The extreme forms of nature have always fascinated me, be it the majestic hills, the golden sand of the deserts, the gurgling, milky rivers flowing down like quick silver or the vastness of the sea. Nature withholds such a lot of beauty & everything about is so captivating, enchanting & attractive. Although nature’s bounty can be felt & experienced throughout the length & breadth of India, but Mumbai, its glamour, chaos, the cultural diversity and its diverse landscape has always enthralled me & called me back again and again. The Mumbai experiences have always enriched & enlivened me specially the sea & my visits to the Marine Drive or the queen’s necklace as it is also known as, is always looked forward too.
Marine drive is the best place where you can just sit and relax or take a stroll & get an idea about & understand Mumbai. It in itself defines Mumbai which in Marathi is derived from goddess Mumba (Mumba Devi is said to be patron deity of Koli fishermen, the original residents of Mumbai), with water all around. It holds a special place in my heart not only because of the beauty but because of the moments I have spent there in the company of my beloved & my family, and also because of the feeling around it , the entire experience teaches & shows me so many facets of life.
Actually it is an upturned C shaped six lanes concrete boulevard running up to three kilometres, joining the Nariman point with Malabar hills. It is a natural bay with the vast grey Arabian Sea forming its coast line. It’s a stark contrast in settings here with the domesticated land on one side, with buildings built by rich Parsees, hotels, offices etc. At the same time being one of the most busiest roads in Mumbai & the rough bashful waves of the sea playing with gay abandon on the heaving chest of Earth, hitting against the land as if romantically anxious to behold its beloved in an embrace. It’s a perfect place for relaxing & enjoyment with, nature, people, food & fun.
I have never seen the place empty or vacant. It is always streaming with tourists, office goers, residents & college students etc. It is a viewing gallery offering panoramic view of the sea, the distant landscape & the sky. The entire place is a hub of activity & is always hustling & bustling. Scores of people come to breathe fresh air and view sunrise & sunset. People can be seen sitting there in groups, as couples or all alone, in the company of nature oblivious to the chaotic world around. The visitors can enjoy the wonderful views of the setting sun at twilight, or begin their day watching the sun come out bringing with it all sleepy forms to life. Palm trees are lined up along the road, presenting a picturesque view and is a nice walkway to take a stroll, so you will always find couples, old people & even ladies in groups just taking a stroll or coming for their morning & evening walks as children play around & stray dogs run around after the crows who are eager to get a peck of the crumbs of food. Such is the beauty & enigma of Marine Drive.
Marine Drive can be termed as the only best causeway for a refreshing saunter, an energising walk, next to the sparkling waters of the Arabian Sea, with the cool breeze blowing that caresses with a mild & gentle touch making everyone feel at home & welcome. Many a hearts have united here, shared grief & happiness, taken strong decisions with the sea serving a background focussing on change, stayed on, moved ahead, solved problems & got back to being one, to share & care, to love.
Known as the Queen's Necklace, Marine Drive, when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, looks like a radiant string of pearls, forming a necklace. The title of queen’s necklace was conferred to it because the picture presented at night with all the glittering street lights is like a big strand of imperious jewels, or a necklace studded with diamonds. The beauty of the sight is breath taking & ethereal, always embedded in your memories.
Sitting there you feel as if you are talking to the sea, the sea also responding by coming from far to you & in return kissing you with the refreshing drops of water it sprinkles on you. The splash of the water, the breeze everything mesmerizes & one can sit for hours & hours together holding hands, or sitting all by oneself, talking to & experiencing the wonderful solitude in the hustle & bustle around. If one wants to experience solitude & the super power it is here that you get to do, while watching the earth & the sky melting into each other at the seamless, limitless horizon, and wonder at the wonders of the world & heaven. It is here that you see the diverse Indian culture & the unity in this diversity as you see all kinds of people rubbing shoulders without knowing any limits or boundaries. The rich, the poor, the Hindus, the Muslims, Parsees, Sikhs, the fair, the dark...all kinds of people at this place which showcases an amalgamation of the diverse, a beautiful mix all woven into one.
It is here that one can see how easy it is to adjust, adopt & accept when one sees the bhaiyya from a remote UP or Bihar selling bhel or singdana or balloons, or an office goer from the southern , northern or eastern part of the country jostle together in a pool cab ( share taxis). It shows us how easily they have adjusted to the changed topography, the weather, the tastes, and the people. And also clearly gives an insight into how well they have been accepted into the common thread. It is on this path that many a feet, very different from each other has treaded & traversed together. Marine drive is a wonderful place giving an insight into our unity & solidarity which is as strong as the waves & as united as the entire promenade that unites & joins the jungle like concrete of Nariman Point to the beautiful, green & leafy habitats of Malabar Hills.
One feels childlike as one is in unison with the boisterous waves & sees the small children play around with gay abandon. One can sit & have a feel of the romantic as the golden yellow sun bathes the horizon into a vermillion red & plunges into it, while couples in love sit there looking into each other’s eyes whispering nothing. Or have a feel of years of long companionship, of keeping promises made of togetherness as the sun rises again to bask the earth in a golden glow & warmth as old couples sit on the benches, sharing the solitude, years of togetherness with unspoken words.
As I sit here on this visit, surrounded by the waves sounding so much like naughty children trying to beat each other I am reminded of Khalil Gibran’s “But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
I would rather say “create a bond of love with the moving sea & the calming wind connecting the shores of your souls”. The entire surrounding is all of a sudden changed as the small little raindrops fall on the earth below leaving a wonderful earthy smell in the air, create music by dancing on the sea bed & soothe my skin with a wonderful satiny cool touch. I am totally in awe of the sensation the entire picture is creating. Nature, the sea, the sky, the earth, the overlooking palms, the magnificent buildings, animals & birds, the heavens & humans all interlinked & entwined together imparting a glorious beauty & wonderful feeling.
The feeling of love is epitomised & symbolised at this landmark of Mumbai, where love flows in all its form, love that is beautiful & full of desires, mercy and compassion. Love for God , love for humans & all living forms, love for nature & the ever giving, forever loving love of God; love for solitude & rejuvenating joy, refreshing & energizing happiness . As I get up to walk on ahead ( a part of the journey of my life ), to soak in this feeling into myself, to partake of the wonderful experience & freeze the picture in my heart before I come back for more, I leave with a bagful of treasure with gems like beauty in the form of nature, solitude in chaos, companionship, friendship, attraction, longing, romance, belonging, affection, friendship and over all Selfless Giving & much more which is inexplicable & can only be experienced by the self, by only me or you!!!
Marine drive is the best place where you can just sit and relax or take a stroll & get an idea about & understand Mumbai. It in itself defines Mumbai which in Marathi is derived from goddess Mumba (Mumba Devi is said to be patron deity of Koli fishermen, the original residents of Mumbai), with water all around. It holds a special place in my heart not only because of the beauty but because of the moments I have spent there in the company of my beloved & my family, and also because of the feeling around it , the entire experience teaches & shows me so many facets of life.
Actually it is an upturned C shaped six lanes concrete boulevard running up to three kilometres, joining the Nariman point with Malabar hills. It is a natural bay with the vast grey Arabian Sea forming its coast line. It’s a stark contrast in settings here with the domesticated land on one side, with buildings built by rich Parsees, hotels, offices etc. At the same time being one of the most busiest roads in Mumbai & the rough bashful waves of the sea playing with gay abandon on the heaving chest of Earth, hitting against the land as if romantically anxious to behold its beloved in an embrace. It’s a perfect place for relaxing & enjoyment with, nature, people, food & fun.
I have never seen the place empty or vacant. It is always streaming with tourists, office goers, residents & college students etc. It is a viewing gallery offering panoramic view of the sea, the distant landscape & the sky. The entire place is a hub of activity & is always hustling & bustling. Scores of people come to breathe fresh air and view sunrise & sunset. People can be seen sitting there in groups, as couples or all alone, in the company of nature oblivious to the chaotic world around. The visitors can enjoy the wonderful views of the setting sun at twilight, or begin their day watching the sun come out bringing with it all sleepy forms to life. Palm trees are lined up along the road, presenting a picturesque view and is a nice walkway to take a stroll, so you will always find couples, old people & even ladies in groups just taking a stroll or coming for their morning & evening walks as children play around & stray dogs run around after the crows who are eager to get a peck of the crumbs of food. Such is the beauty & enigma of Marine Drive.
Marine Drive can be termed as the only best causeway for a refreshing saunter, an energising walk, next to the sparkling waters of the Arabian Sea, with the cool breeze blowing that caresses with a mild & gentle touch making everyone feel at home & welcome. Many a hearts have united here, shared grief & happiness, taken strong decisions with the sea serving a background focussing on change, stayed on, moved ahead, solved problems & got back to being one, to share & care, to love.
Known as the Queen's Necklace, Marine Drive, when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, looks like a radiant string of pearls, forming a necklace. The title of queen’s necklace was conferred to it because the picture presented at night with all the glittering street lights is like a big strand of imperious jewels, or a necklace studded with diamonds. The beauty of the sight is breath taking & ethereal, always embedded in your memories.
Sitting there you feel as if you are talking to the sea, the sea also responding by coming from far to you & in return kissing you with the refreshing drops of water it sprinkles on you. The splash of the water, the breeze everything mesmerizes & one can sit for hours & hours together holding hands, or sitting all by oneself, talking to & experiencing the wonderful solitude in the hustle & bustle around. If one wants to experience solitude & the super power it is here that you get to do, while watching the earth & the sky melting into each other at the seamless, limitless horizon, and wonder at the wonders of the world & heaven. It is here that you see the diverse Indian culture & the unity in this diversity as you see all kinds of people rubbing shoulders without knowing any limits or boundaries. The rich, the poor, the Hindus, the Muslims, Parsees, Sikhs, the fair, the dark...all kinds of people at this place which showcases an amalgamation of the diverse, a beautiful mix all woven into one.
It is here that one can see how easy it is to adjust, adopt & accept when one sees the bhaiyya from a remote UP or Bihar selling bhel or singdana or balloons, or an office goer from the southern , northern or eastern part of the country jostle together in a pool cab ( share taxis). It shows us how easily they have adjusted to the changed topography, the weather, the tastes, and the people. And also clearly gives an insight into how well they have been accepted into the common thread. It is on this path that many a feet, very different from each other has treaded & traversed together. Marine drive is a wonderful place giving an insight into our unity & solidarity which is as strong as the waves & as united as the entire promenade that unites & joins the jungle like concrete of Nariman Point to the beautiful, green & leafy habitats of Malabar Hills.
One feels childlike as one is in unison with the boisterous waves & sees the small children play around with gay abandon. One can sit & have a feel of the romantic as the golden yellow sun bathes the horizon into a vermillion red & plunges into it, while couples in love sit there looking into each other’s eyes whispering nothing. Or have a feel of years of long companionship, of keeping promises made of togetherness as the sun rises again to bask the earth in a golden glow & warmth as old couples sit on the benches, sharing the solitude, years of togetherness with unspoken words.
As I sit here on this visit, surrounded by the waves sounding so much like naughty children trying to beat each other I am reminded of Khalil Gibran’s “But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
I would rather say “create a bond of love with the moving sea & the calming wind connecting the shores of your souls”. The entire surrounding is all of a sudden changed as the small little raindrops fall on the earth below leaving a wonderful earthy smell in the air, create music by dancing on the sea bed & soothe my skin with a wonderful satiny cool touch. I am totally in awe of the sensation the entire picture is creating. Nature, the sea, the sky, the earth, the overlooking palms, the magnificent buildings, animals & birds, the heavens & humans all interlinked & entwined together imparting a glorious beauty & wonderful feeling.
The feeling of love is epitomised & symbolised at this landmark of Mumbai, where love flows in all its form, love that is beautiful & full of desires, mercy and compassion. Love for God , love for humans & all living forms, love for nature & the ever giving, forever loving love of God; love for solitude & rejuvenating joy, refreshing & energizing happiness . As I get up to walk on ahead ( a part of the journey of my life ), to soak in this feeling into myself, to partake of the wonderful experience & freeze the picture in my heart before I come back for more, I leave with a bagful of treasure with gems like beauty in the form of nature, solitude in chaos, companionship, friendship, attraction, longing, romance, belonging, affection, friendship and over all Selfless Giving & much more which is inexplicable & can only be experienced by the self, by only me or you!!!
