchroom kebabs are scrumptious.

The scene outside is like a mela with merry go rounds and giant wheels and toy sellers selling dolls , guns , toy phones and musical pianos , guitars and hand made bow and arrows etc. The kids love to shop here and the adults like to hog on the food. What fun.

With sleepy eyes, a happy heart and a smile on your face you can then trudge back to your cozy home well past mid night and plop in your bed with a secured mind that for the next ten days Lord Ganesha himself has come down on this earth to bring happiness among his devotees and drive away all the obstacles in their lives.

Ganpati Bappa Morya…….