Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai
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About
Chowpatty is a great place to witness the
annual Ganesh Chaturthi Festival when large
images of Lord Ganesha are immersed in the
sea. A visit to this beach provides an interesting
outing with many permanent little kiosks selling
special typical mumbaish snacks. Snake charmers
entertain the beach going public. The statues
Lokamanya Tilak and Vallabhai Patel bring
nostalgic memories of the freedom fighting.
Childrens' attraction
Chowpatty developed as a sort of "base station"
leading upto Malabar Hill as it is inextricably
linked to adjoining areas of Malabar Hill,
Girgaum, Gamdevi and Khetwadi. At the northern
end of Marine Drive, this beach is a virtual
carnival every day in the evenings when people
come there with their children for recreation.
The ferris wheels and merry-go-round hold
attraction for the children as well as adults,
with the array of food stalls selling golas,
chat, kulfi and bhel. No doubt it is recommended
only for those with a strong biology. There
are pony rides, snake charmers, self-styled
gymnasts, monkey shows, eunuchs, astrologers
and drug peddlers as well. The Chowpatty sea
face has both residential and commercial buildings.
Consequently, in the evenings the area is
flooded with unsavoury elements, pickpockets
and well-muscled masseurs offering their services.
Ahead, on the right across the road stands
Wilson College. The recently opened "Nana
Nani Park" along Chowpatty Beach serves good
for the elderly to walk around in, sit and
enjoy the sea breeze.
The Chowpatty Colony
Apart from Juhu in the suburbs, Chowpatty
is Mumbai's most famous beach. During the
day, it is the hangout of the happily unemployed
who snoozes under the shade of its stunted
trees. But in the evening the atmosphere is
more like a carnival. At one end is a row
of bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular
snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina doused
in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a
flat, fried puri. One might even catch a film
shoot or a street play. In short, for most
tourists Chowpatty is where the action is.
It has rich historical links to the freedom
movement; several important meetings were
organized here during the freedom struggle.
Though the beaches remain empty throughout
the day, it is a hub of activity in the evenings.
On the beach itself is a small colony of the
original inhabitants of Mumbai, the Koli fishermen
who can be seen drying their catch or mending
their nets. Chowpatty beach is in the heart
of Mumbai.
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