South Mumbai

The statue stands in the middle of Nariman Point. To its right is the LIC headquarters called 'Yogakshema', The 'Mantralaya' to its right. The Air India building overlooks it from the front. This location comes across in 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara', a film on dementia by Anupam Kher. It is a green respite in the overwhelming tall structures in this central business district of Mumbai.

Much has been said and written about this icon. What amazes me is the sheer planning of this building. I just wonder at the vision of the British. Even today, there is no shortage of platforms or suffocation in the main building. The entry and exit points too are spacious enough. it is really a case study of planning, architecture and vision. The BMC headquarters stand right in front of the CST building. In spite of two large structures in the vicinity, one does not feel cluttered.

This unassuming building is on the Dadabhai Naoroji road, one of the prime roads in Mumbai, especially the southern part of the megapolis. The Road sees many commercially vital structures such as the Times of India bldg., CST station, BMC HQ, Flora Fountain (now Hutatma Chowk), Jehangir Art Gallery, Chhatrapati Shivaji museum (formerly Prince of Wales museum), National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) etc. The agiary is well known in Parsis and is quite frequented as many of them reside in Colaba.

The name of Flora Fountain was changed to Hutatma Chowk after 105 people lost their lioves in police firing at this spot, when they were agitating for keeping Mumbai within Maharashtra in the late 1950s. The structure is known for being a unique combination of architecture, design and sculpture. It imparts an aesthetic value to the Fort area. The iconic Bombay House, the HQs of the Tatas, stands in the back alley of this main road. 

Any photographer cannot resist getting close to the Fountain. 

This is the common pathway, which is a part of the Elphinstone College. 

Antiquity of Mahabalipuram

A one hour long getaway from Chennai, this small town gives you the necessary relief and the expected spectacle at the same time. For rest, is the following.

As you enter the shore temple, this engraved stone greets you. It is very pleasant to see that the Ministry of Tourism has maintained this place well. It is clean and wears the look of a frequented tourist spot. The Minnistry charges Rs. 10, which is a good thing. If you really wish to maintain a place, you need money. Then, why not charge it from the consumers, who in this case are the tourists?

I took this picture to give a establishing view. the purpose was to show how the place looks like. The curved path made it all the more fascinating to take this picture. 

The temple is actually below the ground surface. When you climb down, the wall of the ground above guides you to the temple. 

The show-spoilers. The ingrained urge to make your 'mark' actually prompts some idiots to deface a millennia old monuments. If you are a history, stone or travel lover, you get very pained to see this buffoonery.
Strict vigil is the solution.

A never seen shape of an entrance. 

The Mahabalipuram bus stand. It is also the town square. Many restaurants, hotels and 2 ATMs are located here. Nice place to be in. 

Had taken a lunch break in Sagar restaurant when I took this picture. We always look through one side of the glasses (spectacles). I wondered how is it to look from the other one...

During a routine Tamil-English (because I cannot understand Tamil) conversation with a coconut vendor, I normally looked at the coconuts through this angle. Went a little closer, presses the golden button and 'kichhick' went the shutter.

The 5 'rathas', one of the three prime historical monuments in Mahabs, as some collegeites call it.