March 2015 by Bandra Buzz newspaper

BandraBuzz creating community connect since 2010

KILLING US SOFTLY?

Dangerous level radiation of 4G cell towers encroach our open spaces, creating a major health hazard too On 20th Feb. 2015, residents around Prof. Almeida Park received a shock; when they saw Reliance workers trying to install a 4G cell tower in the playground. We rushed there to ﬁnd that they were putting it up barely 5 feet away from the children’s swing set. On being questioned, we were shocked to hear them tell us, “Move the swing set”. This was crossing all limits of tolerance. Then, our local Municipal Councillor, Asif Zakaria informed us that Reliance was planning to put up similar towers in 1,160 open spaces across Mumbai; out of which 17 were planned for our ward. Representatives of AGNI & NAGAR met the Municipal Commissioner Mr. Kunte & asked him how this was permissible. We could not believe it when we were told that the House & the Standing Committee, with the exception of Asif Zakaria, had unanimously passed it. Under these horrendous circumstances,

the only option left was to start a grass-root agitation. So, a signature-campaign took off across the city, organized by two NGOs: AGNI & NAGAR. As of now, over 10,000 people have signed the letter addressed to the CM Devendra Fadnavis, on cancelling the notiﬁcation for installing cell towers in open spaces. We are waiting for an appointment with him. Why are we opposing these towers? Firstly, it falls nothing short of encroachments on gardens & playgrounds; which are already a dismal 1.24 sq. mtr. per person. Secondly, they would pose a major health hazard for children & citizens visiting these open spaces. Reliance has assured us that signages like ‘DANGER’ & ‘DO NOT ENTER’, etc. will be provided. However, such warnings will act as a deterrent against people using these grounds for recreational purposes. The last straw is that Reliance will pay a rent of Rs 1/to BMC, while a tax-paying Mumbaikar has to

pay Rs 2/- to enter Joggers Park. This is a JOKE! The height of the towers is 25 metres. No CRZ permission is taken to install it in gardens on coastal areas like Bandstand & Carter Road. One of the open spaces is the Nilgiri Gardens (Linking Road), which shares a compound wall with the Bandra Hindu Association School. With a 25 metre height, it will be only a few feet away from children studying on the second ﬂoor. POINT TO NOTE >> Reliance was forced to admit at a recent Press Conference, that at this height - radiation levels are at their worst. Towers in Mulund, Kandivali & Chembur have been thrown out by local residents. Are ‘They’ Killing Us Softly ? Finally, there is an apprehension that other operators like Airtel & Vodafone could get similar permissions, leading to a bigger loss (and health hazard) of the few ‘breathing spaces’ left for Mumbaikars. Shyama Kulkarni

NEW VENTURE

BANDRABUZZ

MARCH 2015

Incendiary Motorcycles customise Delilah their first bike a ‘06 Royal Enfield Thunderbird The word incendiary emotes fire and while Joshua Pereira explains the thought and concept that inspired them to build building Delilah I couldn’t help but imagine Frodo riding it on his way to Mordor in a new age Lord of the Ring, I snap back to reality in order not to fiddle with the mighty imagination of the Great Tolkien. Getting back to business, Incendiary Motorcycles was kick started, quite literally by Krysyn Rego and Joshua Pereira in 2008. Driven solely by the arsenal full of incendiary for motorcycles they have, research and development commenced with a couple of CBZ’s. They have known each other since their childhood and with a mutual dream to create through motorcycles they took the plunge with their own bikes. Labour is divided between them while Joshua steers the design department Krysyn welds and bangs the bike together. In April 2013 they purchased an Enfield motorcycle and outsourced the frame and chassis work to a Andheri based garage with their design layout. Time constraints is a challenge that they face considering Krysyn is a seaman and is home every alternate month and Joshua works with an event management firm. Before they could realize

Krysyn Rego & Joshua Pereira with their customised bikes Ivy & Delilah a year had passed without any progress on the Enﬁeld, so ﬁnally they took it upon themselves to build it from scratch. The bike was already stripped to its wrought iron frame; they set up shop under Joshua’s building to put the bike together. Sourcing

the parts that needed to be custom built was made accessible by a Delhi based chop shop that specializes in custom body parts. After half a year’s toil they had their bike ready by October 2014. So far Incendiary Motorcycles have re-

built 3 motorcycles and have been noticed by the bike building community. They are the youngest of the lot and have time on their side to hone their skills. Future plans are to take up work for clients and set up a fully functional garage, at this point in time they have their hands full with planning for an assignment that takes off in March. They believe that it is a good time to be building bikes as people are exploring and riding for the love of motorcycles. The rapidly increasing builders all over the country proves that the biking culture is gaining momentum and its exposure is not restricted to metropolitan cities but has spread to smaller cities as well. From having only 5 builders in the whole country half a decade ago today as many and 40 custom bike builders are actively involved in creating art through bikes. Incendiary Motorcycles are looking at expanding their team, they are eager to collaborate with artist and people interested to build, create and express themselves through motorcycles. Godspeed to these budding bike builders. Sidhant Nayangara Pic by: Vivian Pereira

04 MARCH 2015 Where to pick up your copy of Bandra Buzz? Pick up your copy of Bandra Buzz at newspaper stalls, selected retailers, cafes, gymkhana and libraries. It is available at the following locations throughout Bandra, Khar and Chium:

Hill Road » Near Bandra station ticket counter » Near Bandra station rickshaw stand » Shankar Sidh (outside Lucky Restaurant) » P.S. Chavan (outside Studio Perfecta) » Sheshmani Yadav (outside Food United) » Ajit B Shelar (outside ICICI Bank) » Bandra Medical Stores

Waterfield Road » Indian Express (Opp. Bandra Post Office)

Chapel Road » Shiva (outside Mt Carmels Church) » Rajendra Yadav (near Star Bucks Coffee) » Rejoyce Cakes

St. John Baptist Road » Sandeep Bookstall (near Mt Mary steps)

Krishna Chandra Marg » R K Yadav (outside IES College)

Bazaar Road » Rohit Newspaper Agency (near Kalidas General Stores)

Letters to the Editor DICTATORSHIP? It almost seems like we are in for dictatorship. Will we accept it with open arms or are we going to get up and do something about it? We should act now, before we are all told what to say and what not to say... or if women are allowed to take their kids to the park… or do they need their husbands to tag along with them so no one interferes, in case of a quarrel. Crystal A. D'Mello INCREDIBLE INDIA? Vegetarians deciding which meat nonvegetarians should eat... Bachelors deciding how many kids women should produce... Straights deciding on limits of gay lovemaking... Actors commenting on medical ethics... Doctors commenting on Vedic Astrology... Politicians deciding which ﬁlms should be released this Friday... Clerics and Pujaris debating on how much science is OK for schools... "Half-pant" wearing uncles deciding on teenager girls' skirt length... Rapists commenting on the morality of girls they rape and murder... Indeed... INCREDIBLE INDIA Rahul Verma

Turner Road » Opp. Veena Beena Shopping Centre » B.M. Khambe (near D’Decor showroom) » R.K. Yadav (near Lemonleaf Restaurant) » Surendra Amberkar (outside Peace Haven Bungalow) » Paradise Books Store (near Otters Club)

St. Andrew's Road » The Bandra Gymkhana

D'Monte Park Road » Mcubed Library

Chimbai Road » S.R.N./L.R. Yadav (opp. Solanki Chemist)

Dr. Ambedkar Road » Bhushan Newspaper Suppliers (opp. 5 Spice Restaurant) » Uday R Pai (opp. Barbeque Nation) » Suresh More (near St. Elias High School)

Junction of 24th & 30th Road » Rajkumar Yadav (opp. St. Theresa's Boys High School)

EDITORIAL

BANDRABUZZ

HERITAGE STEPS I wish to draw your attention to one fact that Cement Road was never meant for motor vehicles. It always had steps for devotees to walk up. The road surface should be restored to its original status with steps - and a couple of ﬂat horizontal ramps for placing benches at the side, for aged devotees to rest while walking up. Hand support rails on both sides would help the elderly climb up & down. Please take this matter with the concerned authorities and accomplish this task before the next Bandra Fair. Greg Pereira UMRACHA PANI This has reference to the letter by Clarence Gomes on Umracha Pani, in your Feb 2015 issue. I fully endorse his views in too. Yes, the East Indians – the sons of the soil, should set a good example to other communities.

Firstly, they should know that drinking liquor on public roads is prohibited. Even carrying liquor needs a permit. Hence, should an unforeseen incident happen, this will surely make the bride / groom unhappy. The Umracha Pani can definitely be celebrated on public roads with the band and PANI - and at home with the band and alcohol. The East Indians should realize that inspite of being ‘sons of the soil’, they have already lost a lot. Hence, they should hold on to the balance by proving themselves as disciplined citizens on public roads - and not viewed as law breakers or tradition curtailers. Faust D. Gonsalves ROBBERIES Robberies are increasing day by day with jewellery thefts, chain snatching, cycle thefts, breaking car window panes. Enough is enough. What about the CCTV cameras installed on the roads? We do not get any pictures of these pests who stalk their victims. Is there any action taken to curb this menace going around? Prevention is better than cure. We want Bandra to be peaceful and become a liveable place. Every nook and corner seems unsafe, with these pests roaming around. This is going way too far - and no action is taken by the concerned authorities. They are still continuing with their crimes fearlessly. Natasha Isabel Pereira KADESHWARI BEAUTIFICATION While I thank Mr. Vijay Kamble (Asst. Mun. Commissioner, H-West ward) for demolition of illegal slums at Kadeshwari Mandir Marg – the situation is now changing. The beautification of Kadeshwari Mandir Road Bandra West Mumbai has stopped. The illegal stall owners are still around especially the chicken vendors. They sell slaughtered chicken openly. I request the concerned authorities to kindly look into the matter and complete the beautification of Kadeshwari Road at the earliest. Adv. Shane Cardoz

SURPRISING SPRING SETUP Dear Readers,

Marching ahead in our hectic lives, Bandraites are starting to feel the warmth of spring. Now, it is that time of the year when the sun starts warming up the cold weather. Days become longer with every passing day, whilst nights become shorter – allowing us to stretch our active social lifestyle. This climate is ideal for the great outdoors. Bandra is blessed with sprawling parks, three sea-side promenades – Reclamation, Bandstand & Carter’s; besides country side locations (gaothans). There is a spot to match every mood. Yes, do make the most of these moments, while it is still reasonably cool – before the intense heat of summer sets in. Yet, this superb suburb is festering at the seams. Bandra’s Burning Issues seem to be increasing by the day – even as our new MLA has helped resolve the first two of the Top Ten Bandra’s Burning Issues. BandraBuzz has left no stone unturned to cover these events that are changing and cleaning the face of Bandra. Visit bandrabuzz.com for full info and video coverage. Your favourite neighbourhood newspaper will always keep you updated about news, views and issues that matter most to you. As we evolve to a fortnightly, you can expect much more local info to keep you updated in our fast-changing world. The new Development Plans will make a huge impact on our lives – positive and negative. So, get acquainted with it, so that you can be part of converting the Draft into REAL Development – that will benefit the entire community, not just fill the pockets of the ‘select few’. As we welcome spring, let’s greet our Christian brothers and sisters a ‘Blessed & Joyful Easter’ – with the hope of better goodwill among all communities. Till next time, take care.

Merck N. D’Silva Editor-in-Chief 9820783616

LOCAL CONNECT

MARCH 2015

BANDRABUZZ

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06 MARCH 2015

BANDRABUZZ

CAMPUS

FasTracKids the Enrichment center, Helen O'Grady, Little Explorers Playschool and Nursery Mamta Shah has completed her Bachelors in psychology, a diploma in management and Early Childhood Education certification and realised a need for better education in our current system. She then went on to start her company KidsVita Edustation. She worked her way to realise, love and adopt Howard E. Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences which basically says that each person learns better through one of their five senses. Mamta has incorporated Howard E. Gardner's theory into the curriculums that she teaches at her school, workshops and after school activity programs. Mamta Shah franchised a North American brand FasTracKids for children's enrichment education, which also works on the same principle's as that of Howard E. Gardner. When Mamta realised that the FasTracKids introduction kit held her Std II son's attention for the entire two hours without him becoming restless and fidgety, she completed the formalities of accepting the franchise. Advantages of the education programs that Mamta has at her school : · Children completing the FasTracKids programs have a higher retention than those not in the programs. · Parents of kids registered in the FasTracKids program are life members on the FasTracKids website which is full of great resources for parents, teachers and kids alike. Mamta's understands each child's learning method and informs the child's parents, at the same time she continues

to develop the children's other senses as well. She and her teacher's are always engaged with the parent's all year round, and children learn to communicate well with their parents. The Helen O'Grady International Speech and Drama Programme has been running sucessfully globally for twenty-nine years and is one of the finest international after school activity programs that effectively uses drama as a medium to enhance communication skills and teach children various other skills, it nurtures confidence and self-esteem in children and enhances their ability to speak and move confidently, act and express themselves. Mamta is coming up with some great summer work-

shops from April to May, the ones I particularly liked were young scientists old bones, where kids will explore the world of dinosaurs, another workshop is folk dances of India in which kids will be taught one folk dance from India. KidsVita EduStation G-1 Paradise Park, Anil Mehta Marg, Santacruz (West), Mumbai 400054. www.kidsvitaedustation.in | www.fastrackids.com Tel: 022-26612004 / 9967064039 Taherreh Jalali-Dhashti

CAMPUS

BANDRABUZZ

MARCH 2015

Little Angels School - Moulding lives of children with differently able needs

“Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing children to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively.” It’s easy to overlook this value in a world where patience is a virtue few possess, but diligently practising this is, Little Angels School, an institution that moulds the lives of children with differently abled. In a society where children are pressurised to achieve academic excellence, Little Angels School is proving to be a saviour for the differently abled children who study here. Most of the students at this school are dealing with conditions like Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyper Active Disorder, Autism and the like. Founded under the guidance of Mr. Jehangir Afshari, Director at Little Angels School back in 2002, the institution has

come a long way in helping children realise their potential and integrate themselves into society as socially responsible citizens. With a strength of around 300 students and a hundred staff members, that take care of the functioning of the school, the students not only enjoy the holistic learning experience including vocational training, but also pick up various life skills that set them up to live a respectable social life. The school consists of a pre-primary, primary, secondary / higher secondary and vocational centre, which follows the NIOS syllabus; with each class having not more than 8-10 students, and faculty that are trained to mould these students effectively. Mr. Afshari says, “The children have to be loved and accepted by the parents. The children should be given the freedom to discover themselves, and that’s when they learn.”

A variety of extra-curricular activities form an essential part of the training imparted, which include activities like sports, music and other special interest activities. These provide the students a platform to enhance their self-esteem and focus more on their talents and skills. One of the latest projects in their endeavour to nurture and provide holistic development to the needs of differently abled children is the opening of a new pre-primary section from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and a multidisciplinary therapy centre in collaboration with Light House from 4:00 pm onwards that caters to differently abled children as young as two years of age. Fully qualiﬁed experienced practitioners carry out interventions such as Remedial Education, Occupational Therapy and Psychological and Family Counselling to name a few, which are designed individually based on

the child’s needs, strengths and baselines; to help them achieve physical and emotional well-being. When asked about his long-term vision, Mr. Afshari noted that it was a choice to get into this ﬁeld, and that the satisfaction of moulding a child has no parallel. Eventually, he wants his school to be a world-class institution that caters to differently-abled children. He also indicated that sponsors, both individual and corporate-could play a role in helping him achieve his dream. Little Angels Pre-School (Pre-Primary Section) Violena, ground ﬂoor, near St. Anne's Church, Sherly Rajan Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400 050. Call: 022-26485146 Valerian D'Costa Pic by: Ethel Misquitta

08 MARCH 2015

HIDDEN

BANDRABUZZ

Bandstand seen from Bullock Road

Jyoti Chowdhury at her Bandra residence

JYOTI - LIGHT “Here she is, your new Kakima” Salil Kaka left the room after brieﬂy introducing his newly acquired wife. Ma, the head of our delegation, led us into the shuttered room in Mohan Studios for a ﬁrst look at the new addition to the growing extended family of aunts and uncles. So this is Salil Kaka’s bride…our newest aunt? Seeing us enter Salil Kaka’s wife had got up to touch ma’s feet, a sign of respect to elders. Then she turned to me with a smile. Even at that far away time I realised what a

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serene and childlike persona she possessed. “Come, sit next to me” she said, striking up a relationship meant to last an eternity. The image of a shy woman unfurls on my mind like a sepia portrait. Her crimson saree border shimmers against the sepia tone. Untouched by age Kakima’s shy serenity is that of a newly married woman. Jyoti Chowdhury – Kakima to us – is the widow of the celebrated composer Salil Chowdhury. Few outside her family know that she is a versatile artist. Her little Bandra

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Foothills near Pali Hill apartment resembles a gallery. Paintings, crayon sketches, adorn every niche in what is a private collection. The only time she had a public viewing was at the inaugural Celebrate Bandra event. Jyoti Chowdhury, the artist has remained undiscovered. Living cloistered in a humble woman we have taken for granted too long as a home maker, a mother, grandmother. Kakima’s constant companions are the box of oil pastels, her numerous sketch pens. During her travels abroad, she liberates the artist crayons & pens come alive, get busy. As though reading my thoughts, she brings out a recent magazine: “This is from the window of my daughter’s ﬂat in Muscat…this is her cat…and that

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is the road around Santa Clara.” Landscapes are her forte. They recur frequently. If she deviates to do ﬁgurative with brisk strokes, it is portraits of people around. Family members or an old Maharashtrian Bai who inspired Kakima : "she dressed to the hilt sitting for me" chuckles Kakima looking at this particular work. Life like images spring on her paper in seconds, with effortless ease. Kakima showed me an unframed study: “That is a sketch of Salil Kaka from the back. He was trying to paint I think…” she muses, ﬂooded by unexpected nostalgia. The romance between the two is legendary...the stuff of a sweet romantic novel. She still blushes at the mention of Salil Kaka's name.

302-A wing, Jeevan Bharat, 487/17th Road, near Neelam Foodland, Khar (W)

TALENT

MARCH 2015

BANDRABUZZ

Bandstand back in the good old days

Carter Road ﬁsherman village Her famous composer husband Salil Chowdhury had come in the guise of a philosophy tutor when he was a M.Sc student himself. During lessons in Philosophy, the two, naturally, fell in love. Married in Kolkata. One day when my father Bimal Roy bought the rights of his story Rickshawala & invited Chowdhury to compose the score for its Hindi screen version, his iconic ﬁlm, Do Bigha Zamin, they moved to Bombay. Never to return. After a short stint in Andheri, the couple settled down in Bandra. From an apartment on Pali Hill they took a bungalow on 20 Perry Cross Road. Jyoti Chowdhury’s remarkable studies offers a glimpse of the lost green spaces of the neighbourhood. A

study of the well at Pali foothills is a lone reminder of the sylvan surrounding. As is the sketch of a picket fence on Perry Cross road or cluster of tiled roofs seen from Bullock road are some other images that are perhaps all we have of Bandra as it once was in 1950s. For her generation of women, Art college degree was the most unlikely choice. Her class had only three female students, she recalls, amused, majority were male students. “But I loved to draw from childhood” – she admits. Fortunate that her father was sensitive to her artisitic aspirations. He allowed his daughter to follow her dreams on one condition, that she ﬁrst complete her graduation with Botany & Philosophy which she

St. Anne’s Church did. “After my graduation, I was accepted in second year the Calcutta Art College.” India’s noted painters, Ganesh Pyne, Shyamal Dutta Gupta were her class fellas. Her mentors were luminaries like the landscape master Gopal Ghosh, painter Rathin Moitra. She is full of admiration for these Indian veterans. She admires Renoir and Degas But Van Gogh is a personal favourite. Close to eighty summers, Kakima lives on her own. Of her three daughters, two moved abroad. Only the youngest, Lipika, lives in Bandra. Alone, but she is not lonely. Nor is her home an empty nest. It is an open house to people of all ages - as the welcoming deity she spoils guests with attention.

Calm, content, serene, this undiscovered painter magically turns a mundane object into a memorable image of beauty by her gentle crayon stokes that act like magic wands. On the personal front, Kakima has accepted life’s many challenges without fuss or murmur. It may not even be wrong to assume she has attained a nirvana of sorts. She has triumphed that fearsome battle against loneliness which cripple many. And I seriously doubt Kakima will allow loneliness to overwhelm her. For one, she is far too liberated. She possesses a child like faith in her ability to live on her own terms...as life goes on, her home hums with Kakima's radiant presence. And those glorious images of

10 MARCH 2015

EAT OUT

BANDRABUZZ

Biryani 360 - Food with a twist Newly opened Biryani 360 has not too much to offer but wins us over on the universal principle “quality outshines quantity”, and when we state that there is not too much to offer it implies that the menu is as simple to the point that one can order either a Veg Biryani or an Un-Veg Biryani. Talking food straight from the stomach the Veg Biryani was a delight on the palate, the experience begins as soon as you open the efficient and at the same time entertaining packaging. One cannot judge the depth of a well simply because it has a small circumference similarly the quantity of a portion should not be put aside on the way it appears because it is a hearty fill. Fact is that each portion weighs 360 grams which is sufficient for a person. A detailed breakdown of the biryani helps us conclude that the ingredients are indeed of top quality which reflects in the taste & overall experience, the spices are uncommon & drives home a flavor quite unique, they do not consist of the typical household garam masala concoction which is refreshing. The raita complements the taste of the main dish & personifies the efforts the team has taken in order to pay attention to the minutest details. The recipe is innovative & gloats on the fact that it does not float on the excessive use of oil, managing to cut down nearly half the calories intake compared to other Biryanis. The vegetables have their own identity & does not constitute as a mushy component in the biryani, but what caught our attention the most was their confidence to not include either potatoes or paneer in the vegetarian dish which is a successfully tried & tested formula in the green world, & therefore serve their product with more merit than anyone else.

Biryani 360 is a home delivery service only & have collaborated with the world famous dabbawalas to delivery their products all across Mumbai. The dabbawalas logistics network enables them to deliver food right up to Nariman Point and Borivali on an order of 4 units and more.

The only regret that we can possibly have is that the cost Rs 360 for a portion deprives around 180 of the total 360 customers that deserve to feast on this treat as well. To order your Biryani log onto www.biryani360.com Sidhant Nayangara

FLAVOURS OF KERALA Feast your senses on Authentic home style food, Lovingly prepared in the kitchen of Joyce Arora

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EAT OUT

BANDRABUZZ

MARCH 2015

FRY YOUR SOULS AT SOUL FRY Soul Fry is a pub in Bandra's Pali Naka, started by Melden D'cunha 20 years ago. It gradually grew to become one of the most popular places to hangout in Bandra. Today Soul Fry is the pride of Bandra. The restaurant has quite a jovial atmosphere with dazzling interiors, its a place for fun, food and music. Soul Fry serves lunch from 12 noon to 3pm, during this time you can indulge your taste buds with a variety of veg and non-veg thalis that the restaurant has to offer. The place is famous for its sea food, from the prawns, peri peri to the garlic pepper crab, sea food has always been a specialty of Soul Fry. It is a must visit for any sea food lover. The place gets credit for making Monday an extension of the weekend for us. Every Monday the restaurant hosts karaoke night from 10 pm to 1 am, so every week you get to be a rockstar. On karaoke night the place becomes one big party, ďŹ lled with beautiful friendly people singing, dancing & savouring the food. Over the years the place has become a celebrity hotspot, you might just spot an actor or musician sitting right next to you enjoying the ďŹ sh and the wine. It is a place where everybody is welcome, the prices for the drinks and the food are very reasonable. Soul Fry does not advertise, it doesn't it have to, all the publicity comes from word of mouth. The casual ambiance, friendly people and the good food has proven to be the key element to the restaurant's success. Ground Floor, Silver Croft, opp. Pali Sabji Market, Pali Mala Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050022 2604 6892 Sairaj Borkar

Buying seafood was never so easy. Now avoid going to the noisy, messy & unhygienic places like your local fish market & order quality seafood from the comfort of your home. Fishbazaaronline.com brings you fresh export quality hygienically packed seafood be it fresh fish, river fish, dry fish, bengali fish or ready to eat seafood at affordable prices to your doorstep. Free home delivery within Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. Orders to be placed between 10am - 8pm and the same shall be delivered within 24 hours.

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12 MARCH 2015

BANDRABUZZ

NOSTALGIA

The Ghost of Bandra Past

Anyone who grew-up in Bombay’s beautiful sub-district Bandra, knows ghosts. (No apologises, I am born in Bombay not Mumbai). Some of the finest, oldest cemeteries nestle amid brand-new buildings under the shade of older palm trees. In that shade stories are told of ghosts of a Portuguese past. Pirate ships that sank along the shore, ghosts of captured fishermen, & of course the ghosts of lovers who flung themselves from the old Portuguese fort at the tip of Bandstand. Some say, once in a blue-moon, you hear an old British band playing, under that dome. But have you heard of the haunting houses? No you read it right, I mean haunt-ing, not haunted? It is the houses that do the haunting. Here is why. Once clustered around community crosses, in the centre of every separate village that forms Bandra, there were smaller houses two, maximum three-storeys high. Whether in Chimbai, Kantwadi, or Mt. Mary, those crosses were used to seeing the sun. Today sunlight is blotted by tall, sky-seeking buildings. Mount Mary Hill, had beautiful bungalows, and the sun had space to shine down on the road. Gradually, each beautifully proportioned house has been lost to a band of amorous builders, who love money more than Bandra. I am not averse to progress. People need space. So does history. The Heritage Society was founded for that reason, but it is open to offers. So even houses not intended for the chopping block of times have been lost. New buildings have grown there, crushing the houses from before; Firdaus Manzil was the last to go. So, haunt-ing houses? Some speak of ghosts in houses, I mean a house that is the ghost. I know one. The penultimate house to

go, at Mount Mary, built before the church, still haunts that hill. Godiwalla Bungalow, with its three-foot-thick walls, & triplicate gothic arches, was struck off the Heritage list. But, on a certain night, something strange may happen: Pilgrims to Mother Mary who climb the twin stairs, catch a glimpse of the past. At just the right angle of the moon you see the original houses. As if a ﬁlm projection blocks the newer structure from view. But you must wait for the right light, the perfect angle of that blue-moon. And you must not know you are looking. Then suddenly they appear, & you see the city as it was when you were born. A place of architectural symmetry, each suburb bathed in that blue light of the moon. These are not ghosts to be wary of; they just want us to remember they are still here, waiting for that bright moon light. So on the next full moon; watch to see if the sea turns blue. It is an incalculable time; no one knows when it will come. But it does. When it does, remember to surreptitiously steal a glance at houses that once were. Resurrection of houses past, especially around Easter time; when spring prods the sleeping earth back to life. And so they will appear again living once more, from the ghost of the Bandra, the Bombay that has passed.

Anwesha Arya-Bhattacharya, author of forthcoming novel ‘In frangipani shade’ focussed on an Bandra house taught Creative Writing at SNDT University. She grew-up in Bandra in the 1980s, & remembers it well. She is a writer-academic & ﬁlmmaker based in rural Rye, East Sussex, where she lives with her daughter, three sons, husband & four ﬁsh.

Sellebrity F.C qualify for MDFA's Super Division League (Super-Six) Play-offs

Sellebrity FC, Bandra dished out a steady ﬁghting performance to carve out a narrow 2-1 win against Young Boys, Madanpura in a well-fought Super Division match of the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) League – 2014-15, played at Goan Sports Association ground, Cross Maidan on Sunday afternoon. The three points earned from the win took Sellebrity’s tally of points to 18 and ensured their qualiﬁcation to the ‘Super Six’ play-offs. The Bandra side held a slight edge and managed to take the lead when their versatile playmaker Karan Kapoor successfully

converted a penalty in the 18th minute. The Madanpura side came back strongly in the second period and striker Arif Ansari did well to head home the equaliser in the 57th minute. However, 12 minutes later, Abhishek Mathew helped Sellebrity regain the lead with a brilliant header in the 69th minute. Thereafter, Sellebrity not only defended well but also missed a few chances in the remaining period. Sellebrity FC will now battle it out in the super-six play off rounds at the end of March and will hopefully win the MDFA Super Division League.

NEWS

MARCH 2015

BANDRABUZZ

1500 Local Students Clean Bandra Market Area Hats Off To Our Committed Kids | Residents Amazed | No Politicians, Celebrities We have been reading about the ‘Clean My Mumbai’ campaign by Hindustan Times, in association with For Young India (FYI) a youth oriented experience agency. So, when they contacted the Joint Area Action Group (JAAG) of AGNI to work with them, we did not think twice. On Sunday, 1st March, the cleanliness drive took off. More than 1500 students from the following schools: St. Stanislaus, St. Joseph, St. Andrew, Apostolic Carmel, St. Aloysius, Auxilium, Durellos, St. Theresa & Anjuman Islam; assembled at 8 am in the Pre-Primary section of St. Stanislaus. The weekend’s unseasonal showers and overcast skies did not stop these amazing students to arm themselves with gloves, masks, brooms and garbage bags (all provided by HT) and start the cleaning exercise. Not one of them turned up their noses in disgust, as they walked through the muddy bye-lanes; bending down to sweep and clean the streets in and around Bandra Market. The Sunday drive expanded the dimension of street clean ups by taking up unpopular streets. It is fashionable to practice ‘Sarva Swachya Abhiyan’ at Bandstand or Pali Hill; but these Bandra kids swept

Bazaar Road, Waroda Road, Chapel Road, St. Peter’s Road, Chinchpokli Road, Ice Factory Lane and sections of Hill Road from Lucky Restaurant to Holy Family Hospital - ﬁlling over 60 big bags with plastic cups, bottles and other waste material. There was no photo op – and luckily, no politicians or celebrities! It was only hard work and dedication.

The students divided themselves into groups with a few teachers, JAAG Volunteers and the BMC staff from the Solid Waste Management Dept. led by J.O. Mr. Chandrakant Tambe; adopting different streets. As they went about their job, the participating kids called out to the residents to join them in cleaning up their own locality.

Residents of these areas were amazed by the large student turnout, especially on a Sunday morning. A Chapel Road resident told us, “It becomes very difficult to walk on these small lanes, because of garbage lying around. These students have inspired us to spend at least an hour a week, for ensuring the cleanliness of our neighbourhood.” One of the students, while cleaning the road stretch on front of the office of the local MLA was heard remarking that people in positions of authority should set an example by keeping the area around their residences & offices clean. The students urged the security guard to convey his message to the local MLA - and request him to join the movement. The most important outcome of such initiatives is that the younger generation is soon becoming socially responsible and committed to cleanliness. It will help spread the message of cleanliness to their parents, relatives and neighbours. Most importantly, it taught us that criticism is not the solution to any problem – we need to help resolve the issue! Shyama Kulkarni

This Is Our Time - Celebrate Today In its 13th year, the Women’s Cell of St. Andrew’s Parish decided that the theme for its annual Women’s Day celebration would be ‘This Is Our Time’. Truth be told, there’s no such thing as the ‘right time’ to touch the lives of women and humankind, because every moment is the time to make life matter and make life happen for women. So the Women’s Cell spelt it out, Live your Truth, Throw your Fears, Live your Joy, Share your Love, Reach Out. Women helping Women…Celebrate today... Make it Happen. This is our Time. This year the Women's Cell invited children from Bal Bhavan, Home for Girls, and Shraddha Vihar, Andheri, run by the ‘Society of Helpers of Mary’. The motto of this Catholic organization started in 1942 is "Live for Love". Its vision is "To envisage a society where values of compassion, equality, justice and harmony ﬂourish. And its mission statement is "To reach out to the powerless and voiceless, especially among women and children." The cultural program began with Sarita, our hip and happening in-house master of ceremonies getting the evening off to a cracking start with her sharp one-liners and peppy jokes. The ﬁrst to come on stage was Shawna D’Silva, winner of the All Bandra Talent Zonal 2014, who mesmerized the audience by singing "I’m Every Woman". The tiny tots of Bal Bhavan followed with "Every Person is a Gift of God". Then came a short play titled "From a Victim to a Victor" – based on abuse against women and how it is up to a woman to overcome it. Next came our roll call of triumph, a Power Point Presentation (PPT) on the activities of the Women’s Cell during the year and also the Bal Bhavan, Home for Girls. Sarita, Corette and Ann-Marie held a community singsong session and sang "Footsteps", "You've Got a Friend" and "Wonderful World". We then had three of our stall vendors, Fatima, Victoria and Reggie, appreciate the Women's Cell for giving them a platform to become busi-

ness people. The young girls of Bal Bhavan then performed a delicate Japanese Fan Dance which got a rousing encore from the appreciative audience. This was followed by a TRDC's Dance of the Fairy Princesses by little ballerinas, choreographed by Rahul and Tanushree. Simona, Brinelle, Marienelle and Shawna rocked to "I will Survive". The close to this happy evening of fun and fellowship had the Women's Cell bringing down the curtain with the ﬁnale dance to Shania Twain’s pulsating number "Man, I Feel Like a Woman", choreographed by Simona. This was followed by a few words from Fr. Caesar and Fr. Magi. The sprawling St. Andrew’s Church grounds that

played host to the event saw a large number of stalls selling everything from artiﬁcial ﬂowers and food to household products and jewellery. Packets of hot and spicy ground masala, pickles, vindaloo, stuffed chicken, biryani, potato chops and batatawadas went like, well, hot cakes! Truly a scrumptious scene and a feast for the tastebuds! A good time was had by all. The grateful Women’s Cell would like to thank Fr. Caesar, our Parish Priest, and Fr. Magi, its Spiritual Director, for their guidance and encouragement. And you, our beloved parishioners, for always being there and making all this possible. Joan Remedios (Women's Cell)

14 MARCH 2015

NEWS

BANDRABUZZ

East Indian Rally 2015: Chapel Road to Hill Road The original inhabitants of Mumbai, the East Indian Community will came together to participate in the 3rd annual East Indian Rally on Sunday, 1st March 2015; to voice the concerns of the community against the Central/State government, Municipal Corporation and the Archdiocese. The rally ﬂagged off from Mount Carmel Church (where the local MLA Ashish Shelar publicly met and interacted with leaders) on Chapel Road. With horse-drawn carts, banners, placards, etc. around 120 people walked to Mehboob Studio – then via St. Andrews Church, Hill Road; they reached St. Stanislaus Grounds and had a meeting in the school shed. All major East Indian Associations and Groups supported this Rally – and leaders from some of them spoke on various topics. You can view the event on bandrabuzz.com Many came from far-ﬂung suburbs as a show of solidarity and the community spirit was very evident. These Rallies create awareness and visibility for the locals, who have been around for many centuries, with a rich cultural heritage. Jason Hendriques

Ethel Misquitta Photography (Pre) Wedding... Events...Portfolio

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Devyog Workshops A new Yoga class in the heart of Bandra • Learn to be steady & comfortable in Postures, Breathing and Relaxation techniques. • Learn alternative postures in case of health issues. • Learn from trained and experienced teachers from The Yoga Institute, Santa Cruz (East). • Rs 200 per session. Three sessions per week. To enquire/register, WhatsApp or SMS your name, age and address TODAY! to

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