Cafe Coffee Day and Aamchi Mumbai...

Bangalore etched memories indelible and imprinted experiences so fascinating that memory shall relish for eons to come. August 9th 2007, I left the IT city to embark on a stopover to Aamchi Mumbai. Little was I aware of what lay in ambush in the city that beckoned and in the city of Vada Pavs and Rains.

Smile embellished my tired countenance to see myself wedged at Dharavi – in the muck and smoke - in the middle of an incessant downpour – Mumbai was in its pristine elegance. Relieved looking parents awaited my arrival at residence – and a mom surprised at my saree picking abilities (well Divya- My engineering mate- takes credit for that). I wonder if the saree shall ever see the light of the day though 

9th August 2007 and time to catch up with remaining pillars of Char Minar (We were the Four inseparable Pillars during our training days at Patni) – Chirag or Chiga or Gujju Ghatti, Pramoth (our dear Giraffe) and Jasma aka Pinks. Ere the rendezvous, how dare I drop by the city and be not in the court of Pooh (Dipika). A sweet banter at Vikhroli Café Coffee Day and an Irish coffee later I was at Pizza Hut at Hiranandani. Chiga was not his usual self – not in his emblematic purple and not in his emblematic yellow – the colours might have gone in to mourning at such audacity. The bell at Pizza hut had never undergone such stern scrutiny as on that day when Chiga was around, even the waiters had a tough time. Giraffe was hoping that I get deported to Cambodia and run around the country protecting myself with a AK-47. Pinks – pictures of icecreams and pizzas still did the ruse for she still ordered by pictorial representations rather than content.

Next I caught up the ‘Hum Hain Na’ gang of Kush, Shikha and Koushik. Koushik aka Cow Boy seemed to be nucleus of all taunts - hurled at him by Kush and Shikha. Kush whose tie seemed to be more refulgent than the sun flashed his million dollar smile and Shikha was at her effervescent best. This was followed by an epigrammatic meet with Rashmi who happens to be sister of close friend of mine- Deepak. Inherit did she the poetic musings of her brother as well as the timing of wit and sarcasm.

August 14th was hurling towards the present fast and there was plenty of work left undone in Mumbai. August 11th,2007 and Sylvester aka PC aka Parasharan Chari graced my house with his un-laconic self and unmistakable charm. The duo then head to Dadar Café Coffee day where a broad beam and twinkling eyes of Rachna aka Rachno CA hails our ingress. Irish coffee again and more people trickle in – Jigar aka Jigsaw with his innocent charm and a mind hell bent on becoming the next Ambani. Ritesh aka Ritz barged in Riteshsque fashion brandishing his weighty camera and continuing further with the experiments on that front. Bhakti Bal aka Bee flew in and the keratin that overflowed from her scalp scared the air around – the spirit that lay about here was still relentless and present.

Sunday and Pooh actually undertook the arduous peregrination from Pune to Mumbai in the White and Green Asiad bus which reverberates more in the vertical direction rather than its propulsion forward. Indomitable spirit of Pooh and unbridled enthusiasm is what I have admired always. Amey aka Jet - joined at my cozy home where the trio devoured on Pooh’s favourite Pav Bhaji and Gulab Jamun. Nirmal Lifestyles was the next stopover which ensued by an encounter with Sushruta aka Derivative Champ and Lisa aka Pooh-2. Another Café Coffee Day sojourn later, the duo surprised me a typical Sushruta kind T-shirt – yellow with the addidas kind stripes- sweet indeed. The trio of Jet, Pooh and Rat (me!) then headed for Chak De India. No fuss No Songs No Rona Dhona. This was not a archetypal SRK movie and was really good in parts.

Post the movie session – Jet and Pooh drag the Rat to Fab India to bestow on him a nice kurta – blessed indeed. In the mean time Siddharth Ghaisas aka Ronald MacDonald Jr joined the trio through the peak hour Mumbai traffic. The light-eyed Ronald seemed perplexed with the discombobulating city and work pressure that seemed to mount itself in a heap. Post dinner at Ruby Tuesday – it was time to part.

Penultimate day in Mumbai – August 13th,2007 and time to catch up with Jhansi aka Anusha. Café Coffee Day again – Jhansi seemed low in health but soul within still bleated the tenacious spirit. Talk encumbered time – it flew. This was followed by a breezing visit to the Phoenix Mall with Pooh - and yes the Rat and the Pooh were lost in the twirls of Gelato. Jet – whose unencumbered spirit always lights up the fire of enthusiasm and ofcourse whose smile shall light up million mourning faces – breezed by for the final byes.

August 14th 2007 – bags packed and the wick of Mumbai sojourn flickered. 8 PM and Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport flashed a sign saying – visitors not allowed inside. Aggrieved at this – I awaited with my parents for the pony tail to conjure itself at the horizon. As Daisy Duck aka Divya waddled in – final moments at Mumbai flashed by…….