Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Bombay
A Day Devoted to Email! And Tea with a College Mate.
Namaste from Bombay!
Morning Rituals:
After a better night than my previous one, I awoke to another day. I had decided to stay home today as I had so much to do on my laptop that it made sense to stay put in Bandra. Besides, as I had no interviews lined up, it made sense to remain home and catch up with my work.
I had a swift coffee, got dressed and went for a workout to Bandra Gym. This usually leaves me feeling pretty virtuous for the rest of the day and allows me to indulge in a few sweet treats, guilt-free.
On returning home, I had a quick shower and sat down to my breakfast--I just adore this concoction of birschersmuesli which consists of oat-based muesli (with some rice and cornflakes thrown in--it is made in India by a company called Bagrry's and it is delicious!), plain yogurt, grated apple, chia seeds, almond milk and honey. Truly, I could eat this breakfast quite gratefully and greedily for the rest of my life.
Work and More Work:
And then my work on my computer began. I made a long To-Do List and was shocked to discover that I ran out of juice before I could go through half my emails. This meant recharging it and going back to work again. Email from NYU and from friends, in the US, UK and Bombay kept me tied to my PC for the entire morning.
I received the great surprising news that my friends, the Colcloughs from London, had signed up for a cruise that would be in Bombay for 2 days in January--and then, just imagine our frustration on both sides, when we discovered that they would be here on precisely the dates that I would be in Chennai giving a paper at the International Anglo-Indian Reunion Researchers Conference! I could have cried with disappointment. Anyway, there is nothing to be done. I am not destined to meet them anywhere outside of the UK or the US--I had also missed them by two days when we were in Assisi in Italy in July! And now this!!! Really hard to believe. However, since they will be boarding their flight from Abu Dhabi, I have offered to introduce them to my cousin who lives there with his family. I hope that they will serve as guides for my very special friends.
Still not done with email and with so many items still pending on my To-Do List, I stopped for lunch. A new tiffin had been delivered in the morning and I tucked into Chicken Curry, Okra with potatoes and Potato Chops--so good! I had a very raw, really awful guava for dessert (I threw most of it out) and one of the Almond Rocks I had picked up yesterday from the Taj.
Then, it was back to the salt mines for me as I continued to work. I finally finished emailing and turned to transcribing the interview I had done with Farrahnaz Irani of the NCPA. But then I got a call from my college classmate and friend Sunita (Sue) Hariharan informing me that she had finished her work on Hill Road and was ready to meet me for a cuppa. She has just returned from New York where she had met Llew who had sent my Aetna Global medical insurance card with her and my new ATM card from Chase.
Afternoon Tea with Sue:
I dressed speedily and took a rickshaw this time to Hill Road as I did not want to keep Sue waiting. I was there in ten minutes at Trendy--the new super-smart coffee shop right opposite Elco Arcade where Sue as already waiting for me. As they did not do decaf tea or coffee, I had a scrumptious Hazelnut Chocolate Granita which was so good it knocked my socks off. Indeed, I wish it had been a never-ending drink--it was that good! Sue had a cappuccino with a double shot of espresso--would that I could survive on so much caffeine!
We departed by 5.00 pm as she had another appointment and I crossed the street to get to a new Italian ice-cream parlor called Giannis that my cousins had raved about when I met them at Reuben's birthday party. I sampled a variety of their chocolate ice-creams and then settled for something called Chocolate Almond Fudge as it was the only one with nuts in it--and I do like the texture of nuts in ice-cream. Then, I too hopped into a rickshaw and got home as I did not want my family size tub of ice-cream to melt.
Back home, I returned to work and continued transcribing my interview. I was almost finished when I got a call from Dad asking when I was coming over. As it is a Wednesday, it is Novena day and Dad needs to leave early to conduct it in church I told him to carry on as I really needed to finish what I was doing.
A little later I joined him in church but after the novena and Mass, I returned with him to his place so that I could meet Russel. He was very proud of the fact that he had made progress and is now standing independently with the walker and without the aid of 'walking sticks' in the form of Dad and his assistant. With that bit of good news, I returned home to my own dinner--a repeat of my lunch and sat down to watch Episode 5 of The Bodyguard. Llew and Chriselle have both finished seeing it--and I need to catch up. Before going to bed, I did, however, finish transcribing my interview with Farrahnaz.
Although I was busy for most of the day, I still have so many pending items on my To-Do List. I have decided to stay home tomorrow also and complete them. It is amazing how quickly the pace of my life has changed and how busy it has become. But, at the same time, as the last day of October rolls around, I am proud of the fact that I have completed 14 interviews in the city in a single month and have acquired many more contacts through networking that will take my work forward in the next few months.
Until tomorrow...
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Another Interview, More Library Research and a Ramble In Colaba
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Bombay
Another Interview, More Library Research and a Ramble in Colaba
Namaste from Bombay!
I had an awfully restless night--was it because I did not see the need for the AC as it has turned cooler in Bombay? With the fan and a light sheet, I had felt comfortable going to bed, but I awoke at 2. 30am and then at 3.15am, felt an uneasiness in my tummy, stayed awake to do a bit of reading and then fell asleep again. As a result, I awoke at 6.30 am--which is way later than my usual wake-time. Still, I managed to blog, catch up on previous blogs, read email and respond to it. However, I could not linger long in bed as I had a day planned in the city.
By 8.00 am, I hopped out of bed, washed and got ready for a shower after which I dressed and had my breakfast with the aim of leaving the house by 9.15 am for my 9.45am train. I had to buy my monthly railway first class pass today--so it made sense to leave a bit earlier. I made myself a sandwich with chicken cutlets and a croissant and got my breakfast organized--same-same (as they would say in India)--muesli with coffee...and with that I was off.
My cousin Blossom called from Madras to find out how Russel was doing and I chatted with her while waiting for the bus that rolled around five minutes later. I got my pass (it took merely minutes as there was a very sweet, polite and pretty clerk (wo)manning the counter today) and then I was off on the train where I whipped out my IPad to begin reading Educated by Tara Westover which is a current NY Times bestseller and much recommended by many of my Connecticut Book Clubs. It turns out that she was raised in a farming Mormon family that does not educate their children by sending them to school. The book is about her attempts to break free and get formal education. Wow! It has started very interestingly and I am looking forward to finishing it up soon.
At Churchgate, I hopped into the empty shuttle bus and got off at Nariman Point where I sat reading and typing off my notes for half an hour at the library of the NCPA. It is a cool and very pleasant spot but it has the most uncomfortable chairs in the universe and I am plagued by the worst backache--this is aggravated by the fact that my back pack is heavy (I carry my iPad with a keyboard attached to it--which adds to the weight). Every half an hour, I have to stand up, stretch and walk about to get rid of the awful pain I am suffering.
Another Interview...
At 11.00 am, I began my interview with Farrahnaz Irani who manages International Music at the NCPA. She was a very interesting person to talk to--we discovered some common connections in a couple I know at my parish church of St. Anne's and she got her MBS from Jai Hind College where I began my college teaching career. She told me a whole lot about the NCPA's commitment to Western Music and we chatted a great deal about the changing demographics, both in terms of musicians and audience. She also told me about Jazz Collective--a new jazz group that the NCPA has originated. This made me realize that I ought to spend a great amount of time reading up on jazz in Bombay. She gave me further connections to other jazz musicians whom I shall be interviewing in the months to come. It is networking of this sort that is making my study immensely interesting. She also gave me a few flyers with details about the upcoming Jazz Festival and names of the musicians who will be participating.
More Library Research:
Back in the library, I worked on the involvement of the Parsi community with the British--which led to their Westernization and their sponsorship of Western cultural activity as well as their devotion to Western classical music. The book, The Parsis, by Sooni Taraporevala (who is a fellow-Elphinstonian) is very enlightening in that regard. It is a book of photographs but each section has a good amount of text by the photographer-author who talks about her own family's cultural connections. There is also a very comprehensive Introduction which is providing me with invaluable information.
I then looked for a book called Taj Mahal Fox Trot, a recent publication by Naresh Fernandes which documents the history of jazz music in Bombay. The library had a really good hard bound coffee table edition--which will be very useful as I delve further into this subject and start interviewing practitioners of this genre. As you can see, as I get deeper into my subject, topics are peeling away like layers of an onion and lending themselves to me with tremendous potential.
At 1.15 pm, I stopped as I was starving and sat and ate my croissant sandwich with Hutoxi who has very kindly made her office a convenient spot for my lunch. Often times she is eating there too with her husband Jimi. Today, he was out, but I nattered along with her and her colleague. They provided me with directions on how to make my way to Colaba from the library as I wanted a bit of a walkabout today.
Exploring Nariman Point:
I had kept telling myself that I ought to start walking around Nariman Point which is a maze of streets lined by skyscrapers filled with corporate offices...and today I did so by exploring a Food Court attached to the INOX Theater. Lunch time at Nariman Point is busy as white collar workers emerge from their air-conditioned offices seeking sustenance. The Food Court consisted of about 11 eateries--some familiar (such as Subway and Baskin Robbins) and some newer ones (such as a dosa place, a Has Juice and Milk Shake Place, Indigo Burgers, a Thali place, a Frankie place). I would love to try one of those sometime soon (I remember the mutton frankies--"Mutton-Egg Roll in Naan"--to which my parents used to treat us when we were kids from, Adi's, the one and only place that served them on Colaba Causeway). I indulged in some Bengali sweetmeats to go from Sweet Bengal--it is close to Diwali, after all, and I felt a bit entitled to ease up on my sugar restrictions. I bought myself a Ferroro Rocher milk shake to go from Has and sipping it slowly, I left the place.
Right besides the Food Court is Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria--how cool is that? Now all I have to do is find company and go and devour one of them. I got a Takeaway Menu and left. When next I get to the NCPA for a show, I will make sure I get a pizza there as I will have company at that time.
I strolled through the streets of Nariman Point at leisure--so much has changed in the thirty years since I have been away. This was a familiar haunt for me as the British Council had its library, its auditorium and its offices here and I was a regular fixture in them. I have no idea where the British Council is now located and ought to find out.
My rambles took me past Mantralaya where the Mayor of Bombay and the local legislators are located. Then I was passing by the Cooperage which filled me with such sweet nostalgia as my parents used to bring us, as kids, to this place, for horse rides! I can clearly remember riding horses as a child around and around the track which is built around the periphery of the park and which still stands. The park was lush with tropical plantings and shade--it was closed with its gates heavily padlocked, but I am sure it opens once the sun's heat subsides. The Victorian Band Stand which is the centerpiece of the park was spiffy with lovely new coats of fresh glossy white paint. It has had a recent makeover and glows with a lacy trim. There is a playground section that is cordoned off--filled with swings and sliders for the little ones. I am amazed at how well maintained parks are in Bombay today. There is not a sign of neglect in such spots--probably a result of vigilant neighborhood watch committees.
Exploring the Gateway of India and the Taj Hotel:
I passed by the facade of the CJ Hall (now the National Gallery of Contemporary Art) with the idea of returning to it shortly. Then, I dodged traffic to get across the road to the Regal Cinema from where I made my way to the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. It is a part of Bombay that I adore and I always make it a point to hang out here whenever I visit the city.
As it turned out, today was a beautiful day--it was sunny and warm but there was no humidity at all. That made it a real pleasure to be outside and I am glad I made the most of the afternoon.
I went past the old buildings of the area (the Yacht Club of which my friend Firdaus is a Member and whose halls I have often strode, lovely Dhanraj Mahal across the road where I had studied French at the Alliance Francaise de Bombay, many moons ago) and arrived at the Taj. I went through Security and gave myself up to the pleasure of its beautiful cool lobby (where my brother was once the Lobby Manager) and made a beeline for La Patisserie, the bakery at the Taj. My idea was to buy a stock of its splendid Almond Rocks--wonderful dark chocolates that are studded generously with roasted almonds. I have been buying these chocolates for decades and I am always thrilled to find that they are still here. Business was brisk in the confectionary as people were carrying away vast Diwali hampers to gift away! I found what looked like genuine Parisian croissants but I though it would be criminal to pay Rs. 110 for one of them and Rs. 300 for an almost croissant--there is a limit to how much I will pay even when I am on a mission to find the best croissants in the city.
I bought my chocolates and then thought that since I was in the premises, I would go and say Hello to my friend Ninaz who works at Singapore Airlines on the first floor of the hotel. However, although she did emerge to say a swift Hiya to me, she was busy with international calls and could not linger. I browsed through Nalanda, the book shop of the Taj (also a regular haunt of mine) and peeped at the beautiful jewelry stores and textile shops--not to mention the international section which has Louis Vuitton and Dior tucked in its very affluent recesses. I did also enter and take a look at Joy Shoes--this is where I bought a pair of off-white sandals for my wedding and decades later, they are still going strong. That said, I only wear them rarely!
At the National Gallery of Contemporary Art:
When the pleasures of the Taj had worn out, I left and walked to the National Gallery of Contemporary Art. I had met a woman, a few weeks ago, who told me she was a docent there. Not only that, but she had said that even when special exhibitions are on at the museum, the permanent collection stays in place. I thought I would take a look at it again--I had seen it a few years ago. She was completely ill-informed.
Imagine my disappointment when I was told that the gallery space being limited, the permanent collection is removed to make place for specials. With the Dhurandhar retrospective done, I had expected that the permanent collection would return. But there was another special on--one by Marcel Oldenbach, a German artist who works with multi-media to create videos that were playing on a continuous loop. I was mighty disappointed and wanted to find out when the permanent collection would return. The receptionist did not know and sent me off to the office on the first floor to talk to someone there.
I ended up having a lovely conversation with a man named Shankar, an artist himself, and Assistant Manager of the gallery. He confirmed that the regular paintings are removed to make way for the specials. When he saw how disappointed I was, he told me that this is probably the only museum in the world that removes its permanent exhibition to make room for visiting artists. Anyway, I hope that before I leave Bombay I will have a chance to see the usual paintings as I am keen to revisit them.
Evening in Bandra:
Next, I jumped into a bus (another empty one) from right outside the Museum and reached Churchgate station in five minutes. From there, I took a train to Bandra and got home. But by that point, my back was simply breaking. I had a really hard time with it--thanks to the weight on my back and my rambles...I really did a number on my upper and lower back. I could only just throw myself on my bed and hope for a nap--which offered merciful relief.
I skipped tea today but made my way to Dad's to see how Russel was doing. Thankfully, my back felt better after my nap and a few stretching exercises that I did on my bed. The portable X ray machine had been brought and Russel's X-rays were taken and we will now be seeing the doctor on Friday to get a Heads Up on where we go from this point.
After visiting with Russel, I left him to go with Dad to Mass. Straight after that, I returned home to finish my tiffin for dinner--a new one will arrive tomorrow--and I sat down to eat it while watching the next episode of The Bodyguard--which has more twists and turns than a Grand Prix final!
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Another Interview, More Library Research and a Ramble in Colaba
Namaste from Bombay!
I had an awfully restless night--was it because I did not see the need for the AC as it has turned cooler in Bombay? With the fan and a light sheet, I had felt comfortable going to bed, but I awoke at 2. 30am and then at 3.15am, felt an uneasiness in my tummy, stayed awake to do a bit of reading and then fell asleep again. As a result, I awoke at 6.30 am--which is way later than my usual wake-time. Still, I managed to blog, catch up on previous blogs, read email and respond to it. However, I could not linger long in bed as I had a day planned in the city.
By 8.00 am, I hopped out of bed, washed and got ready for a shower after which I dressed and had my breakfast with the aim of leaving the house by 9.15 am for my 9.45am train. I had to buy my monthly railway first class pass today--so it made sense to leave a bit earlier. I made myself a sandwich with chicken cutlets and a croissant and got my breakfast organized--same-same (as they would say in India)--muesli with coffee...and with that I was off.
My cousin Blossom called from Madras to find out how Russel was doing and I chatted with her while waiting for the bus that rolled around five minutes later. I got my pass (it took merely minutes as there was a very sweet, polite and pretty clerk (wo)manning the counter today) and then I was off on the train where I whipped out my IPad to begin reading Educated by Tara Westover which is a current NY Times bestseller and much recommended by many of my Connecticut Book Clubs. It turns out that she was raised in a farming Mormon family that does not educate their children by sending them to school. The book is about her attempts to break free and get formal education. Wow! It has started very interestingly and I am looking forward to finishing it up soon.
At Churchgate, I hopped into the empty shuttle bus and got off at Nariman Point where I sat reading and typing off my notes for half an hour at the library of the NCPA. It is a cool and very pleasant spot but it has the most uncomfortable chairs in the universe and I am plagued by the worst backache--this is aggravated by the fact that my back pack is heavy (I carry my iPad with a keyboard attached to it--which adds to the weight). Every half an hour, I have to stand up, stretch and walk about to get rid of the awful pain I am suffering.
Another Interview...
At 11.00 am, I began my interview with Farrahnaz Irani who manages International Music at the NCPA. She was a very interesting person to talk to--we discovered some common connections in a couple I know at my parish church of St. Anne's and she got her MBS from Jai Hind College where I began my college teaching career. She told me a whole lot about the NCPA's commitment to Western Music and we chatted a great deal about the changing demographics, both in terms of musicians and audience. She also told me about Jazz Collective--a new jazz group that the NCPA has originated. This made me realize that I ought to spend a great amount of time reading up on jazz in Bombay. She gave me further connections to other jazz musicians whom I shall be interviewing in the months to come. It is networking of this sort that is making my study immensely interesting. She also gave me a few flyers with details about the upcoming Jazz Festival and names of the musicians who will be participating.
More Library Research:
Back in the library, I worked on the involvement of the Parsi community with the British--which led to their Westernization and their sponsorship of Western cultural activity as well as their devotion to Western classical music. The book, The Parsis, by Sooni Taraporevala (who is a fellow-Elphinstonian) is very enlightening in that regard. It is a book of photographs but each section has a good amount of text by the photographer-author who talks about her own family's cultural connections. There is also a very comprehensive Introduction which is providing me with invaluable information.
I then looked for a book called Taj Mahal Fox Trot, a recent publication by Naresh Fernandes which documents the history of jazz music in Bombay. The library had a really good hard bound coffee table edition--which will be very useful as I delve further into this subject and start interviewing practitioners of this genre. As you can see, as I get deeper into my subject, topics are peeling away like layers of an onion and lending themselves to me with tremendous potential.
At 1.15 pm, I stopped as I was starving and sat and ate my croissant sandwich with Hutoxi who has very kindly made her office a convenient spot for my lunch. Often times she is eating there too with her husband Jimi. Today, he was out, but I nattered along with her and her colleague. They provided me with directions on how to make my way to Colaba from the library as I wanted a bit of a walkabout today.
Exploring Nariman Point:
I had kept telling myself that I ought to start walking around Nariman Point which is a maze of streets lined by skyscrapers filled with corporate offices...and today I did so by exploring a Food Court attached to the INOX Theater. Lunch time at Nariman Point is busy as white collar workers emerge from their air-conditioned offices seeking sustenance. The Food Court consisted of about 11 eateries--some familiar (such as Subway and Baskin Robbins) and some newer ones (such as a dosa place, a Has Juice and Milk Shake Place, Indigo Burgers, a Thali place, a Frankie place). I would love to try one of those sometime soon (I remember the mutton frankies--"Mutton-Egg Roll in Naan"--to which my parents used to treat us when we were kids from, Adi's, the one and only place that served them on Colaba Causeway). I indulged in some Bengali sweetmeats to go from Sweet Bengal--it is close to Diwali, after all, and I felt a bit entitled to ease up on my sugar restrictions. I bought myself a Ferroro Rocher milk shake to go from Has and sipping it slowly, I left the place.
Right besides the Food Court is Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria--how cool is that? Now all I have to do is find company and go and devour one of them. I got a Takeaway Menu and left. When next I get to the NCPA for a show, I will make sure I get a pizza there as I will have company at that time.
I strolled through the streets of Nariman Point at leisure--so much has changed in the thirty years since I have been away. This was a familiar haunt for me as the British Council had its library, its auditorium and its offices here and I was a regular fixture in them. I have no idea where the British Council is now located and ought to find out.
My rambles took me past Mantralaya where the Mayor of Bombay and the local legislators are located. Then I was passing by the Cooperage which filled me with such sweet nostalgia as my parents used to bring us, as kids, to this place, for horse rides! I can clearly remember riding horses as a child around and around the track which is built around the periphery of the park and which still stands. The park was lush with tropical plantings and shade--it was closed with its gates heavily padlocked, but I am sure it opens once the sun's heat subsides. The Victorian Band Stand which is the centerpiece of the park was spiffy with lovely new coats of fresh glossy white paint. It has had a recent makeover and glows with a lacy trim. There is a playground section that is cordoned off--filled with swings and sliders for the little ones. I am amazed at how well maintained parks are in Bombay today. There is not a sign of neglect in such spots--probably a result of vigilant neighborhood watch committees.
Exploring the Gateway of India and the Taj Hotel:
I passed by the facade of the CJ Hall (now the National Gallery of Contemporary Art) with the idea of returning to it shortly. Then, I dodged traffic to get across the road to the Regal Cinema from where I made my way to the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. It is a part of Bombay that I adore and I always make it a point to hang out here whenever I visit the city.
As it turned out, today was a beautiful day--it was sunny and warm but there was no humidity at all. That made it a real pleasure to be outside and I am glad I made the most of the afternoon.
I went past the old buildings of the area (the Yacht Club of which my friend Firdaus is a Member and whose halls I have often strode, lovely Dhanraj Mahal across the road where I had studied French at the Alliance Francaise de Bombay, many moons ago) and arrived at the Taj. I went through Security and gave myself up to the pleasure of its beautiful cool lobby (where my brother was once the Lobby Manager) and made a beeline for La Patisserie, the bakery at the Taj. My idea was to buy a stock of its splendid Almond Rocks--wonderful dark chocolates that are studded generously with roasted almonds. I have been buying these chocolates for decades and I am always thrilled to find that they are still here. Business was brisk in the confectionary as people were carrying away vast Diwali hampers to gift away! I found what looked like genuine Parisian croissants but I though it would be criminal to pay Rs. 110 for one of them and Rs. 300 for an almost croissant--there is a limit to how much I will pay even when I am on a mission to find the best croissants in the city.
I bought my chocolates and then thought that since I was in the premises, I would go and say Hello to my friend Ninaz who works at Singapore Airlines on the first floor of the hotel. However, although she did emerge to say a swift Hiya to me, she was busy with international calls and could not linger. I browsed through Nalanda, the book shop of the Taj (also a regular haunt of mine) and peeped at the beautiful jewelry stores and textile shops--not to mention the international section which has Louis Vuitton and Dior tucked in its very affluent recesses. I did also enter and take a look at Joy Shoes--this is where I bought a pair of off-white sandals for my wedding and decades later, they are still going strong. That said, I only wear them rarely!
At the National Gallery of Contemporary Art:
When the pleasures of the Taj had worn out, I left and walked to the National Gallery of Contemporary Art. I had met a woman, a few weeks ago, who told me she was a docent there. Not only that, but she had said that even when special exhibitions are on at the museum, the permanent collection stays in place. I thought I would take a look at it again--I had seen it a few years ago. She was completely ill-informed.
Imagine my disappointment when I was told that the gallery space being limited, the permanent collection is removed to make place for specials. With the Dhurandhar retrospective done, I had expected that the permanent collection would return. But there was another special on--one by Marcel Oldenbach, a German artist who works with multi-media to create videos that were playing on a continuous loop. I was mighty disappointed and wanted to find out when the permanent collection would return. The receptionist did not know and sent me off to the office on the first floor to talk to someone there.
I ended up having a lovely conversation with a man named Shankar, an artist himself, and Assistant Manager of the gallery. He confirmed that the regular paintings are removed to make way for the specials. When he saw how disappointed I was, he told me that this is probably the only museum in the world that removes its permanent exhibition to make room for visiting artists. Anyway, I hope that before I leave Bombay I will have a chance to see the usual paintings as I am keen to revisit them.
Evening in Bandra:
Next, I jumped into a bus (another empty one) from right outside the Museum and reached Churchgate station in five minutes. From there, I took a train to Bandra and got home. But by that point, my back was simply breaking. I had a really hard time with it--thanks to the weight on my back and my rambles...I really did a number on my upper and lower back. I could only just throw myself on my bed and hope for a nap--which offered merciful relief.
I skipped tea today but made my way to Dad's to see how Russel was doing. Thankfully, my back felt better after my nap and a few stretching exercises that I did on my bed. The portable X ray machine had been brought and Russel's X-rays were taken and we will now be seeing the doctor on Friday to get a Heads Up on where we go from this point.
After visiting with Russel, I left him to go with Dad to Mass. Straight after that, I returned home to finish my tiffin for dinner--a new one will arrive tomorrow--and I sat down to eat it while watching the next episode of The Bodyguard--which has more twists and turns than a Grand Prix final!
Until tomorrow...
Monday, October 29, 2018
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Monday, October 29, 2018
Bombay
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Namaste from Bombay!
As I expected, my day was crowded with work and family activity--but I had steeled myself for just such a one. Accordingly, after a 5.30 am wake-up, I wasted little time as I read previous blogs, wrote a new blog post, caught up with world news on Twitter and responded to email.
Reconnecting with London friends through Current Research:
I am spending quite a lot of time emailing people to get interviews or because I am now able to make connections with friends in the UK who emigrated from Bombay but whose parents' names are coming up in the interviews I am now conducting. For example, one of the names that has come up twice is that of Charles Velu who used to be the choir master and conductor of the choirs at Cathedral and John Connon School and at St. Thomas' Cathedral in Fort. Another name that has come up is that of Sam Berkeley-Hill who used to be a Voice, Diction, Drama and Elocution expert in Bombay in the 1950s and 60s. As it turns out, I am friends with the sons of both these gentlemen--Sushil and Owen respectively--as I had occasion to meet them in London, ten years ago, when I was conducting research there on Anglo-Indians! It is good to be in touch with both of them again and to glean valuable information from them on their fathers and their family backgrounds in music and drama respectively. Sushil also scanned and sent me a ton of old brochures, flyers, programs, etc. from the concerts and recitals that his father had organized in Bombay in decades gone by. I am simply amazed that this archive is now in my hands and is adding to my research in incredibly meaningful ways.
Chained to my Laptop:
Knowing how much I had to do today, I decided to skip the gym. Instead, I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee and got straight to my laptop to work. I was there for the next few hours.
Among the things I did was update my Orissa-Calcutta itinerary to reflect the hotels we have booked. I looked at Lonely Planet to find out which pages I need to photocopy in preparation for our travel--in mid-December (but it is never too early to get organized!).
I also updated my List of Potential Interviewees by adding names and telephone numbers of the many people who have been suggested to me in the past few days.
Next, I began to make calls for more interviews in the weeks to come. I started off by calling Alyque Padamsee's secretary as I would now like to work with former members of Theatre Group (as most of my interviews at the NCPA are done). I had a chance to speak to Alyque himself and later with his secretary. We are still trying to work out a mutually convenient time.
More calls to people who had worked with the Motley Drama Group and who are known to Shahnaz--I have decided to do a group interview with the three of them--Shahnaz, Kenny and Shiv--and I have left it to Shahnaz to call them to pick out a suitable date for the interview which will take place in her home.
Meanwhile, I emailed folks--both at NYU as I stay abreast with what is happening in New York-- and in Bombay as I continue to make appointments. I was all set to have lunch with my friend Firdaus tomorrow after my interview with another person from the NCPA, but then he called, later in the afternoon, to reschedule as something had come up.
Also, Narain, a relative of my friend Leslie called. Leslie is visiting Bombay from Connecticut next week and has invited me to dinner at her in-laws' place next Saturday after I give her and her sister Bev a walking tour of downtown Bombay. Narain called to firm up plans. It was such a pleasure chatting with him.
It was only about 12 noon that I actually started to transcribe the interview I had done with Ivy yesterday. It did not take long as it was shortish. I was then able to move on to the next interview with Mark, but my laptop ran out of juice and I had to recharge it--this gave me the opportunity to actually stop for lunch: Goan shrimp curry, beans and cutlets with a guava for dessert. Next, I took a shower and got back to the drawing board, where I finished up transcribing the interview with Mark and then had a ten-minute power nap.
Getting a Number at Holy Family Hospital:
I awoke at 3.30 and got dressed to stroll down to Holy Family Hospital as Dad and I intended to see Russel's orthopedist this evening as it has been a month since his sutures were removed and the doctor wanted a report from us on how he was doing. In order to see the doctor during this Outpatient hours in the evening (starting at 7.30 pm), you need to get a number (or else you will be sitting outside for hours!). Numbers are given out at 4.00 pm and I had told Dad I would pick up one for us. Hence, my excursion to the hospital. I got the first number which would require us to be there at 7.30 pm. This is a rather antiquated way of giving out appointments to see a doctor--but hey, in some ways, India remains rooted in Medieval times!
I then walked to Hearsch to try to get croissants only to discover that they were all gone. Apparently they are available when the bakery opens at 8.00 am but there is no telling till how long they will have them as they literally sell like...well, like hot cakes! I walked back home and returned to work to transcribe the third interview that I had done with Francis.
It was about 6.00 pm by the time I finished all the items on my To-Do List and I needed to stretch after the long hours I had spent at my laptop. I dressed and went off to Dad's to spend the evening with Russel.
A Surprise Meeting at the Hospital:
Dad and I left by rickshaw for the doctor at 7.00 pm. At the hospital, we had a charming surprise. Waiting to see another doctor, Christopher D'Souza--an ENT specialist and a friend of mine--was Vivian, the brother of my school-friend Beulah with whom I had only very recently reconnected. He was with his wife Amrita whom I was meeting for the first time. Dad knew Vivian too when he was a little boy--it has been more than fifty years since I had last seen him so you can imagine how delighted we were to catch up. In fact, we had been family friends with Beulah, Vivian and their parents when we were kids; so Dad too had a lot of questions to ask of Vivian and Vivian, surprisingly, could still recognize Dad! It also turned out that Amrita's father, Joe Fonseca, had worked with Dad in the Reserve Bank of India and Dad did actually still remember him well! We took some pictures together so that Russel can see Vivian too--after all these years.
Meeting the Orthopedist:
Our meeting with the orthopedist, Dr. Derick D'Lima, went as well as can be expected. We discovered that we need to take x-rays now so that he can see how the fusing of the bones is occurring. We told him that Russel's knee has swollen again--and he says that it is understandable as the cavity needs to be filled with something! He told us that he can use a needle to aspirate it and remove the liquid. He asked us to bring Russel in for this procedure but when we told him that it would involve an ambulance, etc., he said that a portable x-ray machine could be sent to our home for the x-ray to be taken and that the aspiration could be done at the time that Russel comes to get his fiberglass cast removed. It turns out that the cast needs to be kept on for at least another month. After the x-rays are done, we will see him again and he will then take a call on when the cast can be removed. As for the knee, I discovered that calipers are applied outside the leg to hold the knee bones in place and to enable mobility (such as the kind worn by polio patients)--they do not involve another surgery as I had thought.
Both Dad and I feel rather dejected after our visit as it appears that Russel is going to have to fight a knee issue for the rest of his life and might never walk normally again. This has nothing to do with his fracture but everything to do with his arthritic knee. Dad feels very worried as he is conscious of his age and the fact that he does not have a lot of time left on this earth. He wanted to see Russel acquire more mobility for his own peace of mind before he goes. It is very sad and heartbreaking to see Dad often on the verge of tears as he tries to deal with the predicament that Russel's arthritis has put him in. I try to console him as best I can, but he keeps talking about praying for a miracle.
Before we left the hospital, I nipped into his office to see my friend Dr. Christopher D'Souza (whom I know as Chris) and to renew contact with him. We have chatted on the phone but it was good to see him again. Our visit was brief and with the promise that we would meet again in more social circumstances, I left to join Dad outside.
Dad and I got into a rickshaw together after our doctor's visit. He dropped me off at my place and continued on his own. I had my dinner while watching the last episode of Tunnel which has been simply brilliant. I have told Llew that he ought to catch it on You Tube.
I wanted to have an early night but by the time I caught up with folks in the US who were just awaking, it was about 11.00 pm when I switched off my light.
It had been a very busy but very productive day and I have caught up with all my work and am ready to launch on to a new work week tomorrow in the city.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Namaste from Bombay!
As I expected, my day was crowded with work and family activity--but I had steeled myself for just such a one. Accordingly, after a 5.30 am wake-up, I wasted little time as I read previous blogs, wrote a new blog post, caught up with world news on Twitter and responded to email.
Reconnecting with London friends through Current Research:
I am spending quite a lot of time emailing people to get interviews or because I am now able to make connections with friends in the UK who emigrated from Bombay but whose parents' names are coming up in the interviews I am now conducting. For example, one of the names that has come up twice is that of Charles Velu who used to be the choir master and conductor of the choirs at Cathedral and John Connon School and at St. Thomas' Cathedral in Fort. Another name that has come up is that of Sam Berkeley-Hill who used to be a Voice, Diction, Drama and Elocution expert in Bombay in the 1950s and 60s. As it turns out, I am friends with the sons of both these gentlemen--Sushil and Owen respectively--as I had occasion to meet them in London, ten years ago, when I was conducting research there on Anglo-Indians! It is good to be in touch with both of them again and to glean valuable information from them on their fathers and their family backgrounds in music and drama respectively. Sushil also scanned and sent me a ton of old brochures, flyers, programs, etc. from the concerts and recitals that his father had organized in Bombay in decades gone by. I am simply amazed that this archive is now in my hands and is adding to my research in incredibly meaningful ways.
Chained to my Laptop:
Knowing how much I had to do today, I decided to skip the gym. Instead, I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee and got straight to my laptop to work. I was there for the next few hours.
Among the things I did was update my Orissa-Calcutta itinerary to reflect the hotels we have booked. I looked at Lonely Planet to find out which pages I need to photocopy in preparation for our travel--in mid-December (but it is never too early to get organized!).
I also updated my List of Potential Interviewees by adding names and telephone numbers of the many people who have been suggested to me in the past few days.
Next, I began to make calls for more interviews in the weeks to come. I started off by calling Alyque Padamsee's secretary as I would now like to work with former members of Theatre Group (as most of my interviews at the NCPA are done). I had a chance to speak to Alyque himself and later with his secretary. We are still trying to work out a mutually convenient time.
More calls to people who had worked with the Motley Drama Group and who are known to Shahnaz--I have decided to do a group interview with the three of them--Shahnaz, Kenny and Shiv--and I have left it to Shahnaz to call them to pick out a suitable date for the interview which will take place in her home.
Meanwhile, I emailed folks--both at NYU as I stay abreast with what is happening in New York-- and in Bombay as I continue to make appointments. I was all set to have lunch with my friend Firdaus tomorrow after my interview with another person from the NCPA, but then he called, later in the afternoon, to reschedule as something had come up.
Also, Narain, a relative of my friend Leslie called. Leslie is visiting Bombay from Connecticut next week and has invited me to dinner at her in-laws' place next Saturday after I give her and her sister Bev a walking tour of downtown Bombay. Narain called to firm up plans. It was such a pleasure chatting with him.
It was only about 12 noon that I actually started to transcribe the interview I had done with Ivy yesterday. It did not take long as it was shortish. I was then able to move on to the next interview with Mark, but my laptop ran out of juice and I had to recharge it--this gave me the opportunity to actually stop for lunch: Goan shrimp curry, beans and cutlets with a guava for dessert. Next, I took a shower and got back to the drawing board, where I finished up transcribing the interview with Mark and then had a ten-minute power nap.
Getting a Number at Holy Family Hospital:
I awoke at 3.30 and got dressed to stroll down to Holy Family Hospital as Dad and I intended to see Russel's orthopedist this evening as it has been a month since his sutures were removed and the doctor wanted a report from us on how he was doing. In order to see the doctor during this Outpatient hours in the evening (starting at 7.30 pm), you need to get a number (or else you will be sitting outside for hours!). Numbers are given out at 4.00 pm and I had told Dad I would pick up one for us. Hence, my excursion to the hospital. I got the first number which would require us to be there at 7.30 pm. This is a rather antiquated way of giving out appointments to see a doctor--but hey, in some ways, India remains rooted in Medieval times!
I then walked to Hearsch to try to get croissants only to discover that they were all gone. Apparently they are available when the bakery opens at 8.00 am but there is no telling till how long they will have them as they literally sell like...well, like hot cakes! I walked back home and returned to work to transcribe the third interview that I had done with Francis.
It was about 6.00 pm by the time I finished all the items on my To-Do List and I needed to stretch after the long hours I had spent at my laptop. I dressed and went off to Dad's to spend the evening with Russel.
A Surprise Meeting at the Hospital:
Dad and I left by rickshaw for the doctor at 7.00 pm. At the hospital, we had a charming surprise. Waiting to see another doctor, Christopher D'Souza--an ENT specialist and a friend of mine--was Vivian, the brother of my school-friend Beulah with whom I had only very recently reconnected. He was with his wife Amrita whom I was meeting for the first time. Dad knew Vivian too when he was a little boy--it has been more than fifty years since I had last seen him so you can imagine how delighted we were to catch up. In fact, we had been family friends with Beulah, Vivian and their parents when we were kids; so Dad too had a lot of questions to ask of Vivian and Vivian, surprisingly, could still recognize Dad! It also turned out that Amrita's father, Joe Fonseca, had worked with Dad in the Reserve Bank of India and Dad did actually still remember him well! We took some pictures together so that Russel can see Vivian too--after all these years.
Meeting the Orthopedist:
Our meeting with the orthopedist, Dr. Derick D'Lima, went as well as can be expected. We discovered that we need to take x-rays now so that he can see how the fusing of the bones is occurring. We told him that Russel's knee has swollen again--and he says that it is understandable as the cavity needs to be filled with something! He told us that he can use a needle to aspirate it and remove the liquid. He asked us to bring Russel in for this procedure but when we told him that it would involve an ambulance, etc., he said that a portable x-ray machine could be sent to our home for the x-ray to be taken and that the aspiration could be done at the time that Russel comes to get his fiberglass cast removed. It turns out that the cast needs to be kept on for at least another month. After the x-rays are done, we will see him again and he will then take a call on when the cast can be removed. As for the knee, I discovered that calipers are applied outside the leg to hold the knee bones in place and to enable mobility (such as the kind worn by polio patients)--they do not involve another surgery as I had thought.
Both Dad and I feel rather dejected after our visit as it appears that Russel is going to have to fight a knee issue for the rest of his life and might never walk normally again. This has nothing to do with his fracture but everything to do with his arthritic knee. Dad feels very worried as he is conscious of his age and the fact that he does not have a lot of time left on this earth. He wanted to see Russel acquire more mobility for his own peace of mind before he goes. It is very sad and heartbreaking to see Dad often on the verge of tears as he tries to deal with the predicament that Russel's arthritis has put him in. I try to console him as best I can, but he keeps talking about praying for a miracle.
Before we left the hospital, I nipped into his office to see my friend Dr. Christopher D'Souza (whom I know as Chris) and to renew contact with him. We have chatted on the phone but it was good to see him again. Our visit was brief and with the promise that we would meet again in more social circumstances, I left to join Dad outside.
Dad and I got into a rickshaw together after our doctor's visit. He dropped me off at my place and continued on his own. I had my dinner while watching the last episode of Tunnel which has been simply brilliant. I have told Llew that he ought to catch it on You Tube.
I wanted to have an early night but by the time I caught up with folks in the US who were just awaking, it was about 11.00 pm when I switched off my light.
It had been a very busy but very productive day and I have caught up with all my work and am ready to launch on to a new work week tomorrow in the city.
Until tomorrow...
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Another Relaxed Sunday Rolls Around!
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Bombay
Another Relaxed Sunday Rolls Around!
Namaste from Bombay!
I have resolved to try to stay asleep till at least 5. 30 am daily. So although my body clock insists on waking me up at 4. 30 each day without fail, I roll over and try to return to sleep. A 5.30 am wake-up today allowed me to blog, read world news on Twitter plus browse through the weekend edition of The Times of London.
However, I had also ear-marked today to do a thorough cleaning of my studio and bathroom and for the next 45 minutes, I was elbow deep in suds and paper towels, sponges and swabs as my place was left squeaky clean. I really do need the next person coming from the US to bring me a roll of Bounty--these local kitchen towels just disintegrate in my hand in seconds. They are horrid!
As I am now going for a later Mass on Sundays (9.15 am), I was left with enough time to savor my croissants from American Express Bakery. I have to say that they were huge--two large ones in a packet. I do wish I had a toaster and could get a crisp crust on them as these had none--they were more like buns or rolls. Still, with Nutella and chopped nuts on one side and chunky peanut butter on the idea, I had a grand brekkie as I washed them down with coffee--only managed to eat one as they were that big. Then, I got dressed a tad formally and left for Mass.
Mass done, I stopped at Dad's to leave a vada pau for Russel (which I pick up for him from the Meet and Greet station after Mass) and to read him the Notices for the Week. Russel likes to keep abreast with what is happening in church. I have now begun taking a picture of the Notices from the notice board and then reading them out to him on Sundays. It is a small treat that he enjoys! I told them that I would be back for lunch.
I got home to change and to relax--for some reason (probably a result of my cleaning spree), I felt a bit tired and needed a swift lie-down. Then it was time to get dressed again (less formal this time) to go to do another interview. Dawn, the young music teacher I hoped to interview was too ill to keep our appointment, but her grandmother Ivy was able to chat with me. So off I went to the appointed spot and for the next hour, I spoke to an 89 year old woman who gave me bits and pieces of information that she could recall. Sadly, her memory is clearly not what it used to be because there was very little she could remember. This makes me more certain than ever that my project is both timely and imperative as the performing arts' memories of a whole post-Independence generation will die with these folks who are now already in their 80s.
I then walked to Dad's where he, Russel and I had lunch--he had ordered Chinese which supplemented the Chinese Pad Thai leftovers from yesterday's lunch at Bandra Gym that I took over to them. We had Chicken Lollipops for starters with Chilli Chicken and Chicken Noodles. It was all delicious and made a nice change. After washing up, I left. Dad is still a little tired and I told him that it will take a long while before his energy levels return to normal as a simple cough and cold can be so debilitating when one is his age. He is still continuing with his medication,
Back home, I took a short nap and then continued reading The Sunday Times on my iPad. As it is the end of October, I did not want to miss my monthly allowance of 5 videos that I am entitled to download and watch on my Hoopla app from my local Fairfield Library. So I downloaded the last two episodes of Tunnel--a fabulous crime thriller that involves detectives on both sides of the English Channel in an edge-of-the-seat series. I ended up watching one episode as I tucked into a pot of lemony tea and a big slice of Chocolate Swiss Roll that I picked up from Candies' yesterday. It was far better than I expected with its inner core of cream and raspberry jam.
I then received a call from Dad to ask if I could return much before dinner time to keep Russel company. I told him I would have a shower and get there. When I did arrive there, I found that Russel had a visitor--my cousin Allan's daughter Meghan had arrived with her little boy James. He kept us hugely entertained throughout with songs and nursery rhymes. What an adorably talkative little fellow he is! It was great to see Meghan and to catch up with her. Russel was delighted, of course, to find company.
Dinner swiftly followed--basically we had some more of the Chinese food we'd ordered this afternoon. Chrissie called Dad for a long chat as we were finishing dinner--so I said goodbye and went back home.
I watched Episode 3 of The Bodyguard and ate some fig ice-cream for dessert before calling it a night. The show is getting more intriguing with each episode--and it is fun to discuss it together as a family as we watch it in three different parts of the world.
I had a very relaxing day--but I have my work cut out for me tomorrow as I transcribe three interviews that are pending, make some calls for more interview appointments for the coming week and reserve the evening for a meeting with Russel's orthopedist as a month has passed since his sutures were removed We need to find out what arrangements will have to be made going forward with the removal of his fiberglass plaster and further surgery for his knee. Tomorrow promises to be a very busy day spent working at home.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Another Relaxed Sunday Rolls Around!
Namaste from Bombay!
I have resolved to try to stay asleep till at least 5. 30 am daily. So although my body clock insists on waking me up at 4. 30 each day without fail, I roll over and try to return to sleep. A 5.30 am wake-up today allowed me to blog, read world news on Twitter plus browse through the weekend edition of The Times of London.
However, I had also ear-marked today to do a thorough cleaning of my studio and bathroom and for the next 45 minutes, I was elbow deep in suds and paper towels, sponges and swabs as my place was left squeaky clean. I really do need the next person coming from the US to bring me a roll of Bounty--these local kitchen towels just disintegrate in my hand in seconds. They are horrid!
As I am now going for a later Mass on Sundays (9.15 am), I was left with enough time to savor my croissants from American Express Bakery. I have to say that they were huge--two large ones in a packet. I do wish I had a toaster and could get a crisp crust on them as these had none--they were more like buns or rolls. Still, with Nutella and chopped nuts on one side and chunky peanut butter on the idea, I had a grand brekkie as I washed them down with coffee--only managed to eat one as they were that big. Then, I got dressed a tad formally and left for Mass.
Mass done, I stopped at Dad's to leave a vada pau for Russel (which I pick up for him from the Meet and Greet station after Mass) and to read him the Notices for the Week. Russel likes to keep abreast with what is happening in church. I have now begun taking a picture of the Notices from the notice board and then reading them out to him on Sundays. It is a small treat that he enjoys! I told them that I would be back for lunch.
I got home to change and to relax--for some reason (probably a result of my cleaning spree), I felt a bit tired and needed a swift lie-down. Then it was time to get dressed again (less formal this time) to go to do another interview. Dawn, the young music teacher I hoped to interview was too ill to keep our appointment, but her grandmother Ivy was able to chat with me. So off I went to the appointed spot and for the next hour, I spoke to an 89 year old woman who gave me bits and pieces of information that she could recall. Sadly, her memory is clearly not what it used to be because there was very little she could remember. This makes me more certain than ever that my project is both timely and imperative as the performing arts' memories of a whole post-Independence generation will die with these folks who are now already in their 80s.
I then walked to Dad's where he, Russel and I had lunch--he had ordered Chinese which supplemented the Chinese Pad Thai leftovers from yesterday's lunch at Bandra Gym that I took over to them. We had Chicken Lollipops for starters with Chilli Chicken and Chicken Noodles. It was all delicious and made a nice change. After washing up, I left. Dad is still a little tired and I told him that it will take a long while before his energy levels return to normal as a simple cough and cold can be so debilitating when one is his age. He is still continuing with his medication,
Back home, I took a short nap and then continued reading The Sunday Times on my iPad. As it is the end of October, I did not want to miss my monthly allowance of 5 videos that I am entitled to download and watch on my Hoopla app from my local Fairfield Library. So I downloaded the last two episodes of Tunnel--a fabulous crime thriller that involves detectives on both sides of the English Channel in an edge-of-the-seat series. I ended up watching one episode as I tucked into a pot of lemony tea and a big slice of Chocolate Swiss Roll that I picked up from Candies' yesterday. It was far better than I expected with its inner core of cream and raspberry jam.
I then received a call from Dad to ask if I could return much before dinner time to keep Russel company. I told him I would have a shower and get there. When I did arrive there, I found that Russel had a visitor--my cousin Allan's daughter Meghan had arrived with her little boy James. He kept us hugely entertained throughout with songs and nursery rhymes. What an adorably talkative little fellow he is! It was great to see Meghan and to catch up with her. Russel was delighted, of course, to find company.
Dinner swiftly followed--basically we had some more of the Chinese food we'd ordered this afternoon. Chrissie called Dad for a long chat as we were finishing dinner--so I said goodbye and went back home.
I watched Episode 3 of The Bodyguard and ate some fig ice-cream for dessert before calling it a night. The show is getting more intriguing with each episode--and it is fun to discuss it together as a family as we watch it in three different parts of the world.
I had a very relaxing day--but I have my work cut out for me tomorrow as I transcribe three interviews that are pending, make some calls for more interview appointments for the coming week and reserve the evening for a meeting with Russel's orthopedist as a month has passed since his sutures were removed We need to find out what arrangements will have to be made going forward with the removal of his fiberglass plaster and further surgery for his knee. Tomorrow promises to be a very busy day spent working at home.
Until tomorrow...
Saturday, October 27, 2018
More Interviews with Goan Catholic Musicians and Lunch with a Former Student
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Bombay
More Interviews with Goan Catholic Musicians and Lunch with a Former Student
Namaste from Bombay!
As expected, I awoke on schedule (5.30 am) and began reading up old blogs, writing a new one and downloading the Magazine, Travel and Culture sections from The Sunday Times. For a change, I ate a croissant for breakfast--purchased last night from Candies. With Nutella on one side and peanut butter on the other and some coffee to wash it down, I had me a neat brekkie which has left me with a craving for more croissants. I am now on a mission to find me the best and most economical ones at walking distance from my home. Then, I wore my gym clothes (shorts and a T-shirt for this weather with my sneakers) and walked towards an hour-long workout. En route, I ran into my cousin Brian who was returning from a swim.
Interview with Two Musicians:
An hour later, after an enjoyable workout, I was ready for my next appointment--a meeting with two Goan Catholic musicians, Mark and Francis, who work with the Symphony Orchestra of India and who are full-time employed violinists at the National Center for the Performing Arts. They agreed to meet with me at the gym and at the appointed hour, there they were. I have to pause and comment on the fact that no one has kept me waiting in Bombay (so far) when it has come to keeping appointments. It appears that Indians have become far more punctual, far more respectful of other peoples' time and far more conscious of the fact that in the rest of the world, 8.00 am does not mean 8.20 am. I love it!
We settled down with cups of tea for my two gentleman friends as I pulled out my notebook and began scribbling. They spoke freely and gave me a ton of very interesting information. Plus they offered me insights into the recruitment of musicians for the Symphony Orchestra of India and the varied combination of factors that govern it. I found it all quite fascinating. As I did in the UK, ten years ago, I am thrilled at how much I am learning from each of the people I interview. I have another interview scheduled tomorrow with another musician--a younger one who conducts vocal music classes with her mother in Bandra. As the month of October draws in, I am delighted at the progress I have made. I can only look forward to continued success finding subjects for my research.
Lunch with a Former Student:
Since we finished our interviews by 11.30 am, I had time to get home for a shower and to get dressed for my next appointment--lunch with my former student and now dear friend Soniya who was also coming to the gym to meet me.
I am finding that becoming a member of the Bandra Gym was the most inspired idea I ever had. The place has become like a second home to me--apart from the fact that the gym provides me with a workout venue, it also allows me to find an office in lieu of my tiny studio which precludes the setting up of meetings (such as my morning's one) at home, plus it provides me with a very reasonably-priced venue for lunches or dinners with friends.
Soniya was running fifteen minutes late--but she did text me and let me know. When she arrived, I signed her in and together we went up to the air conditioned coolness of the second floor restaurant. It is always good to see her--she is the sweetest, least complicated person I know. She had just returned from a business visit to Chicago and told me all about her experience there. Soniya used to be my student--an English major--at Jai Hind College, about thirty years ago, and yet we have stayed closely in touch through the years. I told her how proud I was of her and what she has made of herself despite family adversity (she was widowed very young and left with a 14 year daughter to raise as a single parent)--which was when she returned to the work place. Today, she is Head of Continuing Education in a hundred-year old American company that manufactures hardware for hair-cutting, hair-styling, etc. (such as scissors, clippers, styling irons, etc.). In her position, she finds ways to market and promote products in various hair salons in Bombay and to educate personnel on their usage.
We settled down with fresh lemonades and then ordered lunch --I thought I would order Chinese for a change (as I had yet to taste the Chinese food on the menu). The Chinese Pad Thai Noodles I ordered were actually quite the least tasty item on the menu that I have ordered in this restaurant so far. However, the Chicken Paprika on which Soniya's eyes alighted was absolutely delicious--served with herbed rice, it was a creamy concoction of chicken breast in a cheese sauce flavored generously with paprika. Really nice! For dessert, she chose serradura which the waiter described as "a Portuguese dessert"--it turned out to be layers of fresh cream and crushed cookies served in a parfait glass--it was good (I had a little taste) but I ordered the chocolate mousse which was to die for. Crammed with calories, we got up from the table and could barely walk on our way out!
I said goodbye to Sonia who took a rickshaw home as I walked to my studio for a lie-down. One long sleep later, I was awake and ready to do some more reading on my I pad. I downloaded the November issue of Waitrose magazine from the UK--my favorite food magazine from my favorite supermarket in the world! I skipped tea as I had overeaten at lunch.
A little later, I called my foodie friend Marianel to find out from where I could buy good croissants in Bandra. She recommended Hearsch and American Express Bakery--both of which are right opposite each other. I decided I would call to find out if they had any as it was 5.00 pm after all and most baked goods are swiped by this hour. Hearsch did not respond to my call but the guy at American told me he did have four packets left--each containing two croissants. I told him to reserve three packets for me and off I went. En route, I stopped off at Hearsch hoping to find one so that I could compare them--but they were all gone. At American, however, true to his word, the man had reserved my packets. I hauled them off and walked to Dad's where I intended to spend a good part of the evening with Russel.
Dad would be leaving for the 7.00 pm Mass but I have decided that I will attend the 9.15 am Mass on Sundays as I really did prefer it when I went last Sunday. I left them a packet of croissants for their breakfast tomorrow. Dad and I did visit together and when he left, I continued chatting with Russel. He was in the midst of watching the cricket match between India and the West Indies--we did enjoy catching a part of it together.
At 7.30 pm, I took my leave of Russel and got home to a video chat with Llew as we had to review my NYU Benefits Enrollment before the upcoming deadline. It was great to do this together and to catch up on news. The three of us, (Llew in Connecticut, Chrissie in Los Angeles and myself in Bombay) are simultaneously watching The Bodyguard, a thriller TV show that has taken the UK by storm. It is the third most watched TV series in a decade in Britain. Since it is on Netflix, we can all watch it together. I was keen to turn to Episode 2 as Llew has a head start over Chrissie and myself. It reminds Llew of Homeland but it also reminds me of MI5 (which was known as Spooks in the UK).
When I rang off, I made myself a gin and tonic and switched on the TV for my weekend treat. It was already 8.45pm when Shahnaz texted me to find out if I would like to go out for dinner. I told her it was already too late, but how about tomorrow night? Then, I gave myself up to the exciting pleasure of the TV show as I sipped my drink and then ate my dinner. I also finished up my custard apple ice-cream. I cannot wait to buy the Dark Chocolate Ice-Cream from Giannis that my cousins raved about last night at Reuben's birthday party. I am craving everything chocolate all of a sudden!
It was about 10.15 when I was ready to go to bed with the realization that after almost two months in Bombay and in my studio, I am actually loving my life here. It is amazing how well I have adjusted to my new abode and my new city and how effortless the transition has been. I am so grateful to the Lord who has looked after my needs so generously and for bringing into my life a combination of close and extended family members and friends who provide me with so much fun company. I have truly found my niche here.
Let us hope my life continues in this fulfilling vein and that I will continue to enjoy this sense of gratification.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
More Interviews with Goan Catholic Musicians and Lunch with a Former Student
Namaste from Bombay!
As expected, I awoke on schedule (5.30 am) and began reading up old blogs, writing a new one and downloading the Magazine, Travel and Culture sections from The Sunday Times. For a change, I ate a croissant for breakfast--purchased last night from Candies. With Nutella on one side and peanut butter on the other and some coffee to wash it down, I had me a neat brekkie which has left me with a craving for more croissants. I am now on a mission to find me the best and most economical ones at walking distance from my home. Then, I wore my gym clothes (shorts and a T-shirt for this weather with my sneakers) and walked towards an hour-long workout. En route, I ran into my cousin Brian who was returning from a swim.
Interview with Two Musicians:
An hour later, after an enjoyable workout, I was ready for my next appointment--a meeting with two Goan Catholic musicians, Mark and Francis, who work with the Symphony Orchestra of India and who are full-time employed violinists at the National Center for the Performing Arts. They agreed to meet with me at the gym and at the appointed hour, there they were. I have to pause and comment on the fact that no one has kept me waiting in Bombay (so far) when it has come to keeping appointments. It appears that Indians have become far more punctual, far more respectful of other peoples' time and far more conscious of the fact that in the rest of the world, 8.00 am does not mean 8.20 am. I love it!
We settled down with cups of tea for my two gentleman friends as I pulled out my notebook and began scribbling. They spoke freely and gave me a ton of very interesting information. Plus they offered me insights into the recruitment of musicians for the Symphony Orchestra of India and the varied combination of factors that govern it. I found it all quite fascinating. As I did in the UK, ten years ago, I am thrilled at how much I am learning from each of the people I interview. I have another interview scheduled tomorrow with another musician--a younger one who conducts vocal music classes with her mother in Bandra. As the month of October draws in, I am delighted at the progress I have made. I can only look forward to continued success finding subjects for my research.
Lunch with a Former Student:
Since we finished our interviews by 11.30 am, I had time to get home for a shower and to get dressed for my next appointment--lunch with my former student and now dear friend Soniya who was also coming to the gym to meet me.
I am finding that becoming a member of the Bandra Gym was the most inspired idea I ever had. The place has become like a second home to me--apart from the fact that the gym provides me with a workout venue, it also allows me to find an office in lieu of my tiny studio which precludes the setting up of meetings (such as my morning's one) at home, plus it provides me with a very reasonably-priced venue for lunches or dinners with friends.
Soniya was running fifteen minutes late--but she did text me and let me know. When she arrived, I signed her in and together we went up to the air conditioned coolness of the second floor restaurant. It is always good to see her--she is the sweetest, least complicated person I know. She had just returned from a business visit to Chicago and told me all about her experience there. Soniya used to be my student--an English major--at Jai Hind College, about thirty years ago, and yet we have stayed closely in touch through the years. I told her how proud I was of her and what she has made of herself despite family adversity (she was widowed very young and left with a 14 year daughter to raise as a single parent)--which was when she returned to the work place. Today, she is Head of Continuing Education in a hundred-year old American company that manufactures hardware for hair-cutting, hair-styling, etc. (such as scissors, clippers, styling irons, etc.). In her position, she finds ways to market and promote products in various hair salons in Bombay and to educate personnel on their usage.
We settled down with fresh lemonades and then ordered lunch --I thought I would order Chinese for a change (as I had yet to taste the Chinese food on the menu). The Chinese Pad Thai Noodles I ordered were actually quite the least tasty item on the menu that I have ordered in this restaurant so far. However, the Chicken Paprika on which Soniya's eyes alighted was absolutely delicious--served with herbed rice, it was a creamy concoction of chicken breast in a cheese sauce flavored generously with paprika. Really nice! For dessert, she chose serradura which the waiter described as "a Portuguese dessert"--it turned out to be layers of fresh cream and crushed cookies served in a parfait glass--it was good (I had a little taste) but I ordered the chocolate mousse which was to die for. Crammed with calories, we got up from the table and could barely walk on our way out!
I said goodbye to Sonia who took a rickshaw home as I walked to my studio for a lie-down. One long sleep later, I was awake and ready to do some more reading on my I pad. I downloaded the November issue of Waitrose magazine from the UK--my favorite food magazine from my favorite supermarket in the world! I skipped tea as I had overeaten at lunch.
A little later, I called my foodie friend Marianel to find out from where I could buy good croissants in Bandra. She recommended Hearsch and American Express Bakery--both of which are right opposite each other. I decided I would call to find out if they had any as it was 5.00 pm after all and most baked goods are swiped by this hour. Hearsch did not respond to my call but the guy at American told me he did have four packets left--each containing two croissants. I told him to reserve three packets for me and off I went. En route, I stopped off at Hearsch hoping to find one so that I could compare them--but they were all gone. At American, however, true to his word, the man had reserved my packets. I hauled them off and walked to Dad's where I intended to spend a good part of the evening with Russel.
Dad would be leaving for the 7.00 pm Mass but I have decided that I will attend the 9.15 am Mass on Sundays as I really did prefer it when I went last Sunday. I left them a packet of croissants for their breakfast tomorrow. Dad and I did visit together and when he left, I continued chatting with Russel. He was in the midst of watching the cricket match between India and the West Indies--we did enjoy catching a part of it together.
At 7.30 pm, I took my leave of Russel and got home to a video chat with Llew as we had to review my NYU Benefits Enrollment before the upcoming deadline. It was great to do this together and to catch up on news. The three of us, (Llew in Connecticut, Chrissie in Los Angeles and myself in Bombay) are simultaneously watching The Bodyguard, a thriller TV show that has taken the UK by storm. It is the third most watched TV series in a decade in Britain. Since it is on Netflix, we can all watch it together. I was keen to turn to Episode 2 as Llew has a head start over Chrissie and myself. It reminds Llew of Homeland but it also reminds me of MI5 (which was known as Spooks in the UK).
When I rang off, I made myself a gin and tonic and switched on the TV for my weekend treat. It was already 8.45pm when Shahnaz texted me to find out if I would like to go out for dinner. I told her it was already too late, but how about tomorrow night? Then, I gave myself up to the exciting pleasure of the TV show as I sipped my drink and then ate my dinner. I also finished up my custard apple ice-cream. I cannot wait to buy the Dark Chocolate Ice-Cream from Giannis that my cousins raved about last night at Reuben's birthday party. I am craving everything chocolate all of a sudden!
It was about 10.15 when I was ready to go to bed with the realization that after almost two months in Bombay and in my studio, I am actually loving my life here. It is amazing how well I have adjusted to my new abode and my new city and how effortless the transition has been. I am so grateful to the Lord who has looked after my needs so generously and for bringing into my life a combination of close and extended family members and friends who provide me with so much fun company. I have truly found my niche here.
Let us hope my life continues in this fulfilling vein and that I will continue to enjoy this sense of gratification.
Until tomorrow...
Friday, October 26, 2018
Catching Up on Work at Home and Reconnecting with Cousins at Reuben's 40th Birthday Party
Friday, October 26, 2018
Bombay
Catching Up on Work at Home and Reconnecting with Cousins at Reuben's 40th Birthday Party
Namaste from Bombay!
I had another lovely day--a combination of work and leisure that felt fully satisfying.
Waking at 5.30 am, I blogged, checked and responded to email, caught up with Twitter, downloaded The Times of London. I actually decided to switch my routine a bit and get started with work before going to the gym as I had two interviews I needed to transcribe. They were playing on my mind--I need to stay above water in terms of keeping track of interviews or else I might start to feel overwhelmed.
So I actually made myself a nice bowl of muesli and brewed a cup of coffee and sat down to eat my breakfast while watching Monty Python's Flying Circus--I read an article in The Times magazine section last week about Eric Idle who is still living well in Los Angeles off royalties garnered through the writing and acting in this series. I figured it was time I watched it--on Netflix. It is silly in the extreme but it features people who went on to become comedic stars--John Cleese, for instance. I guess I will get used to the strange sense of British humor exhibited in it as time goes by.
Then I set to work. I finished transcribing my interview with Xerxes and when I was done, it seemed as if I had earned my break. I jumped into my gym clothes and spent the next hour--from 10.00 until morning closing time (at 11.00)--at the gym where I also caught up with The Times.
Back home, I showered and then sat down to work on my second interview with Roger Pereira. I had to stop in-between to eat lunch--my new tiffin had been delivered but I had leftovers to finish. I did not think that I would be eating out as much as I am doing--which explains why I am not able to finish up all the food delivered to me even with two days between each tiffin delivery. Lunch gave me the chance to watch some more TV--I am trying out The Great British Menu. It is OK--not quite something I can relate to as the dishes are far too complex for my liking.
Lunch done, I finished transcribing the rather extensive and very helpful and informational interview with Roger. It was 3.30 pm and I thought it would be good to take in my 20 minute power nap as I have a late night coming up. Imagine my shock when I woke at 5.00 pm! This is probably the longest I have slept in the afternoon so far. It was the perfect time for tea with biscuits.
Then, I got dressed for Reuben's birthday party to which I planned to go right after 7.00 pm Mass. I spent about an hour with Dad and Russel during which time our friend Romanee dropped in for a visit. It was good to see her again but we could not stay long with her. We left her to chat some more with Russel as Dad and I left for Mass.
Right after Mass, I left Dad to climb up Pali Hill to get to my cousin Meera's house for her son Reuben's birthday party. En route, I stopped at a fruit stall and bought myself apples, a papaya and three oranges--I love the Indian oranges that look more like tangerines. Let us hope they will be sweet.
Since I felt as if I were too early for the party, I stopped at Candies, to see if they had any good chocolate cake as I am craving some. Well, they had something called Chocolate Roll--which is a Swiss roll that looked potentially good. I also bought a slice of Pineapple Upside Down Cake and a croissant for my breakfast tomorrow. I decided to buy just one of everything because I have no idea how good or bad these items will be.
At Reuben's Birthday Party:
It turned out to be Reuben's 40th birthday! I had no idea. He had especially come down from Dubai where he works with his wife Tabitha to celebrate his birthday with all his cousins--many of whom were in attendance. I was the first to arrive, but pretty soon the crowd poured in. We were as many as 25 at least in the living room which made for a really hilarious evening with so much laughter. The youngest cousin Merril has two small kids and they provided amusement, entertainment and laughter for us all.
Meera started us off with starters that were mainly ordered. I was very grateful for the tall and frosted shandy I was presented and the delicious eats: meat samosas, wafers, chicken lollipops. It is so easy to overeat at this stage as the appetizers keep circulating non-stop. But since I was sitting near my weight-conscious cousin Linnet, I kept my snacking at bay too.
Dinner was Mutton Biryani from Merchant's (delicious), sorpotel and tongue made by Meera (both superb)--the former served with traditional Indian sannas (also catered), and salads (cucumber and raita). For dessert, I had the best 'woran' I have ever tasted--this is a traditional Manglorean sweet with the consistency of payasam. It is made with jaggery, dal, rice and sago--a really weird concoction that tastes heavenly. There was also cake--of course!--that Reuben cut as we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. The cake was...guess what? Why, my favorite. Chocolate Cake--exactly what I was craving! It was from Theo Broma, an upscale Bandra patisserie. And it was divine. This was chocolate cake at its best--moist, chocolatey and delicious. I would have liked more truffle in the topping which was, in fact, a stiff chocolate layer...but it was great. I am sure that Chocolate Truffle Cake is easily available at other bakeries, should I crave some more again.
As always, it is on occasions like this that I realize how much I miss my extended family in Bombay. There was a time when our family parties with my cousins would be about sharing recipes, recommending local restaurants and exchanging news about extended family members who were overseas. This time it was like a Geriatrics Anonymous meeting with all of us talking about varied aches and pains and arthritis exercises!
My cousin's kids have all grown up and they have kids now--so the second and third and fourth generations gather together at family parties like these and have a whale of a time. I was so grateful to be part of this energy. Sadly, since Russel is house bound, Dad did not come--and although he was invited, he sent his apologies and asked to be excused.
My cousin Ruby and her daughter Linnet who was present with her kids Jason and Natasha dropped me home by rickshaw at exactly midnight. It was a very late return home for me so all I did was brush and floss my teeth and get straight into bed. Hopefully, I will have a later rising tomorrow-but with my body clock being as accurate as it is, I rather doubt that.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Catching Up on Work at Home and Reconnecting with Cousins at Reuben's 40th Birthday Party
Namaste from Bombay!
I had another lovely day--a combination of work and leisure that felt fully satisfying.
Waking at 5.30 am, I blogged, checked and responded to email, caught up with Twitter, downloaded The Times of London. I actually decided to switch my routine a bit and get started with work before going to the gym as I had two interviews I needed to transcribe. They were playing on my mind--I need to stay above water in terms of keeping track of interviews or else I might start to feel overwhelmed.
So I actually made myself a nice bowl of muesli and brewed a cup of coffee and sat down to eat my breakfast while watching Monty Python's Flying Circus--I read an article in The Times magazine section last week about Eric Idle who is still living well in Los Angeles off royalties garnered through the writing and acting in this series. I figured it was time I watched it--on Netflix. It is silly in the extreme but it features people who went on to become comedic stars--John Cleese, for instance. I guess I will get used to the strange sense of British humor exhibited in it as time goes by.
Then I set to work. I finished transcribing my interview with Xerxes and when I was done, it seemed as if I had earned my break. I jumped into my gym clothes and spent the next hour--from 10.00 until morning closing time (at 11.00)--at the gym where I also caught up with The Times.
Back home, I showered and then sat down to work on my second interview with Roger Pereira. I had to stop in-between to eat lunch--my new tiffin had been delivered but I had leftovers to finish. I did not think that I would be eating out as much as I am doing--which explains why I am not able to finish up all the food delivered to me even with two days between each tiffin delivery. Lunch gave me the chance to watch some more TV--I am trying out The Great British Menu. It is OK--not quite something I can relate to as the dishes are far too complex for my liking.
Lunch done, I finished transcribing the rather extensive and very helpful and informational interview with Roger. It was 3.30 pm and I thought it would be good to take in my 20 minute power nap as I have a late night coming up. Imagine my shock when I woke at 5.00 pm! This is probably the longest I have slept in the afternoon so far. It was the perfect time for tea with biscuits.
Then, I got dressed for Reuben's birthday party to which I planned to go right after 7.00 pm Mass. I spent about an hour with Dad and Russel during which time our friend Romanee dropped in for a visit. It was good to see her again but we could not stay long with her. We left her to chat some more with Russel as Dad and I left for Mass.
Right after Mass, I left Dad to climb up Pali Hill to get to my cousin Meera's house for her son Reuben's birthday party. En route, I stopped at a fruit stall and bought myself apples, a papaya and three oranges--I love the Indian oranges that look more like tangerines. Let us hope they will be sweet.
Since I felt as if I were too early for the party, I stopped at Candies, to see if they had any good chocolate cake as I am craving some. Well, they had something called Chocolate Roll--which is a Swiss roll that looked potentially good. I also bought a slice of Pineapple Upside Down Cake and a croissant for my breakfast tomorrow. I decided to buy just one of everything because I have no idea how good or bad these items will be.
At Reuben's Birthday Party:
It turned out to be Reuben's 40th birthday! I had no idea. He had especially come down from Dubai where he works with his wife Tabitha to celebrate his birthday with all his cousins--many of whom were in attendance. I was the first to arrive, but pretty soon the crowd poured in. We were as many as 25 at least in the living room which made for a really hilarious evening with so much laughter. The youngest cousin Merril has two small kids and they provided amusement, entertainment and laughter for us all.
Meera started us off with starters that were mainly ordered. I was very grateful for the tall and frosted shandy I was presented and the delicious eats: meat samosas, wafers, chicken lollipops. It is so easy to overeat at this stage as the appetizers keep circulating non-stop. But since I was sitting near my weight-conscious cousin Linnet, I kept my snacking at bay too.
Dinner was Mutton Biryani from Merchant's (delicious), sorpotel and tongue made by Meera (both superb)--the former served with traditional Indian sannas (also catered), and salads (cucumber and raita). For dessert, I had the best 'woran' I have ever tasted--this is a traditional Manglorean sweet with the consistency of payasam. It is made with jaggery, dal, rice and sago--a really weird concoction that tastes heavenly. There was also cake--of course!--that Reuben cut as we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. The cake was...guess what? Why, my favorite. Chocolate Cake--exactly what I was craving! It was from Theo Broma, an upscale Bandra patisserie. And it was divine. This was chocolate cake at its best--moist, chocolatey and delicious. I would have liked more truffle in the topping which was, in fact, a stiff chocolate layer...but it was great. I am sure that Chocolate Truffle Cake is easily available at other bakeries, should I crave some more again.
As always, it is on occasions like this that I realize how much I miss my extended family in Bombay. There was a time when our family parties with my cousins would be about sharing recipes, recommending local restaurants and exchanging news about extended family members who were overseas. This time it was like a Geriatrics Anonymous meeting with all of us talking about varied aches and pains and arthritis exercises!
My cousin's kids have all grown up and they have kids now--so the second and third and fourth generations gather together at family parties like these and have a whale of a time. I was so grateful to be part of this energy. Sadly, since Russel is house bound, Dad did not come--and although he was invited, he sent his apologies and asked to be excused.
My cousin Ruby and her daughter Linnet who was present with her kids Jason and Natasha dropped me home by rickshaw at exactly midnight. It was a very late return home for me so all I did was brush and floss my teeth and get straight into bed. Hopefully, I will have a later rising tomorrow-but with my body clock being as accurate as it is, I rather doubt that.
Until tomorrow...
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Another Interview, Lunch with a Former Teacher and Shopping at Khadi Bandar
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Bombay
Another Interview, Lunch with a Former Teacher and Shopping at Khadi Bandar
Namaste from Bombay!
I have decided that on days when I have to go into downtown Bombay, I will skip my gym routine in the morning as it gets much too rushed. Today was one of those days. After waking up at 5. 30 am, blogging, emailing and checking what's happening in the world on Twitter, I had my breakfast (muesli sans apple--as I have none--and coffee) and got cracking. One shower later, I dressed and left my home at 9.30 am for my 10.30 am appointment at Churchgate.
Interview with Roger Pereira:
I met Roger Pereira at the Bandra Gym the other day when Shahnaz and I attended the Book Launch of the new novel by Ivan Arthur--A Village Dies. I had approached him then and requested that he meet me for an interview--to which he instantly consented. I sent him an email and lo and behold, this morning, I would be interviewing him. I love it when things move at this pace!
Roger was a well-known actor on the Bombay stage in the days before I left India. I had often reviewed his performances for the Indian press. Although now 78 and retired from his work as an advertising man, he is spritely, lively, intellectually aware and still very much in the swing of things. I knew that it would be a pleasure to meet him.
Roger told me that he now lives in Churchgate right opposite the Oval Maidan--where the International Eucharistic Congress was held in 1964. He told me that this was his dream. Accordingly, he shared his address with me and gave me directions. I found the place easily enough and made my way in an elevator to the fourth floor where I entered one of those never-ending apartments that the well-heeled have lived in for at least a century in this lovely part of Bombay. On one side is the Oval Maidan with gorgeous Victorian-Gothic buildings such as the University of Bombay and the High Court. On the other side, is the Arabian Sea at Marine Lines--what is not to love???
I was shown into the living room--a humongous living room, by Bombay standards-- by a maid who then went on to summon the Master of the House. This gave me a few minutes to take in the vast dimensions of the place that is absolutely crammed with stuff--there was an odd assortment of furniture--a lot of antique Indian Portuguese-Goan style dark wood carved pieces with chunky modern upholstery-covered sofas and a whole three-piece leather suite. There were dozens of paintings and pictures on the wall, there were piles of coffee-table books, there were scores of knick-knacks all over the place--it resembled an antiques store. I settled down on the leather sofa and waited Roger's arrival. The maid had asked me if I wanted a glass of water and I gratefully accepted a cold glass from her as my walk from Churchgate station, although less than five minutes, had been accomplished in the mounting heat and humidity of another October day. So, it was grand to sink into a sofa in an air-conditioned living room and to conduct my interview in relative comfort.
Chatting to Roger was a lot of fun. The interview was a bit all over the place as we did not follow any question and answer format. I told him to talk about his initial beginnings in Bombay English Theater and he went all the way back to being a 12 year old at St. Stanislaus School in Bandra. From there we free-wheeled into the initiation of the Zonal competitions in Bombay, his entry into advertising, his contribution to Bombay theater, etc. In-between he offered wonderful anecdotal information about other big names on the circuit--people with whom he worked closely and who are good friends of his. What's more, he offered their phone numbers which will now keep me busy for the next couple of weeks as I schedule even more interviews.
We had to cut it short at 12. 15pm because I had my next appointment and he had much to do himself. However, he was a goldmine of information. He agreed with what I have been thinking for a long time. It is time someone wrote a book to preserve all this material for posterity because none of it has been documented or is available for the scholar or the general public to read. Once this generation passes away (as in the case of the book I wrote about elderly Anglo-Indians the UK) all of the invaluable memories they carry with them will also be lost forever. Hence, it is imperative that these memories and impressions--part of the oral history and folk lore of the city of Bombay--be preserved for posterity. I felt very satisfied indeed with the interview and with the material it unearthed.
Perhaps, if time permits, I will contact him again. Transcribing the interview into some kind of coherent shape is going to be challenging as our conversation was rather disjointed. But it will no doubt provide much data for a chapter about Bombay English theater.
I said goodbye to Roger, crossed the Oval Maidan on foot while chatting on the phone to find out how Dad was doing--much better, it appears. He is getting stronger each day and feeling more spritely.
Lunch with a Former Teacher:
Aruna Fernandes was my Science teacher when I was in the sixth grade. She was a really good teacher and I have very happy memories of the times I spent in her class. Over the years, she has stayed in contact with a lot of ex-students (probably Facebook plays a huge role in this respect) and as her priest brother, Fr. Praveen, became a family friend, I have renewed contact with her in recent years. We met at the memorial service, a few weeks ago, of my school-mate Shehnaz Pinto, and exchanged contact information with the idea of meeting again.
When Aruna contacted me a few days ago to make plans to meet, I suggested a coffee somewhere at Nariman Point as I knew I would be doing research at the library there. She texted back saying that she preferred to have lunch with me as she wanted to have a longer chinwag. Since I knew I would be at Churchgate this morning, I suggested we meet at Kala Ghoda (which would involve a swift crossing of the Oval Maidan to get to her). Also, having chanced upon the deliciousness, economy and convenience of the Copper Chimney Soup and Salad Buffet a few weeks ago, I had decided that it would be the best place to meet for lunch. Accordingly, we set 12. 30 pm as our appointed hour.
Lunch was lovely--the salads are varied each day (the Pepper Chicken Salad today was great) but the soups remain the same: Tomato Soup and Chicken Soup. I thought that they are both delicious and with so many salads to choose from, one can have a very healthy and very tasty meal. I hope Aruna enjoyed it as much as I did.
Best of all, however, was chatting with her and finding out about the many exciting and interesting things she does. How amazing to find out that she has been a Speech and Drama Teacher for years and that she trains students for the Speech and Drama component of the exams held annually by Trinity College of Music, London! In fact, she will make a great subject for an interview and I told her that I would schedule one with her soon. As in the case of Celeste, who runs the vocal music classes in Bandra that educate the next generation on Western music, Aruna too is training the next generation of English drama students. This is how these performing arts are kept alive in Bombay. It is amazing how much I am learning from these interviews. Slowly but surely, I am getting such a composite idea of performance arts education and the ways they operate in Bombay.
Shopping for a Birthday Gift:
A few days ago, I received a text from my cousin Meera inviting me to dinner at her pace tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of her son Reuben who had arrived from Dubai for a few days with his wife Tabitha. I needed to buy Reuben a birthday present as I will be going over for dinner to theirs' tomorrow. But the question is: What do you buy someone from Dubai, right? Mulling things over, I had decided I would buy him an Indian cotton kurta--something different to wear to a party.
As Aruna was headed on a bus to Byculla, I decided to go with her part of the way and hop off at the former Handloom House. It was my plan to get to the Khadi Bandar at Flora Fountain to pick up a suitable kurta for him.
We hopped into an empty 69 bus (that starts at the Prince of Wales Museum) and rode it for about ten minutes. I hopped off near the Bombay Gym and walked to the Khadi Bandar. I love this place--not only does it have very unique merchandise that you do not find in other stores, but you support the hand-weaving cottage industry that was so dear to Gandhi's heart and which he instituted, when you buy their wares. It is also such a cool oasis in the heart of a very busy area that it is a pleasure shopping here. I love their antique vitrines, their lovely orderly shelves filled with kurtas and silk scarves (I have bought hundreds of these over the years and have given them as gifts in the US) and their silk ties (lovely gifts for men).
It was not long before I found a kurta for Reuben--short sleeved to suit the Dubai heat--in a cool color that I think he will like. What's more, I got a 10% discount too!!! The entire area surrounding Flora Fountain is a mess right now with digging for the new metro system going on right outside. I am sure that business is affected although I did see a couple of foreigners also shopping there. You can be sure the prices are fair in this establishment and I have been proud to support them year after year.
I then walked across the Cross Maidan to get to Churchgate station from where I took a train and a bus to get back home. I had toyed with the idea of visiting the Museum and doing a couple of galleries of it at time or the National Gallery of Contemporary Art as I was in the neighborhood...but somehow I lacked the motivation to do so. Perhaps having Aruna for company on the bus to the Khadi Bandar made me nix my plans.
Anyway, before I got home, I shopped at the supermarket near my place and bought biscuits and a cake for my tea as well as penlight batteries for my battery-operated tooth brush as I have run out of juice. Then, I got home, sat down gratefully in the air-conditioned coolness of my flat and brewed a pot of tea which I enjoyed with my lovely new butterscotch cake.
A hour later, I left for Dad's and spent a half hour at him as I chatted with Russel. I told him all about my experience at the post office yesterday and he was simply seething when he heard how poor the service had been. He suggested I put my entire experience in writing and that I complain that stamps of just Re. 1 were available for purchase. He told me that he has purchased stamps in the past for even Rs. 10 and above--he buys them to mail cards overseas. Anyway, I told him that at the end of the day the entire episode appeared more comedic than infuriating to me and that I had put it down to one more bizarre Indian experience.
We walked to church together and then back home where we parted company. I went home to a drink--I craved a G and T and sipped it slowly with some roasted nuts as I set my TV up to watch another episode of Midsomer Murders. Both Llew and I have discovered that The Bodyguard is available in both the US and India on Netflix and we have resolved to watch it together--Chrissie will join us in watching from California. It should be fun to do this together. It is the third most highly watched TV show in the last decade in the UK where it has taken the public by storm.
With a plate full of green chicken curry, cutlets and white pumpkin with dal, I had myself a very tasty dinner and finished off with a small bowl of custard apple ice-cream. I am now craving good chocolate ice-cream (from Baskin Robbins) but I will need to empty my tiny freezer of its current contents before I can stock up again.
Until tomorrow....
Bombay
Another Interview, Lunch with a Former Teacher and Shopping at Khadi Bandar
Namaste from Bombay!
I have decided that on days when I have to go into downtown Bombay, I will skip my gym routine in the morning as it gets much too rushed. Today was one of those days. After waking up at 5. 30 am, blogging, emailing and checking what's happening in the world on Twitter, I had my breakfast (muesli sans apple--as I have none--and coffee) and got cracking. One shower later, I dressed and left my home at 9.30 am for my 10.30 am appointment at Churchgate.
Interview with Roger Pereira:
I met Roger Pereira at the Bandra Gym the other day when Shahnaz and I attended the Book Launch of the new novel by Ivan Arthur--A Village Dies. I had approached him then and requested that he meet me for an interview--to which he instantly consented. I sent him an email and lo and behold, this morning, I would be interviewing him. I love it when things move at this pace!
Roger was a well-known actor on the Bombay stage in the days before I left India. I had often reviewed his performances for the Indian press. Although now 78 and retired from his work as an advertising man, he is spritely, lively, intellectually aware and still very much in the swing of things. I knew that it would be a pleasure to meet him.
Roger told me that he now lives in Churchgate right opposite the Oval Maidan--where the International Eucharistic Congress was held in 1964. He told me that this was his dream. Accordingly, he shared his address with me and gave me directions. I found the place easily enough and made my way in an elevator to the fourth floor where I entered one of those never-ending apartments that the well-heeled have lived in for at least a century in this lovely part of Bombay. On one side is the Oval Maidan with gorgeous Victorian-Gothic buildings such as the University of Bombay and the High Court. On the other side, is the Arabian Sea at Marine Lines--what is not to love???
I was shown into the living room--a humongous living room, by Bombay standards-- by a maid who then went on to summon the Master of the House. This gave me a few minutes to take in the vast dimensions of the place that is absolutely crammed with stuff--there was an odd assortment of furniture--a lot of antique Indian Portuguese-Goan style dark wood carved pieces with chunky modern upholstery-covered sofas and a whole three-piece leather suite. There were dozens of paintings and pictures on the wall, there were piles of coffee-table books, there were scores of knick-knacks all over the place--it resembled an antiques store. I settled down on the leather sofa and waited Roger's arrival. The maid had asked me if I wanted a glass of water and I gratefully accepted a cold glass from her as my walk from Churchgate station, although less than five minutes, had been accomplished in the mounting heat and humidity of another October day. So, it was grand to sink into a sofa in an air-conditioned living room and to conduct my interview in relative comfort.
Chatting to Roger was a lot of fun. The interview was a bit all over the place as we did not follow any question and answer format. I told him to talk about his initial beginnings in Bombay English Theater and he went all the way back to being a 12 year old at St. Stanislaus School in Bandra. From there we free-wheeled into the initiation of the Zonal competitions in Bombay, his entry into advertising, his contribution to Bombay theater, etc. In-between he offered wonderful anecdotal information about other big names on the circuit--people with whom he worked closely and who are good friends of his. What's more, he offered their phone numbers which will now keep me busy for the next couple of weeks as I schedule even more interviews.
We had to cut it short at 12. 15pm because I had my next appointment and he had much to do himself. However, he was a goldmine of information. He agreed with what I have been thinking for a long time. It is time someone wrote a book to preserve all this material for posterity because none of it has been documented or is available for the scholar or the general public to read. Once this generation passes away (as in the case of the book I wrote about elderly Anglo-Indians the UK) all of the invaluable memories they carry with them will also be lost forever. Hence, it is imperative that these memories and impressions--part of the oral history and folk lore of the city of Bombay--be preserved for posterity. I felt very satisfied indeed with the interview and with the material it unearthed.
Perhaps, if time permits, I will contact him again. Transcribing the interview into some kind of coherent shape is going to be challenging as our conversation was rather disjointed. But it will no doubt provide much data for a chapter about Bombay English theater.
I said goodbye to Roger, crossed the Oval Maidan on foot while chatting on the phone to find out how Dad was doing--much better, it appears. He is getting stronger each day and feeling more spritely.
Lunch with a Former Teacher:
Aruna Fernandes was my Science teacher when I was in the sixth grade. She was a really good teacher and I have very happy memories of the times I spent in her class. Over the years, she has stayed in contact with a lot of ex-students (probably Facebook plays a huge role in this respect) and as her priest brother, Fr. Praveen, became a family friend, I have renewed contact with her in recent years. We met at the memorial service, a few weeks ago, of my school-mate Shehnaz Pinto, and exchanged contact information with the idea of meeting again.
When Aruna contacted me a few days ago to make plans to meet, I suggested a coffee somewhere at Nariman Point as I knew I would be doing research at the library there. She texted back saying that she preferred to have lunch with me as she wanted to have a longer chinwag. Since I knew I would be at Churchgate this morning, I suggested we meet at Kala Ghoda (which would involve a swift crossing of the Oval Maidan to get to her). Also, having chanced upon the deliciousness, economy and convenience of the Copper Chimney Soup and Salad Buffet a few weeks ago, I had decided that it would be the best place to meet for lunch. Accordingly, we set 12. 30 pm as our appointed hour.
Lunch was lovely--the salads are varied each day (the Pepper Chicken Salad today was great) but the soups remain the same: Tomato Soup and Chicken Soup. I thought that they are both delicious and with so many salads to choose from, one can have a very healthy and very tasty meal. I hope Aruna enjoyed it as much as I did.
Best of all, however, was chatting with her and finding out about the many exciting and interesting things she does. How amazing to find out that she has been a Speech and Drama Teacher for years and that she trains students for the Speech and Drama component of the exams held annually by Trinity College of Music, London! In fact, she will make a great subject for an interview and I told her that I would schedule one with her soon. As in the case of Celeste, who runs the vocal music classes in Bandra that educate the next generation on Western music, Aruna too is training the next generation of English drama students. This is how these performing arts are kept alive in Bombay. It is amazing how much I am learning from these interviews. Slowly but surely, I am getting such a composite idea of performance arts education and the ways they operate in Bombay.
Shopping for a Birthday Gift:
A few days ago, I received a text from my cousin Meera inviting me to dinner at her pace tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of her son Reuben who had arrived from Dubai for a few days with his wife Tabitha. I needed to buy Reuben a birthday present as I will be going over for dinner to theirs' tomorrow. But the question is: What do you buy someone from Dubai, right? Mulling things over, I had decided I would buy him an Indian cotton kurta--something different to wear to a party.
As Aruna was headed on a bus to Byculla, I decided to go with her part of the way and hop off at the former Handloom House. It was my plan to get to the Khadi Bandar at Flora Fountain to pick up a suitable kurta for him.
We hopped into an empty 69 bus (that starts at the Prince of Wales Museum) and rode it for about ten minutes. I hopped off near the Bombay Gym and walked to the Khadi Bandar. I love this place--not only does it have very unique merchandise that you do not find in other stores, but you support the hand-weaving cottage industry that was so dear to Gandhi's heart and which he instituted, when you buy their wares. It is also such a cool oasis in the heart of a very busy area that it is a pleasure shopping here. I love their antique vitrines, their lovely orderly shelves filled with kurtas and silk scarves (I have bought hundreds of these over the years and have given them as gifts in the US) and their silk ties (lovely gifts for men).
It was not long before I found a kurta for Reuben--short sleeved to suit the Dubai heat--in a cool color that I think he will like. What's more, I got a 10% discount too!!! The entire area surrounding Flora Fountain is a mess right now with digging for the new metro system going on right outside. I am sure that business is affected although I did see a couple of foreigners also shopping there. You can be sure the prices are fair in this establishment and I have been proud to support them year after year.
I then walked across the Cross Maidan to get to Churchgate station from where I took a train and a bus to get back home. I had toyed with the idea of visiting the Museum and doing a couple of galleries of it at time or the National Gallery of Contemporary Art as I was in the neighborhood...but somehow I lacked the motivation to do so. Perhaps having Aruna for company on the bus to the Khadi Bandar made me nix my plans.
Anyway, before I got home, I shopped at the supermarket near my place and bought biscuits and a cake for my tea as well as penlight batteries for my battery-operated tooth brush as I have run out of juice. Then, I got home, sat down gratefully in the air-conditioned coolness of my flat and brewed a pot of tea which I enjoyed with my lovely new butterscotch cake.
A hour later, I left for Dad's and spent a half hour at him as I chatted with Russel. I told him all about my experience at the post office yesterday and he was simply seething when he heard how poor the service had been. He suggested I put my entire experience in writing and that I complain that stamps of just Re. 1 were available for purchase. He told me that he has purchased stamps in the past for even Rs. 10 and above--he buys them to mail cards overseas. Anyway, I told him that at the end of the day the entire episode appeared more comedic than infuriating to me and that I had put it down to one more bizarre Indian experience.
We walked to church together and then back home where we parted company. I went home to a drink--I craved a G and T and sipped it slowly with some roasted nuts as I set my TV up to watch another episode of Midsomer Murders. Both Llew and I have discovered that The Bodyguard is available in both the US and India on Netflix and we have resolved to watch it together--Chrissie will join us in watching from California. It should be fun to do this together. It is the third most highly watched TV show in the last decade in the UK where it has taken the public by storm.
With a plate full of green chicken curry, cutlets and white pumpkin with dal, I had myself a very tasty dinner and finished off with a small bowl of custard apple ice-cream. I am now craving good chocolate ice-cream (from Baskin Robbins) but I will need to empty my tiny freezer of its current contents before I can stock up again.
Until tomorrow....
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
It Happened at Bandra Post Office....
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Bombay
It Happened at Bandra Post Office....
Namaste from Bombay!
A Rant To Start Things Off!
In Bombay, it is the little things that stress you out. Once you get accustomed to what I think of as "chronic" inconveniences (humidity, traffic, crowds, impolite people, general lack of consideration for others), there are little things that irritate and annoy.
Take our attempt to use a credit card to make an advance payment to secure a reservation on a hotel. It was a Herculean task, to say the least. My friend Nafisa, her husband Hosefa and I are planning week-long travels in Orissa before we arrive in Calcutta (where I need to present a paper at a conference).
We actually have sorted out accommodation for ourselves at a hotel in Puri, a beach resort, which we will make our base while we visit Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Lake Chilka, Konark and Raghuram--this area is rich in ancient Hindu temples and beautiful unspoiled natural scenery.
The hotel actually belongs to folks that I know (vaguely) but the Nasrullas know well. And yet...and yet...there are so many complications associated with paying by credit card. "Sorry Madam, we do not have facility to accept offline credit card." And "Sorry Madam, but when we send the link to pay by credit card, there is a deadline--you must pay by the specified date or else the link does not work" and "Sorry Madam, but you cannot give me credit card details on the phone because we must generate an OTP number"--whatever the heck that is! And so it went on for three days--Hosefa was back and forth and back and forth on the phone until the Nasrullas were tearing hairs off in frustration. Then I stepped in. I had the same runaround.
Finally, yes, magically, the correct link with the correct advance payment money was delivered to my email box and I actually managed to put the payment through and get an instant confirmation. But it took a good part of my morning to get this sorted--not to mention several small parts of the last few days.
At the Gym and After:
My day began as usual at 5.30am with a bit of blogging and emailing. Then, I dressed and went off to the gym where I usually read The Times of London or continue with my novel on my IPad which I carry along. Have begun A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara which was recommended to me by the English novelist Jane Greene when I had met her at the Pequot Library years ago. I found it as a book that was available and that I could borrow from my Fairfield Public Library to download on my IPad. However, I am having trouble getting into it--doesn't really appear to be my kind of novel. Still, I am not giving up yet.
My workouts at the gym are going well but for the fact that I hate how loudly they set the music and the kind of music they play--a lot of rap, a lot of rock--not my cup of tea at all. But in a gym setting, I guess majority wins. Still, I try to bury myself in my reading and unless the music is oppressively loud, I tolerate it and do not request it to be turned down.
Yesterday, after the gym, I went straight to Dad's as Hosefa needed my PAN card to make a train booking for us. Apparently, getting the tickets is another Herculean task and they have decided to pass the entire task to a travel agent who will do all our bookings. I am glad that I am not organizing this trip and have left it to my local friends. Hopefully, they know what they are doing and will do it well. All I have done is book my air tickets from Bombay to Bhubaneswar and from Calcutta back to Bombay by Indigo Airlines (such a great name for a domestic Indian airline!).
I picked up my PAN card, visited with Dad and Russel briefly--I wanted to get back home soon as I was still only on a cup of coffee and could not wait to eat my breakfast. However, Dad had his own tale of woe to narrate--his frustrations trying to get diapers delivered to his home for Russel who is still bed bound. You will not believe the number of calls he had to make to get this little task accomplished--and then too they delivered the wrong size. I realize that it is these little things that cause people stress in India--the sort of things that do not even occur as irritations for us in the US.
Receiving my US Absentee Ballot Form in the Mail:
Russel then informed me that a letter had arrived for me. I immediately knew what it was. I raced to find it and gave a resounding YESSSS! Dad wondered what was up and looked at me in bewilderment. I told him that my US absentee ballot form for the November mid-term elections had arrived. I had been asking Llew to find out from my local Fairfield Town Hall if they had mailed it to me as I wondered why it had not arrived yet. When I had lived in London, it had arrived by early October. Well, the Indian postal system leaves a lot to be desired...let me assure you. So, I expect the delays are more local than American. Anyway, given the paucity of time, I knew I would have to fill it out and get to the Bandra Post Office today itself if I wished to have my vote counted.
Back at my Laptop...
Back home, I showered, ate my muesli while watching House Hunters International (Barcelona) exactly as I do back home in Southport, Connecticut, and then sat down with my laptop. I finalized our hotel booking at Puri, my hotel booking at the Fairlawns Hotel in Calcutta (the Nasrullas will be staying with local relatives in Calcutta) and then took care of work email.
Next, I transcribed the interview I did with Celeste--which took two whole hours. I wanted to start with the transcribing of the one I did with Xerxes but I needed to stretch my back and take a break.
Lunch had been delivered in the morning but I still had leftovers--so I finished putting my fresh lunch away and washing off the tiffin containers. It still amazes me with what foresight I brought six Tupperware containers with me from the US--they are proving invaluable as containers for my own food delivery service in my fridge. But then I learned how valuable they had been to me when I had lived in London. I only regret that I did not bring some more.
Lunch done, I did a bit of reading but my eyes were simply closing and I had a power nap. When I awoke, I filled out my US ballot form, dressed and found a rickshaw to take me to Bandra Post Office as it was already 3.45 and I expected them to close by 5.00 pm.
And what a story that turned out to be! So let me explain....
My Experience at Bandra Post Office:
There was no one at the window that was supposed to dispense stamps. So I went to the next window where a lady was desultorily attending to about 6 people who were waiting in an orderly queue. I asked, in English, if someone could be sent to the Stamps Window to sell me stamps, please. She said something to someone (out of my field of vision) but there was no response.
Then, a sweet lady came to me and said, "They do not respond at all. You will need to go inside." Inside where? I found a door that led into the main room which was the most disorderly place I have ever seen--it was as if a tornado had blown through it.
I found a "postman type" near the door. So I said to him in English, "Excuse me Sir, can someone sell me some stamps, please?" He took one look at me and thought I was a foreigner. It had to do with the fact that I spoke English only (deliberately), called him Sir and wore the clothes I do--a T-shirt, capri pants and Clarks sandals (my uniform causal wear in Bombay).
He directed me to the Post Master who was tinkering with a computer. I went up to him and said, "Excuse me Sir...are you the Post Master?" He said, "Yes" without taking his eyes off his screen. I said, "Would you tell someone to sell me some stamps, please?" He looked at me then and told a woman to help me.
I swear to you, she looked like she cleaned for a living. She certainly did not look like a bonafide employee of the Indian postal service. She also looked aged and I wondered how she was still employed--she looked easily above 58 (retirement age) although it is very likely that the cares of living in India had aged her prematurely. She did not speak English but I insisted on keeping up the foreigner farce as I thought that was the only way I would get my work done. This was big time impersonation at its most deceptive!
So, she told me to go back to the Stamps Window which I did. Through the grill, I watched her haul out a massive tome with a few stamps on each page. She told me it would cost me Rs. 45 to mail my letter to the US. Fair enough. I fished out the money from my purse and handed it to her.
She then gave me, I kid you not, 45 stamps of Re. 1 each. I was aghast. I showed her the letter and asked her where she thought my 45 stamps would fit on it. She shrugged and said in Marathi that she did not have stamps of a bigger denomination. She then asked me if I had any stamps!!!! But I was there to buy stamps! How would I have "tickets" with me--her word for stamps. When I insisted on fewer stamps of a smaller denomination, she said, We have none. Come Tomorrow--still in Marathi.
Of course, I marched back inside and complained to the Postman Type. He apologized and said she was right--no stamps are being delivered to their post office anymore. That was all they had. He turned the envelope over and told me to place the stamps on the "backside". I told him there was something printed on the back that needed to be read. Now it was his turn to shrug.
Believe me, I felt as if I were in a comedy routine--Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello or The Two Ronnies!
He told me that it WAS possible to fit them all above the printed matter. He handed me a paste pot--ugh!!!-- and told me to go and sit at a table and paste them on.
Well, with no choice in the matter, I actually did use the obnoxious paste pot and actually managed to fit all 45 stamps on my envelope--with no room to spare on it at all. I insisted that the postman stamp it and place it in the Outgoing box before I left. I can just imagine what sort of a laugh everyone at the Fairfield Town Hall will have when my envelope reaches them as well as the sort of laugh they will have in the Sorting Room of the Fairfield Post Office before delivering my vote sheet. I now wish I had taken a picture of my envelope to preserve for posterity. I hope my country will appreciate the sort of hoops I jumped through to get my vote in. I feel like a proper virtuous citizen now!
I then went around thanking every one personally in the Post Office that had helped me buy Rs. 45 worth of stamps. I had entered the Bandra Post Office to buy stamps and I felt as if I had landed on the moon--so huge did my accomplishment appear!
Wait till I tell Dad about my experience there. He is going to tell me that is precisely why the Indian postal service is in jeopardy and why no one uses it anymore--courier service is used exclusively now as an alternative for local mailings. For international post, one has little choice but to use the post office as international courier service is too expensive an alternative. So I swear to you again...it happened at the Bandra Post Office.
Since I was on Hill Road, I then walked to the Holy Family Hospital as Dad had requested me to pick up a copy of Russel's biopsy which was the one report that was missing. Dad might need it for insurance purposes--he hopes they will not demand to see it. I paid Rs. 20 for a duplicate report and left. I needed to get home to wash my hands off that noxious paste and I was craving an urgent cup of tea.
Off to Observe a Vocal Music Lesson:
Filled with the cup that cheers (make that a pot!), I left my flat again. This time I was headed to St. Joseph's Convent Primary School to observe a vocal music class in session. I was invited by Celeste, the music teacher that I had interviewed yesterday, to watch her and her daughter Dawn conduct the class for kids in two batches--the younger ones at 5. 30 pm and the older at 6. 15 pm. It was fun and gave me a good understanding of the manner in which Western music awareness and exposure passes down from one generation to the next in the Christian community in a "locality" (neighborhood) like Bandra. Dawn was at the piano while Celeste played teacher. The children (about 30 of them in each batch) were lively and animated and deeply interested in their class. They were enthused throughout and sang well. The older ones were, understandably, much better and more attuned to what Dawn was trying to achieve from them. They started with vocal scales and then made their way through the song they were learning. I wished I could have stayed longer but I had to make the 6.45 Novena in church and I did not want to be late.
Church and Dinner:
I jumped into a conveniently passing rickshaw and reached church on time for the novena after which I stayed for the 7.00 pm Mass. I walked home with Dad but we parted company when I had to go to the office of the man who installed my fiberoptic cable for my internet as I had to pay him the rest of the money I owed. That done, I went directly home.
I had my dinner--my new tiffin featured a delicious green chicken curry (I love a green curry as it is flavored with coriander leaves and mint), a vegetable made of dal and white pumpkin (I also love white pumpkin) and cutlets. For dessert, there was half a guava. I feel blessed that I have this meal service. The food is always plentiful and delicious and it is so convenient as it eliminates the need for me to shop for ingredients, cook, clean, etc. Now after a day of frustrations, here I was feeling thankful for something that does actually work in Bombay!
I watched Midsomer Murders while I ate. It was about 9.45 when my eyelids started to droop and I decided to make an early night of it. I brushed and flossed my teeth and slipped into bed.
It had been a very odd sort of day crowned by my comedic turn at the post office!
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
It Happened at Bandra Post Office....
Namaste from Bombay!
A Rant To Start Things Off!
In Bombay, it is the little things that stress you out. Once you get accustomed to what I think of as "chronic" inconveniences (humidity, traffic, crowds, impolite people, general lack of consideration for others), there are little things that irritate and annoy.
Take our attempt to use a credit card to make an advance payment to secure a reservation on a hotel. It was a Herculean task, to say the least. My friend Nafisa, her husband Hosefa and I are planning week-long travels in Orissa before we arrive in Calcutta (where I need to present a paper at a conference).
We actually have sorted out accommodation for ourselves at a hotel in Puri, a beach resort, which we will make our base while we visit Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Lake Chilka, Konark and Raghuram--this area is rich in ancient Hindu temples and beautiful unspoiled natural scenery.
The hotel actually belongs to folks that I know (vaguely) but the Nasrullas know well. And yet...and yet...there are so many complications associated with paying by credit card. "Sorry Madam, we do not have facility to accept offline credit card." And "Sorry Madam, but when we send the link to pay by credit card, there is a deadline--you must pay by the specified date or else the link does not work" and "Sorry Madam, but you cannot give me credit card details on the phone because we must generate an OTP number"--whatever the heck that is! And so it went on for three days--Hosefa was back and forth and back and forth on the phone until the Nasrullas were tearing hairs off in frustration. Then I stepped in. I had the same runaround.
Finally, yes, magically, the correct link with the correct advance payment money was delivered to my email box and I actually managed to put the payment through and get an instant confirmation. But it took a good part of my morning to get this sorted--not to mention several small parts of the last few days.
At the Gym and After:
My day began as usual at 5.30am with a bit of blogging and emailing. Then, I dressed and went off to the gym where I usually read The Times of London or continue with my novel on my IPad which I carry along. Have begun A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara which was recommended to me by the English novelist Jane Greene when I had met her at the Pequot Library years ago. I found it as a book that was available and that I could borrow from my Fairfield Public Library to download on my IPad. However, I am having trouble getting into it--doesn't really appear to be my kind of novel. Still, I am not giving up yet.
My workouts at the gym are going well but for the fact that I hate how loudly they set the music and the kind of music they play--a lot of rap, a lot of rock--not my cup of tea at all. But in a gym setting, I guess majority wins. Still, I try to bury myself in my reading and unless the music is oppressively loud, I tolerate it and do not request it to be turned down.
Yesterday, after the gym, I went straight to Dad's as Hosefa needed my PAN card to make a train booking for us. Apparently, getting the tickets is another Herculean task and they have decided to pass the entire task to a travel agent who will do all our bookings. I am glad that I am not organizing this trip and have left it to my local friends. Hopefully, they know what they are doing and will do it well. All I have done is book my air tickets from Bombay to Bhubaneswar and from Calcutta back to Bombay by Indigo Airlines (such a great name for a domestic Indian airline!).
I picked up my PAN card, visited with Dad and Russel briefly--I wanted to get back home soon as I was still only on a cup of coffee and could not wait to eat my breakfast. However, Dad had his own tale of woe to narrate--his frustrations trying to get diapers delivered to his home for Russel who is still bed bound. You will not believe the number of calls he had to make to get this little task accomplished--and then too they delivered the wrong size. I realize that it is these little things that cause people stress in India--the sort of things that do not even occur as irritations for us in the US.
Receiving my US Absentee Ballot Form in the Mail:
Russel then informed me that a letter had arrived for me. I immediately knew what it was. I raced to find it and gave a resounding YESSSS! Dad wondered what was up and looked at me in bewilderment. I told him that my US absentee ballot form for the November mid-term elections had arrived. I had been asking Llew to find out from my local Fairfield Town Hall if they had mailed it to me as I wondered why it had not arrived yet. When I had lived in London, it had arrived by early October. Well, the Indian postal system leaves a lot to be desired...let me assure you. So, I expect the delays are more local than American. Anyway, given the paucity of time, I knew I would have to fill it out and get to the Bandra Post Office today itself if I wished to have my vote counted.
Back at my Laptop...
Back home, I showered, ate my muesli while watching House Hunters International (Barcelona) exactly as I do back home in Southport, Connecticut, and then sat down with my laptop. I finalized our hotel booking at Puri, my hotel booking at the Fairlawns Hotel in Calcutta (the Nasrullas will be staying with local relatives in Calcutta) and then took care of work email.
Next, I transcribed the interview I did with Celeste--which took two whole hours. I wanted to start with the transcribing of the one I did with Xerxes but I needed to stretch my back and take a break.
Lunch had been delivered in the morning but I still had leftovers--so I finished putting my fresh lunch away and washing off the tiffin containers. It still amazes me with what foresight I brought six Tupperware containers with me from the US--they are proving invaluable as containers for my own food delivery service in my fridge. But then I learned how valuable they had been to me when I had lived in London. I only regret that I did not bring some more.
Lunch done, I did a bit of reading but my eyes were simply closing and I had a power nap. When I awoke, I filled out my US ballot form, dressed and found a rickshaw to take me to Bandra Post Office as it was already 3.45 and I expected them to close by 5.00 pm.
And what a story that turned out to be! So let me explain....
My Experience at Bandra Post Office:
There was no one at the window that was supposed to dispense stamps. So I went to the next window where a lady was desultorily attending to about 6 people who were waiting in an orderly queue. I asked, in English, if someone could be sent to the Stamps Window to sell me stamps, please. She said something to someone (out of my field of vision) but there was no response.
Then, a sweet lady came to me and said, "They do not respond at all. You will need to go inside." Inside where? I found a door that led into the main room which was the most disorderly place I have ever seen--it was as if a tornado had blown through it.
I found a "postman type" near the door. So I said to him in English, "Excuse me Sir, can someone sell me some stamps, please?" He took one look at me and thought I was a foreigner. It had to do with the fact that I spoke English only (deliberately), called him Sir and wore the clothes I do--a T-shirt, capri pants and Clarks sandals (my uniform causal wear in Bombay).
He directed me to the Post Master who was tinkering with a computer. I went up to him and said, "Excuse me Sir...are you the Post Master?" He said, "Yes" without taking his eyes off his screen. I said, "Would you tell someone to sell me some stamps, please?" He looked at me then and told a woman to help me.
I swear to you, she looked like she cleaned for a living. She certainly did not look like a bonafide employee of the Indian postal service. She also looked aged and I wondered how she was still employed--she looked easily above 58 (retirement age) although it is very likely that the cares of living in India had aged her prematurely. She did not speak English but I insisted on keeping up the foreigner farce as I thought that was the only way I would get my work done. This was big time impersonation at its most deceptive!
So, she told me to go back to the Stamps Window which I did. Through the grill, I watched her haul out a massive tome with a few stamps on each page. She told me it would cost me Rs. 45 to mail my letter to the US. Fair enough. I fished out the money from my purse and handed it to her.
She then gave me, I kid you not, 45 stamps of Re. 1 each. I was aghast. I showed her the letter and asked her where she thought my 45 stamps would fit on it. She shrugged and said in Marathi that she did not have stamps of a bigger denomination. She then asked me if I had any stamps!!!! But I was there to buy stamps! How would I have "tickets" with me--her word for stamps. When I insisted on fewer stamps of a smaller denomination, she said, We have none. Come Tomorrow--still in Marathi.
Of course, I marched back inside and complained to the Postman Type. He apologized and said she was right--no stamps are being delivered to their post office anymore. That was all they had. He turned the envelope over and told me to place the stamps on the "backside". I told him there was something printed on the back that needed to be read. Now it was his turn to shrug.
Believe me, I felt as if I were in a comedy routine--Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello or The Two Ronnies!
He told me that it WAS possible to fit them all above the printed matter. He handed me a paste pot--ugh!!!-- and told me to go and sit at a table and paste them on.
Well, with no choice in the matter, I actually did use the obnoxious paste pot and actually managed to fit all 45 stamps on my envelope--with no room to spare on it at all. I insisted that the postman stamp it and place it in the Outgoing box before I left. I can just imagine what sort of a laugh everyone at the Fairfield Town Hall will have when my envelope reaches them as well as the sort of laugh they will have in the Sorting Room of the Fairfield Post Office before delivering my vote sheet. I now wish I had taken a picture of my envelope to preserve for posterity. I hope my country will appreciate the sort of hoops I jumped through to get my vote in. I feel like a proper virtuous citizen now!
I then went around thanking every one personally in the Post Office that had helped me buy Rs. 45 worth of stamps. I had entered the Bandra Post Office to buy stamps and I felt as if I had landed on the moon--so huge did my accomplishment appear!
Wait till I tell Dad about my experience there. He is going to tell me that is precisely why the Indian postal service is in jeopardy and why no one uses it anymore--courier service is used exclusively now as an alternative for local mailings. For international post, one has little choice but to use the post office as international courier service is too expensive an alternative. So I swear to you again...it happened at the Bandra Post Office.
Since I was on Hill Road, I then walked to the Holy Family Hospital as Dad had requested me to pick up a copy of Russel's biopsy which was the one report that was missing. Dad might need it for insurance purposes--he hopes they will not demand to see it. I paid Rs. 20 for a duplicate report and left. I needed to get home to wash my hands off that noxious paste and I was craving an urgent cup of tea.
Off to Observe a Vocal Music Lesson:
Filled with the cup that cheers (make that a pot!), I left my flat again. This time I was headed to St. Joseph's Convent Primary School to observe a vocal music class in session. I was invited by Celeste, the music teacher that I had interviewed yesterday, to watch her and her daughter Dawn conduct the class for kids in two batches--the younger ones at 5. 30 pm and the older at 6. 15 pm. It was fun and gave me a good understanding of the manner in which Western music awareness and exposure passes down from one generation to the next in the Christian community in a "locality" (neighborhood) like Bandra. Dawn was at the piano while Celeste played teacher. The children (about 30 of them in each batch) were lively and animated and deeply interested in their class. They were enthused throughout and sang well. The older ones were, understandably, much better and more attuned to what Dawn was trying to achieve from them. They started with vocal scales and then made their way through the song they were learning. I wished I could have stayed longer but I had to make the 6.45 Novena in church and I did not want to be late.
Church and Dinner:
I jumped into a conveniently passing rickshaw and reached church on time for the novena after which I stayed for the 7.00 pm Mass. I walked home with Dad but we parted company when I had to go to the office of the man who installed my fiberoptic cable for my internet as I had to pay him the rest of the money I owed. That done, I went directly home.
I had my dinner--my new tiffin featured a delicious green chicken curry (I love a green curry as it is flavored with coriander leaves and mint), a vegetable made of dal and white pumpkin (I also love white pumpkin) and cutlets. For dessert, there was half a guava. I feel blessed that I have this meal service. The food is always plentiful and delicious and it is so convenient as it eliminates the need for me to shop for ingredients, cook, clean, etc. Now after a day of frustrations, here I was feeling thankful for something that does actually work in Bombay!
I watched Midsomer Murders while I ate. It was about 9.45 when my eyelids started to droop and I decided to make an early night of it. I brushed and flossed my teeth and slipped into bed.
It had been a very odd sort of day crowned by my comedic turn at the post office!
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Another Interview at the NCPA, Coffee with Firdaus and an Evening with Verdi's Aida
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Bombay
Another Interview at the NCPA, Coffee with Firdaus and an Evening with Verdi's Aida
Namaste from Bombay!
So I was back to waking up at 5.00 am--which is not a bad thing as the loss of morning time tends to push my entire day back. I followed my routine steps of blogging, reading and catching up with world news through Twitter.
Since I had a long day ahead of me, I did not go to the gym. Instead I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee while watching House Hunters International (in Antwerp and Okinawa) and then made myself a sandwich (with chicken cutlets, a lick of HP Sauce and cheddar cheese with mayo--sounds weird but was delish!) for my lunch. I hopped into the shower, dressed (slightly smarter today as I had an evening out with one of opera's greatest heroines, Aida) and then left my flat at 9.30 to catch a bus to the station. Surprisingly, I got the 9.45 am Bandra local train (it was late departing) and was at the NCPA library by 10.45 all set to start another day's work.
An Interview with the Director of Western Music at the NCPA:
Instead of going straight to my seat in the library upstairs, I went to the Reception and asked for Xerxes, Director of the Western Music Program, to reschedule our interview appointment (he had called in sick two days ago). It turned out that he could see me right away and we sat down in the Opera section of the Music library for a chat. Xerxes was just a brilliant subject to interview and filled me with wonderful details about his own career path. He is such a good example of how Western music education can lead to a successful career in a city like Bombay. What a fascinating hour I spent with him!
Then, it was back to swatting for me as my research on Theater Group continued from Alyque Padamsee's autobiography A Double Life. My early breakfast left me with hunger pangs by 12. 45 but I continued till 1.00 pm when I had my sandwich lunch. Back at my desk, I texted my friend Firdaus who is back in Bombay from 6 weeks of travel in the UK and Italy. It turns out that he too would be at the HDLive evening screening from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York of Verdi's Aida. It was a no-brainer to make plans to meet an hour earlier for coffee. And with those plans sorted, I got back to my reading. I was delighted to finish the book--which now makes me well prepared for my interview with the author and with the many people who worked closely with him in Bombay theater from the 1960s to the millennium.
Coffee with Fridaus:
I closed shop at 4.45 pm when Firdaus texted me to tell me that he had arrived at the entrance of Godrej Theater. It was fabulous to see him again as I did not have a chance to do so when I had first arrived in Bombay as he had headed, at about that time, for Europe. Firdaus is one of my closest friends--we were together at Oxford having both received scholarships from the British Council to study the Modern British Novel at Exeter College. In addition to our love for Literature (he is one of the most voracious readers I know), we share a common passion for travel, theater and operatic music. A true Renaissance Man, Firdaus retired as Chief Financial Office of the Tata Group in Bombay but along the way managed to pick up a Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in English Literature, taught English to Masters' level students at the University of Bombay and has traveled all over the world chasing new critical writings on Graham Greene. It is always a joy to see him.
He led me across the street to a lovely coffee shop in the lobby of a five-star hotel (I believe it was the Trident, though I will need to confirm this) where we settled down with Americanos (decaf for me) and gabbed. He told me all about his travels in Europe and began with the following words, "See Ravenna and Die!" I told him I had been prepared for death since July! He also had the good fortunes of visiting the smaller islands off the coast of Naples--apart from Capri (where I have been), there are Ischia and Procida which he visited (I have not). He also went to Trieste in Italy following in the footsteps of James Joyce--except that he said the properties associated with his life have not been maintained. Firdaus caught a whole lot of great opera and theater in London and shared some of his impressions with me.
Finally! Aida at the NCPA:
We left the coffee shop when my friends started texting me. They had started to arrive at the Godrej Theater which screens the HDLive shows from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Firdaus was meeting his Italian friend Golfredo and he introduced me to him as I introduced Firdaus to my friends--Shahnaz, Nafisa and Marisa. Then, it was time to go into the lobby where people milled around. I was surprised to find a much younger crowd than I expected. Yes, here were a lot of what the British would call 'Pensioners' and the Americans would call "Seniors" and the Indians would call "Senior Citizens"; but there were teenagers and some children in the audience too--something I have never seen in the US when Llew and I go for similar screenings.
As for the show, well, what can I say? It was simply superlative. Since I am now reading my blog posts from ten years ago, I remembered only two days that, that I had seen Aida before--at the ENO (English National Opera) in London in a live production whose costumes were handled by the famed British couturier Zandra Rhodes. Here is my blog post on Aida, that I saw live in London from ten years ago:
Then, it was time for me to close shop for a week and make my way towards the London Coliseum where Guiseppe Verdi's Aida was on at the English National Opera. I was delighted to discover that though I purchased a ticket for 20 pounds, I was able to move to the 50 pound seats as so many of them remained unoccupied. If there is only opera one can see in a lifetime, I truly believe it should be Aida for every element that constitutes classic opera is present in fullest measure. Take the plot, for instance. This one is full of intrigue and passion. Take the setting. This one is set in ancient Egypt. Take costumes. This one had a wardrobe designed by one of Britain's most talented contemporary designers, the flamboyant, pink-haired Zandra Rhodes. To say that they were sumptuous would be an understatement. Take stage design. This one was spectacular with turquoise blue and flaming orange dominating the color palate and repeated both in the props and the costumes. Take the music...Aida has some of opera's best-known melodies such as The Triumphal March and Celeste Aida and they were sung by virtuosos from Jane Dutton's stunning Amneris to John Hudson's Radames, from Ian Paterson's Amonasro to Claire Rutter's Aida. My favorite artiste was Jane Dutton whose strong mezzo soprano voice soared to the rafters of the ornate Edwardian hall with its plush boxes and its frescoed ceilings. What a treat it was to be able to listen to such fantastic music in such a lush production! It was nothing short of extraordinary!
And here are my impressions of the same show, ten years later, screened in Bombay live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York:
I have waited a long time to see Anna Netrebko perform. About six years ago, my friend Ira Hymoff, another huge opera buff, had told me that she was the world's reigning soprano diva. I had tried to find shows in which she performed live but tickets were always sold out. Perhaps it was fated that I would finally see her in the greatest role written for a soprano--as Verdi's Aida. And that too from the Met which pulled out all the stops to present us with a show that was staggering in impact.
Based on the fictitious story of the love for Radames by two women, the Ethiopian slave Aida who is actually a princess and Amneris (daughter of the Pharaoh), the story is set in Egypt and presents all of the ingredients that make opera spectacular. Llew saw it in Fairfield last week and he could not stop raving about it as he texted me throughout the two intermissions. I would agree with him that "the sets were movie standard". Indeed, they towered on a stage that was at least six storeys high. They achieved this effect by using hydraulic lifts (if you can believe it!) that were powered by oil. They had horses (yes, real ones!) on stage pulling chariots and carriages. The costumes were dazzling in a cool color palette of vanilla with gold, turquoise and sea green highlights. One expected Netrebko to shine, but who could imagine that mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris would compete with her, note for note, and almost upstaged her. It was truly a tour de force of outstanding virtuosity that left us reeling by the end of Act IV. All of the passion, jealousy, ardor that characterize a love triangle were in evidence, matched by great acting and stirring music. I reiterate what I had said ten years ago: if one is to see only one opera in one's lifetime, it ought to be Aida.
It was 10.00 pm when it ended--the backstage interviews and two intermissions during which we bought chicken sandwiches and cold coffee (meaning that my friends did--I avoided the caffeine) contributed to the total running time. Nafisa who had driven to the venue gave us a lift to Churchgate Station after which Shahnaz, Marisa and I hoped into a train and were in Bandra in less than half an hour. En route, we could not stop talking about Aida and are now making plans to see the next one: Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah in early November. What a boon it is to have these shows right here in Bombay! And what a boon it is to have found friends that share such esoteric interests as opera. Marisa could not stop thanking me for telling her about the screening--she had also seen it live, two years ago, in San Diego. California.
We shared a rick, dropped Marisa off, then I got off as Shahnaz continued on to Pali Hill.
What an incredible day!
Until tomorrow....
Bombay
Another Interview at the NCPA, Coffee with Firdaus and an Evening with Verdi's Aida
Namaste from Bombay!
So I was back to waking up at 5.00 am--which is not a bad thing as the loss of morning time tends to push my entire day back. I followed my routine steps of blogging, reading and catching up with world news through Twitter.
Since I had a long day ahead of me, I did not go to the gym. Instead I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee while watching House Hunters International (in Antwerp and Okinawa) and then made myself a sandwich (with chicken cutlets, a lick of HP Sauce and cheddar cheese with mayo--sounds weird but was delish!) for my lunch. I hopped into the shower, dressed (slightly smarter today as I had an evening out with one of opera's greatest heroines, Aida) and then left my flat at 9.30 to catch a bus to the station. Surprisingly, I got the 9.45 am Bandra local train (it was late departing) and was at the NCPA library by 10.45 all set to start another day's work.
An Interview with the Director of Western Music at the NCPA:
Instead of going straight to my seat in the library upstairs, I went to the Reception and asked for Xerxes, Director of the Western Music Program, to reschedule our interview appointment (he had called in sick two days ago). It turned out that he could see me right away and we sat down in the Opera section of the Music library for a chat. Xerxes was just a brilliant subject to interview and filled me with wonderful details about his own career path. He is such a good example of how Western music education can lead to a successful career in a city like Bombay. What a fascinating hour I spent with him!
Then, it was back to swatting for me as my research on Theater Group continued from Alyque Padamsee's autobiography A Double Life. My early breakfast left me with hunger pangs by 12. 45 but I continued till 1.00 pm when I had my sandwich lunch. Back at my desk, I texted my friend Firdaus who is back in Bombay from 6 weeks of travel in the UK and Italy. It turns out that he too would be at the HDLive evening screening from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York of Verdi's Aida. It was a no-brainer to make plans to meet an hour earlier for coffee. And with those plans sorted, I got back to my reading. I was delighted to finish the book--which now makes me well prepared for my interview with the author and with the many people who worked closely with him in Bombay theater from the 1960s to the millennium.
Coffee with Fridaus:
I closed shop at 4.45 pm when Firdaus texted me to tell me that he had arrived at the entrance of Godrej Theater. It was fabulous to see him again as I did not have a chance to do so when I had first arrived in Bombay as he had headed, at about that time, for Europe. Firdaus is one of my closest friends--we were together at Oxford having both received scholarships from the British Council to study the Modern British Novel at Exeter College. In addition to our love for Literature (he is one of the most voracious readers I know), we share a common passion for travel, theater and operatic music. A true Renaissance Man, Firdaus retired as Chief Financial Office of the Tata Group in Bombay but along the way managed to pick up a Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in English Literature, taught English to Masters' level students at the University of Bombay and has traveled all over the world chasing new critical writings on Graham Greene. It is always a joy to see him.
He led me across the street to a lovely coffee shop in the lobby of a five-star hotel (I believe it was the Trident, though I will need to confirm this) where we settled down with Americanos (decaf for me) and gabbed. He told me all about his travels in Europe and began with the following words, "See Ravenna and Die!" I told him I had been prepared for death since July! He also had the good fortunes of visiting the smaller islands off the coast of Naples--apart from Capri (where I have been), there are Ischia and Procida which he visited (I have not). He also went to Trieste in Italy following in the footsteps of James Joyce--except that he said the properties associated with his life have not been maintained. Firdaus caught a whole lot of great opera and theater in London and shared some of his impressions with me.
Finally! Aida at the NCPA:
We left the coffee shop when my friends started texting me. They had started to arrive at the Godrej Theater which screens the HDLive shows from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Firdaus was meeting his Italian friend Golfredo and he introduced me to him as I introduced Firdaus to my friends--Shahnaz, Nafisa and Marisa. Then, it was time to go into the lobby where people milled around. I was surprised to find a much younger crowd than I expected. Yes, here were a lot of what the British would call 'Pensioners' and the Americans would call "Seniors" and the Indians would call "Senior Citizens"; but there were teenagers and some children in the audience too--something I have never seen in the US when Llew and I go for similar screenings.
As for the show, well, what can I say? It was simply superlative. Since I am now reading my blog posts from ten years ago, I remembered only two days that, that I had seen Aida before--at the ENO (English National Opera) in London in a live production whose costumes were handled by the famed British couturier Zandra Rhodes. Here is my blog post on Aida, that I saw live in London from ten years ago:
Then, it was time for me to close shop for a week and make my way towards the London Coliseum where Guiseppe Verdi's Aida was on at the English National Opera. I was delighted to discover that though I purchased a ticket for 20 pounds, I was able to move to the 50 pound seats as so many of them remained unoccupied. If there is only opera one can see in a lifetime, I truly believe it should be Aida for every element that constitutes classic opera is present in fullest measure. Take the plot, for instance. This one is full of intrigue and passion. Take the setting. This one is set in ancient Egypt. Take costumes. This one had a wardrobe designed by one of Britain's most talented contemporary designers, the flamboyant, pink-haired Zandra Rhodes. To say that they were sumptuous would be an understatement. Take stage design. This one was spectacular with turquoise blue and flaming orange dominating the color palate and repeated both in the props and the costumes. Take the music...Aida has some of opera's best-known melodies such as The Triumphal March and Celeste Aida and they were sung by virtuosos from Jane Dutton's stunning Amneris to John Hudson's Radames, from Ian Paterson's Amonasro to Claire Rutter's Aida. My favorite artiste was Jane Dutton whose strong mezzo soprano voice soared to the rafters of the ornate Edwardian hall with its plush boxes and its frescoed ceilings. What a treat it was to be able to listen to such fantastic music in such a lush production! It was nothing short of extraordinary!
And here are my impressions of the same show, ten years later, screened in Bombay live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York:
I have waited a long time to see Anna Netrebko perform. About six years ago, my friend Ira Hymoff, another huge opera buff, had told me that she was the world's reigning soprano diva. I had tried to find shows in which she performed live but tickets were always sold out. Perhaps it was fated that I would finally see her in the greatest role written for a soprano--as Verdi's Aida. And that too from the Met which pulled out all the stops to present us with a show that was staggering in impact.
Based on the fictitious story of the love for Radames by two women, the Ethiopian slave Aida who is actually a princess and Amneris (daughter of the Pharaoh), the story is set in Egypt and presents all of the ingredients that make opera spectacular. Llew saw it in Fairfield last week and he could not stop raving about it as he texted me throughout the two intermissions. I would agree with him that "the sets were movie standard". Indeed, they towered on a stage that was at least six storeys high. They achieved this effect by using hydraulic lifts (if you can believe it!) that were powered by oil. They had horses (yes, real ones!) on stage pulling chariots and carriages. The costumes were dazzling in a cool color palette of vanilla with gold, turquoise and sea green highlights. One expected Netrebko to shine, but who could imagine that mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris would compete with her, note for note, and almost upstaged her. It was truly a tour de force of outstanding virtuosity that left us reeling by the end of Act IV. All of the passion, jealousy, ardor that characterize a love triangle were in evidence, matched by great acting and stirring music. I reiterate what I had said ten years ago: if one is to see only one opera in one's lifetime, it ought to be Aida.
It was 10.00 pm when it ended--the backstage interviews and two intermissions during which we bought chicken sandwiches and cold coffee (meaning that my friends did--I avoided the caffeine) contributed to the total running time. Nafisa who had driven to the venue gave us a lift to Churchgate Station after which Shahnaz, Marisa and I hoped into a train and were in Bandra in less than half an hour. En route, we could not stop talking about Aida and are now making plans to see the next one: Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah in early November. What a boon it is to have these shows right here in Bombay! And what a boon it is to have found friends that share such esoteric interests as opera. Marisa could not stop thanking me for telling her about the screening--she had also seen it live, two years ago, in San Diego. California.
We shared a rick, dropped Marisa off, then I got off as Shahnaz continued on to Pali Hill.
What an incredible day!
Until tomorrow....
Monday, October 22, 2018
Working from Home and Interviewing Celeste
Monday, October 22, 2018
Bombay
Working from Home and Interviewing Celeste
Namaste from Bombay!
Having finally figured out how to use the remote for my air-conditioner, I was able to raise the setting so that it is not like an ice-box in my studio each time I switch it on. Hence, for the first time, I had my AC on all night and actually slept the sleep of the dead! I awoke at 6.15 am (which is a very long lie-in for me) and immediately set to work writing my blog. That done, I downloaded The Times with the aim of reading it at the gym. Everything was set back as a result of my late rising, but I did manage to wash, dress, gulp down my Morning Joe and get to the gym where I worked out for an hour. Feeling virtuous, I returned home for a shower and shampoo (since 'Me Monday' has rolled around again) and then sat to eat my breakfast of Muesli while watching Samin Nosrat on TV. It turns out that Heat did not refer to spice or India but to the application of Heat, i..e Fire to cooking. This meant that she took us to Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, (that had been founded by the legendary Alice Waters) where her culinary training had begun to learn how to grill steaks. As I said, her show is fun but for her insane laughter at points where it is absolutely unwarranted such as when someone clicks a glass with hers and says "Cheers!"
By the time I finished my breakfast, it was already 11.00 am (if you can believe it!). I sat down to work right after that. I transcribed my interview with Aida, I emailed Nafisa and Hosefa about using my credit card to pay for our hotel in Puri in Orissa in December, I scoured the net for a room at the Fairlawns Hotel in Calcutta which is my favorite place to stay when I am in the city as it appeals to the Anglophile in me. I managed to snag a room and then had to deal with credit card payment. I sent out a bunch of email messages requesting interviews and was delighted to receive responses quite promptly--this means that I have an interview lined up for each day this week. I will be going to the library at the NCPA every other day to continue my research so that I use the days in-between to work from home as I transcribe my interviews and stay on top of them. That way, my field-work will remain organized. I also made phone calls to set up interviews on Saturday with two Christian violinists from Bandra, Mark and Francis, both of whom play with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) attached to the NCPA.
By the time I had finished all these items on my extensive To-Do List, it was 2.00 pm. Although I wasn't really hungry, I stopped for lunch: a whole bunch of leftovers--Chicken Curry, Kheema Mattar, Subzi Thakda (from Bandra Gym), beans. I ate a whole guava for dessert while watching about an hour of Midsomer Murders. I then went back to my reading and took a 30 minute power nap.
With about a half hour on my hands, I had a pedicure--it is, after all, Me Monday!
I was just getting dressed and ready for my 5.00 pm interview with Celeste, a musician from Bandra who runs a vocal Western music school of sorts, when she texted to ask if I could postpone it as she was running late. Just at that time, my friend Ian called me from New Jersey and we had a lovely phone chat as we caught up. I left him to walk to Celeste's place which I reached in ten minutes. For the next one and a half hour, we talked about her musical background, her training under her mother Ivy (whom I shall also be delighted to interview), the vocal music classes she initiated years ago that have mushroomed into a major outlet for Bandra's kids and that have now spread to Dahisar-Borivli where she runs a similar class with her daughter Dawn who trained in Boston and then returned to Bombay to help her mother run the classes. I shall be attending this class on Wednesday evening at St. Joseph's School where they are conducted. It was an extremely enlightening interview conducted on the fifth floor glass-enclosed terrace of the building they own which made it appear as if we were in a tree house as it is completely surrounded by tropical trees.
I was too late to make it to Mass--so I walked up Pali Hill to get to Dad's as I wanted to see how he was doing and how his bad cold was treating him. I stopped to buy some pears and a papaya along the way for them. Dad had seen the doctor and had received a course of tablets for five days--he said he was already feeling a bit better having spent the entire day lying down. His weakness continues and he still looked poorly, but Russel was in good spirits and seems to be thriving.
I stayed with them until their dinner time which I helped organize in order to give Dad some relief. I then left, returned to my studio, caught up with email, had a phone call from Chriselle when we caught up on everything that's happening in her life and laughed a whole lot. I then sat down to dinner--a repetition of my lunch really, as I continued watching that episode of Midsomer Murders to the very end.
It had been a very productive day and I feel really pleased that my work is marching on.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Working from Home and Interviewing Celeste
Namaste from Bombay!
Having finally figured out how to use the remote for my air-conditioner, I was able to raise the setting so that it is not like an ice-box in my studio each time I switch it on. Hence, for the first time, I had my AC on all night and actually slept the sleep of the dead! I awoke at 6.15 am (which is a very long lie-in for me) and immediately set to work writing my blog. That done, I downloaded The Times with the aim of reading it at the gym. Everything was set back as a result of my late rising, but I did manage to wash, dress, gulp down my Morning Joe and get to the gym where I worked out for an hour. Feeling virtuous, I returned home for a shower and shampoo (since 'Me Monday' has rolled around again) and then sat to eat my breakfast of Muesli while watching Samin Nosrat on TV. It turns out that Heat did not refer to spice or India but to the application of Heat, i..e Fire to cooking. This meant that she took us to Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, (that had been founded by the legendary Alice Waters) where her culinary training had begun to learn how to grill steaks. As I said, her show is fun but for her insane laughter at points where it is absolutely unwarranted such as when someone clicks a glass with hers and says "Cheers!"
By the time I finished my breakfast, it was already 11.00 am (if you can believe it!). I sat down to work right after that. I transcribed my interview with Aida, I emailed Nafisa and Hosefa about using my credit card to pay for our hotel in Puri in Orissa in December, I scoured the net for a room at the Fairlawns Hotel in Calcutta which is my favorite place to stay when I am in the city as it appeals to the Anglophile in me. I managed to snag a room and then had to deal with credit card payment. I sent out a bunch of email messages requesting interviews and was delighted to receive responses quite promptly--this means that I have an interview lined up for each day this week. I will be going to the library at the NCPA every other day to continue my research so that I use the days in-between to work from home as I transcribe my interviews and stay on top of them. That way, my field-work will remain organized. I also made phone calls to set up interviews on Saturday with two Christian violinists from Bandra, Mark and Francis, both of whom play with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) attached to the NCPA.
By the time I had finished all these items on my extensive To-Do List, it was 2.00 pm. Although I wasn't really hungry, I stopped for lunch: a whole bunch of leftovers--Chicken Curry, Kheema Mattar, Subzi Thakda (from Bandra Gym), beans. I ate a whole guava for dessert while watching about an hour of Midsomer Murders. I then went back to my reading and took a 30 minute power nap.
With about a half hour on my hands, I had a pedicure--it is, after all, Me Monday!
I was just getting dressed and ready for my 5.00 pm interview with Celeste, a musician from Bandra who runs a vocal Western music school of sorts, when she texted to ask if I could postpone it as she was running late. Just at that time, my friend Ian called me from New Jersey and we had a lovely phone chat as we caught up. I left him to walk to Celeste's place which I reached in ten minutes. For the next one and a half hour, we talked about her musical background, her training under her mother Ivy (whom I shall also be delighted to interview), the vocal music classes she initiated years ago that have mushroomed into a major outlet for Bandra's kids and that have now spread to Dahisar-Borivli where she runs a similar class with her daughter Dawn who trained in Boston and then returned to Bombay to help her mother run the classes. I shall be attending this class on Wednesday evening at St. Joseph's School where they are conducted. It was an extremely enlightening interview conducted on the fifth floor glass-enclosed terrace of the building they own which made it appear as if we were in a tree house as it is completely surrounded by tropical trees.
I was too late to make it to Mass--so I walked up Pali Hill to get to Dad's as I wanted to see how he was doing and how his bad cold was treating him. I stopped to buy some pears and a papaya along the way for them. Dad had seen the doctor and had received a course of tablets for five days--he said he was already feeling a bit better having spent the entire day lying down. His weakness continues and he still looked poorly, but Russel was in good spirits and seems to be thriving.
I stayed with them until their dinner time which I helped organize in order to give Dad some relief. I then left, returned to my studio, caught up with email, had a phone call from Chriselle when we caught up on everything that's happening in her life and laughed a whole lot. I then sat down to dinner--a repetition of my lunch really, as I continued watching that episode of Midsomer Murders to the very end.
It had been a very productive day and I feel really pleased that my work is marching on.
Until tomorrow...
A Very Uneventful (But Restful) Sunday
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Bombay
A Very Uneventful (But Restful) Sunday
Namaste from Bombay!
I do not have much to write about today really--because not much happened! This was a good thing. It meant I had a chance to rest completely before getting back into the swing of the work week tomorrow.
Up at 5.30am, I blogged and caught up with email, Twitter and the Sunday Times on my iPad. Next, I had my breakfast--muesli and coffee. I left my studio at 8.55 am for the 9.15 am Mass--a slightly different schedule today as I had been invited to attend a meeting for new Lectors at 10.15 am--right after Mass. It made sense to adjust my Sunday Mass schedule accordingly.
The church was packed--a far more substantial crowd than I have been seeing at the Saturday 7.00 pm Mass or the Sunday 8.00 am Mass. I have decided that this will be my Mass from now on. The singing was good, the energy of the crowd and their spirituality fed my own sense of peace and I recognized a vast number of people that I know. It happened to be Mission Sunday and there was a sale of home made foods and delicacies outside the church which meant that there was a steady buzz at the end of the 8.00 am Mass and at the beginning of the 9.15 one.
The Lectors Meeting was very enlightening. Melville, who conducted it, went through the three Ps with us: Punctuation, Phrasing and Pronunciation. He gave us examples of the common mistakes made when folks read the Word. I ended up learning a bit more than I thought I would.
I went directly to Dad's to spend the morning with him and Russel and to have lunch with them. I found Dad was very weak indeed. His cold was slightly better--no more dripping nose (so the inhalation with Vicks that I had suggested he do yesterday has worked) but he had a bad cough and looked very poorly indeed. However, because he is Dad, he refused to take any bed rest. He preferred to sit and chat with me although he looks downright ill. I did most of the talking and he listened and that was how we passed the morning. As the doctor is not available today (it being Sunday), I have told him I will take him to the dispensary tomorrow at 10.00 am. He is ready to go there tomorrow.
Lunch was basically the foods he had bought that morning from the church sale--yes, if you can believe it, poorly as he was feeling, he took a rick to the church and back to buy Russel some delicacies--hot dogs, pan rolls, potato chops and caramel custard! As you can imagine, I was annoyed at the fact that he risked fainting somewhere in his determination to go out and get some eats for Russel--but that is my Dad! Infuriating, incomprehensible, fairly flowing with love for us all!
We enjoyed our lunch and right after we were done, I left and returned home. I had a shower and feeling nice and fresh with the AC running on a very humid afternoon, I sat down to read the last of my novel My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (which, I discovered, was written after a screenplay had actually been written first. I tried to find the film on You Tube but did not succeed). Then I took a nice relaxing nap. When I awoke, I thought I would visit my cousin Meera and her husband Cyril as I have not been to their place since I arrived in Bombay. But they were on their way to evening mass and I had to change my plans.
Instead, I simply sat and watched Midsomer Murders on You Tube on my TV screen. I am still so excited that I can do this. It opens up immense possibilities for me of long hours that I can spend with British TV.
At 7.30, I left my studio again and walked to Dad's to have dinner with him and Russel. We basically ate leftovers from the last week as both of us seem to have loads of them. In fact, I called Valerie of my meal service and told her not to send me my tiffin tomorrow as I have leftovers at my place to finish!
An hour later, I was home again. I read the Magazine section of The Times of London until I felt sleepy and then turned off the light and fell asleep. I also decided, just for fun, to read my blog posts from ten years ago, when I was living in London--I thought I would read the one I had written for October 21, 2008. It is so much fun to do so! I discovered that ten years ago this time, I was struggling with plantar fascittis and was house bound for 2 weeks! I will be reading one installment daily to help me remember what I was doing then. I will also be reading corresponding blog posts for 2016 when I was also in London for the Fall semester. What fun it is to re-visit the other times I have spent living away from Southport!
As I said, this is a boring post as I really have nothing much to report after a very happening week.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
A Very Uneventful (But Restful) Sunday
Namaste from Bombay!
I do not have much to write about today really--because not much happened! This was a good thing. It meant I had a chance to rest completely before getting back into the swing of the work week tomorrow.
Up at 5.30am, I blogged and caught up with email, Twitter and the Sunday Times on my iPad. Next, I had my breakfast--muesli and coffee. I left my studio at 8.55 am for the 9.15 am Mass--a slightly different schedule today as I had been invited to attend a meeting for new Lectors at 10.15 am--right after Mass. It made sense to adjust my Sunday Mass schedule accordingly.
The church was packed--a far more substantial crowd than I have been seeing at the Saturday 7.00 pm Mass or the Sunday 8.00 am Mass. I have decided that this will be my Mass from now on. The singing was good, the energy of the crowd and their spirituality fed my own sense of peace and I recognized a vast number of people that I know. It happened to be Mission Sunday and there was a sale of home made foods and delicacies outside the church which meant that there was a steady buzz at the end of the 8.00 am Mass and at the beginning of the 9.15 one.
The Lectors Meeting was very enlightening. Melville, who conducted it, went through the three Ps with us: Punctuation, Phrasing and Pronunciation. He gave us examples of the common mistakes made when folks read the Word. I ended up learning a bit more than I thought I would.
I went directly to Dad's to spend the morning with him and Russel and to have lunch with them. I found Dad was very weak indeed. His cold was slightly better--no more dripping nose (so the inhalation with Vicks that I had suggested he do yesterday has worked) but he had a bad cough and looked very poorly indeed. However, because he is Dad, he refused to take any bed rest. He preferred to sit and chat with me although he looks downright ill. I did most of the talking and he listened and that was how we passed the morning. As the doctor is not available today (it being Sunday), I have told him I will take him to the dispensary tomorrow at 10.00 am. He is ready to go there tomorrow.
Lunch was basically the foods he had bought that morning from the church sale--yes, if you can believe it, poorly as he was feeling, he took a rick to the church and back to buy Russel some delicacies--hot dogs, pan rolls, potato chops and caramel custard! As you can imagine, I was annoyed at the fact that he risked fainting somewhere in his determination to go out and get some eats for Russel--but that is my Dad! Infuriating, incomprehensible, fairly flowing with love for us all!
We enjoyed our lunch and right after we were done, I left and returned home. I had a shower and feeling nice and fresh with the AC running on a very humid afternoon, I sat down to read the last of my novel My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (which, I discovered, was written after a screenplay had actually been written first. I tried to find the film on You Tube but did not succeed). Then I took a nice relaxing nap. When I awoke, I thought I would visit my cousin Meera and her husband Cyril as I have not been to their place since I arrived in Bombay. But they were on their way to evening mass and I had to change my plans.
Instead, I simply sat and watched Midsomer Murders on You Tube on my TV screen. I am still so excited that I can do this. It opens up immense possibilities for me of long hours that I can spend with British TV.
At 7.30, I left my studio again and walked to Dad's to have dinner with him and Russel. We basically ate leftovers from the last week as both of us seem to have loads of them. In fact, I called Valerie of my meal service and told her not to send me my tiffin tomorrow as I have leftovers at my place to finish!
An hour later, I was home again. I read the Magazine section of The Times of London until I felt sleepy and then turned off the light and fell asleep. I also decided, just for fun, to read my blog posts from ten years ago, when I was living in London--I thought I would read the one I had written for October 21, 2008. It is so much fun to do so! I discovered that ten years ago this time, I was struggling with plantar fascittis and was house bound for 2 weeks! I will be reading one installment daily to help me remember what I was doing then. I will also be reading corresponding blog posts for 2016 when I was also in London for the Fall semester. What fun it is to re-visit the other times I have spent living away from Southport!
As I said, this is a boring post as I really have nothing much to report after a very happening week.
Until tomorrow...
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