A day at the museum(s)
This Saturday I was awake and finished with my training run by 8:00am, which is a true sign that I am getting old. I decided that rather than opt for the easy choice of staying inside all day, I would brave the sweltering Mumbai summer heat to explore the city.
I hopped in the cab and set off for my first stop: Mani Bhavan. This is the home where Gandhi lived during his time in Mumbai. The museum is a very humble, three story home tucked away on a residential street. It blends in with its surroundings and the only way to tell that it is Mani Bhavan is the small sign out front. I spent an hour looking through the many photos, displays, and the actual room where Gandhi stayed. It was incredible to witness some small piece of the wonderful life and work of Gandhi. What struck me the most about the museum is that there was no entrance fee: you donate what you can at the end. It seemed like a very fitting approach to honoring Gandhi.
My next stop was lunch at a restaurant from the guide book that my dad gave me (thanks, dad!). There used to be something daunting about walking into a restaurant and asking for a table for one, but now I have mastered solo-dining. I enjoy the solitude of a leisurely lunch and the people watching that comes with it. Eating alone in Mumbai is especially relaxing because it allows me to escape the chaos outside and sit in the quiet. As much as I love Indian food, I was excited to have something closer to home for lunch. The restaurant had a familiar favorite on the menu that I could not resist: veggie tacos. It was not until the tacos arrived to the table that I realized just how much I miss Mexican food and how starving I was after my 9 mile run!
After refueling, I embarked on the biggest challenge of the day: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Say that twice in a row! It is a giant history museum in South Mumbai that has a diverse set of exhibits. I have to admit that I was hesitant to go here alone because it is known to be insanely crowded (it was) and I would probably be the only solo female (I was). What I did not know going into it, but soon found out, is that it is not air conditioned. The three hours spent walking around countless exhibits was well worth the heat! They provide a “free” audio guide for foreigners if you purchase a camera pass, a savvy move for the museum to snag a few extra bucks from us gullible visitors. That helped me to get the most out of my visit and learn about many specific pieces in the museum.
It was nerve-wracking to walk around and be stared at by almost everyone as I tried to focus on the exhibits. I have learned that if you do not pay attention to unwanted attention people leave you alone! Of all of the things I saw, my favorite was something unique to what we know to be true about museums in the Western world: the museum leaves some of the sculptures from the 6th and 7th century outside on the patios with no security. I am not sure how they manage to keep the sculptures in proper condition, but it was fascinating to see little kids climbing on ancient statues of Hindu gods!
By the end of my trip to the museum I could barely keep my eyes open, but I wanted to make the most out of my day in South Mumbai. I went to a few stores from the guide book (again, thanks dad!) and then I remembered one of my bucket list items: Kala Ghoda Café. It is allegedly the best coffee in Mumbai and is located in the Kala Ghoda neighborhood of South Mumbai. This fact, we would come to find out, is very confusing.
What seemed like would be a short drive from the final shop we visited turned out to be one hour circling around a four block radius. We asked at least fifteen different cab drivers how to get to Kala Ghoda Café and they either gave us conflicting directions, or directed us to a café in Kala Ghoda.
As a last resort 45 minutes into this coffee shop adventure, I started Google Maps for the first time in India. If you have ever been to India you will understand that it is much easier to ask other cab drivers than it is to use technology to get around. The cab driver was extremely hesitant to have me use this map because he does not trust GPS. After my long day of running and museums in the heat, this was very frustrating. Google Maps was telling me the route to the coffee shop (5 minutes from where we were), but he would stop the car and continue to ask other cab drivers. Just when we were about to give up I looked to my right in this very narrow street and there it was! We both shrieked with joy. I was thrilled to find it and have some caffeine, and he was excited that he was able to get us there without scratching the cab. The streets were maybe 12 feet wide, with bikes parked along the sides. I ordered a latte to go and sipped it along the drive home.
I’m not sure if it was the coffee itself or the satisfaction of knowing that I successfully explored Mumbai alone, but it was best latte I’ve ever had.
Cheers,
B
Outside of Mani Bhavan
Gandhi's room
Some images of Gandhi
Statue of Ganesha at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
Ancient Indian hand painting
Indian jewelry
One of the many giant fans at the museum
The map on the box was a cruel reminder of how lost we were
Look how small Kala Ghoda Café is!