Once upon a night in Mumbai

My friend ditched me at the last moment pouring water on my plan to go Mount Mary and The Raja of Lalbaug. He didn't picked up phone and left me tensed and couldn't carry on my work properly. Just two things my mind was thinking. A mother and The King. I was tensed. It was my dream and I wanted to make it anyhow. Since the time when I see the raja in picture and a mother is seen only for a week in entire year at the Bandstand, Bandra. I have decided, if no one is coming, I am going there alone. Just believing in mother that everything will be all right and trusting the King. And suddenly mother opened her doors. I saw my colleague sitting in front of me, Ms Rita Gonsalves. I knew she was a christian and would solve my problem. I told her that I would visit the Lalbaug first and later the Mother Mary. She told that the Church would be closed after 12 am. So my plan was wrong. Suddenly she explained me how my plan would be. She advised me to go first at the Bandstand. She briefly described Mother how she was looking, with a smile! I am sure, listening her, no one would deny to visit there. As soon as she was describing her, I was getting more excited to go there. And I said to me,"Yes. I am going. No matter I am alone. Mumbai will not do anything wrong with me." She gave me complements and made me able to take decision. Also assured to reach Lalbaug before the last local would run and I could also come back to Fort.

It was 6 o'clock and Ravi took my number in case of any emergency where I would need help. I thanked him and went for Bandra. As soon as I reached, there was again a huge queue for auto. I fled from the place and went away to an uncle. I told him I want to go to Mother Mary. He told me to pay 20 Rs on sharing basis. But I insisted to pay him for rests too and asked to take me at the best place from where I could access the Mother easily. He was really helpful. He immediately said,"Sahab, I will leave you at the Shah Rukh Khan's bunglow, Mannat. There is a direct entry to see the mother. Go there and stand in a queue."

I told him to leave me there and I started climbing the mountain from Mannat. I wasn't aware of the situation that Shah Rukh Khan had closed that entrance road due to the inconveniences he was facing by the pilgrims. Thanks to mother, the Mumbai cops had kept opened some part of barricades! When I reached church, there wasn't queue! I was shocked. I saw female Mum cop and immediately asked her from where I should enter church. She showed me the direction where there wasn't anybody. So I ran towards it and saw mother. She was so beautiful, pleasant and peaceful. I was feeling like I would sit for hours under the peaceful atmosphere. But the other pilgrims were coming too and I had to move out. As soon as I came out, a little girl came and asked me to buy flowers and candle for the mother upstairs. I denied immediately and moved on towards the shop. Then she hold my hand and again requested to buy from her. I saw in her innocent eyes and asked,"How much for this?" She was very innocent little one. She said," Ten and Ten". I gave her 10/- Rs. She said,"No Ten sir. Ten and ten is equal to 20." I smiled and gave her the rest money. As my first visit I took her with me as I wanted to know how the rituals are performed. She explained me and left. I completed the rituals and came back. I saw the Gauri Ganesha were being immersed on the Bandstand and I really do not want to miss an opportunity. There were lots of cops and I joined one of a family who had brought their Bappa. I was starving, still I didn't take anything and went towards Station. It was my first lone journey with the central railways. I took CST bound train from Dadar and alighted at Chinchpokhli where Lalbaug Cha Raja lives. With no idea of the direction, I reached in the queue by following the commuters and asking cops.There was a long queue for Mukh Darshan and I joined it.

It was 8 o'clock when I stood in a long queue. I believe it's only a miracle where millions of people come to see the Raja, yet nothing inauspicious happens. There are little children, men, women, elders and people with every age, yet there is no case of molestation, inappropriate behaviour or drunk men making chaos. The queue was moving rapidly. And we entered in large Pandal where people were moving in separate gullies made by iron grills. Devotees were following rules and at every end of the gully, I was finding a little girl in a corner who wasn't walking but passing through the fence and waiting for her parents to come. She was looking exactly like The Shweta Shingala (My Ex Colleague) reminding me her innocent baby face at each corner. Finally we were moved out from the pandal and reached the way towards the Raja. The group of cops were asking to move ahead faster as the devotees were increasing as it was a weekend. As soon as we reached near the main pandal where the idol was kept, the heart beat went faster. People took out their costly Samsung smartphones and tablets, and started either shooting of capturing image of the Raja. Like they were interested more in capturing images than catching the glimpse of Mukhdarshan. So do I.

I captured few images after Mukhdarshan and suddenly lady inspector came towards me, holding my hand she pulled me towards the exit gate saying,"Lavkar ja. Nahitar tumchya mobile japt karun taka." followed by a hard push by a constable that made me fall on a little boy. I immediately picked up that boy. I and his father scolded the cops. I reached there around 11 o'clock and I didn't even allowed to see the Raja for 5 seconds. Although we were coming out, the crowd were still hanging around and cops were failed to control the crowd. Just couple of meters away, something happened. And cops immediately arrested some devotees trying to access the VIP gates. Still seeing the situation out of control, one of a cop ran towards us. I immediately crossed the road and headed towards to Chinchpokli station.

I was planning to spend entire night with the Ganesha. So I called my beloved friend based in Fort. Vijay Rajiwade, who was also the member of the famous Pandal of "Fort Cha Ichchhapurti Ganesha". I was starving when I alighted at the CST station. It was 12:30 AM and platforms were empty. I went out and found whether any restaurant was opened. I saw Mc Donald was opened and I went there to eat my favourite Mc Spicy Paneer. Eating that I went towards the huge pandal of Ichchhapurti Ganesha. I called Vijaybhai and he arrived immediately. He took me from the VIP gates to reach the Ganesha Idol. But I prefer to stand in a queue later. I was sitting in a huge pandal. The prototype of The Maysoor Palace, Karnatak was prepared and I was just dazzled seeing the interiors and the shining Idol of Lord Ganesha.

Vijaybhai's Pandal- Fort Cha Ichchhapurti Ganesha

Entire night, we had a long chat, memorizing the times we spent together and laughing a lot. I was so excited meeting him and seeing him in such huge Pandal, making me feel proud a lot for himself. He is a hard working guy and I love him alot. His son was also staying in the night with him. There were so many members of the pandal who were tired and tried to sleep for a while, one of a mischievous boy didn't make them sleep. Someone said last day when he was sleeping, someone put lots of salt in his mouth. But that day, they had different formula. They had bought "CHHIKNI". It is a powder that causes constant sneezes. They were allegedly applying the powder in the nose of sleeping devotees and make them sneezing alot. It was fun all night, no one argued but also laughing with the situation of sneezing! Well that is Ganesha who makes everyone to do so. This is what Vijaybhai said later,"Chintan, after immersing the idol, when we return to the pandal, we all feel like crying. Like suddenly the heaven turns into a hell. Even this beautiful palace will become useless after the God will go from here. Without him, it's impossible for me to enter the pandal." This is the faith of people in Lord Ganesha. As I told you before, the Lord matters a lot in their lives.

It was 5 o'clock and I went towards CST leaving Vijaybhai with a heavy heart. But I was thanking Mumbai for the most beautiful night of my life spent with Mother Mary and Ganeshas. I am stunned seeing the duties of Maharashtra Police. I am sure, they are the most hard working police force in the entire world serving selflessly for people. The people are safe and away from such bad incidents. The female devotees were safely visiting every pandal entire night which shows Mumbai is still a safest place for women. That is amazing when you realize that the millions of devotees are dying to see the glimpse of Lal Baug Cha Raja. As the new day started, I was unable to walk as my skin above thighs was completely damaged. But I wasn't worrying about it. All in my mind was a beloved god and mother who were making me stronger.