Incongruous Mumbai
Sunday started at 6.30 am picking up Greg and Twyla for the hour drive to our climbing spot in Navi Mumbai. We were very keen to explore some of the bolted routes in the area as our previous excursion had just been to the boulders. We were fully prepared for half a day lost, bashing our way through the scrub to find the crags. The general direction of the crags led us through a rural slum on the outskirts of the Artist’s Colony in Sector 8 of CBD Belapur. I am not sure why it is called the Artist’s Colony as there are certainly no galleries and coffee shops! Speaking to Bong, the local climbing guru, the slum has been built up over the last few years with a local politician supporting the “encroachment”. Land encroachment is a process where squatters build shanties on public land and, after a period of time without the structure being demolished, claim ownership. Unscrupulous politicians (is that a tautology?) support this type of encroachments as a way of building voter block in their electorates.
Needless to say, a rural slum on a cool Mumbai morning is a smoky place with small open fires everywhere for cooking and warmth. As a western climbers we cut incongruous figures as we wandered through the centre of the slum, the contrast underlined how decadent western lifestyle is compared to the lives of many in India. Each of us were carrying climbing gear worth more than a year’s wages for any worker from the slum and we were off to expend time and energy on an activity that would result in no material reward and which involved risks that, if realized, would impact negatively on our families. We were, to use the title of the book by the great French alpinist Lionel Terray, “Conquistadors of the Useless”.
After walking through the village, we headed up hill through the village toilet which basically consisted of any open space on the uphill side of the village in reasonable walking distance of a shanty. Even the rough path was not spared as we gingerly tiptoed through a minefield of which any Second World War General would be proud. After a short walk, the underfoot conditions improved as did the air quality and we quickly stumbled on the crag. After a few minutes of climbing the emotions and jarring smells from the slum were forgotten as we spent several peaceful hours working on some very enjoyable, well equipped climbs in pleasantly forested surroundings.
After several hours of psychological escape we began the trek home. As with many days in India, we stumbled on a festival, this one the prophet Mohammed’s birthday and, according to our driver, also the anniversary of his death. There were street floats and parades through the predominantly Muslim areas near Dharavi which slowed our journey home. This proved to be fortuitous as when I pulled into our street, there was an elephant ambling its way along the road. I quickly raced upstairs and gather the girls and our nephew Jack for a close encounter of the large and musty kind.
The elephant’s in Mumbai make their living from the weddings and this large female elephant had a mendi on its forehead from the last wedding festival. In their down time, the elephants move around the streets offering rides and accepting food. After a small donation that I placed in the elephant’s trunk which was in turn was then deftly passed to the Mahout, Ada scrambled onto the elephants back as it slowly plodded up the street.
Along with a few other local residents, we moved ahead to our local fruit stall and purchased several watermelons which were quickly quartered and offered to the elephant. The arrival of the elephant certainly represented a boom for the fruit stall! The elephant would then spot the water melons and gently reach out with its trunk for a piece of fruit. In a short period of time, 6 large watermelons were eaten and they didn’t appear to even touch the side.
Along with a few other local residents, we moved ahead to our local fruit stall and purchased several watermelons which were quickly quartered and offered to the elephant. The arrival of the elephant certainly represented a boom for the fruit stall! The elephant would then spot the water melons and gently reach out with its trunk for a piece of fruit. In a short period of time, 6 large watermelons were eaten and they didn’t appear to even touch the side.
