Ganesh Visarjan 2012

Was a very intense experience for me. Standing at Girgaum Chowpatty at 1 a.m, seeing the streaming processions of Ganeshas, some big and yet some very big, some huge and some large, the city was flooded with street lights, people and their favourite - Ganeshas. During the first few days, I was thirsting to see Ganeshas, running around between several pandals to catch a glimpse of the lord of the lords - Ganesha.

And here I was on Anant Chaturdasi night, watching procession after procession of Ganeshas. As i stood inches from the Arabian sea lapping on the shores and saw a number of Ganeshas standing eerily still, in the waters, I could only notice the silence that fell on everyone's ears as we all watched the Ganeshas. There were people talking but nothing went into ours heads. It was completely silent and we were but silent spectators of the Visarjan. It was a bone chilling experience as I witnessed the Visarjan of several Ganeshas getting into the water, people going on a motor boat deep into the water to let their Ganeshas immerse in the sea, and the experience was unique as it was just the Ganeshas and me, and not a drop of sound reached my ears and I am sure all the onlookers ears.

We were kind of united in the silence, witnessing a miracle, man made, yet one, as the Ganeshas slowly sunk in.

And that is when I precisely fell in love with Mumbai. That is when all I could say to Shiv was 'Only in Mumbai, Only in Mumbai'.

He did it for me. He came along as he didn't want to send me alone into the night. And he mumbled some words like 'Yes, only in Mumbai , no where in the world can you see such a sight'. And even in my stupor, i said 'lets not say no-where in the world, lets just say only in Mumbai'. It didn't feel right talking about other nations just now. This was Mumbai's moment. I wanted to think of only that night, that moment. All nations have their own miracles. And for me that night captivated my heart and Mumbai had my soul from then on.

Only In Mumbai
Mumbai Meri Jaan.