Victoria Terminus Interior

After admiring the exterior of the Victoria Terminus Railway building, we ventured inside. As expected, the architecture here was also admirable, filled with lots of details. 

Being as it was only around 8am on Sunday, the platforms weren't as crowded - much to my pleasure. I can't imagine how dense the crowds would be at peak times.

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Peacock Window

The elaborate Victoria Terminus building also has some beautiful windows, such as this one with a peacock design above it. Very appropriate, as the peacock is the national bird of India.

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Victoria Terminus Dome

The Domed structure on the Victoria Terminus building is particularly pretty. Standing on the top is a massive statue of the female figure Progress, holding a spoked wheel and torch.  Note the many gargoyles protruding from the sides, just as in many Gothic cathedrals.

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Victoria Terminus Building, Mumbai

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, is one of the busiest railway stations in India. Built in 1887 in a Victorian Gothic style, this structure is to be admired for its beauty as well as how it manages to serve so many people every day. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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I'll Have That on Ice

In steamy Mumbai, it's imperative that just-caught fish be cooled down quickly. To transport the fish throughout the city, they are placed in baskets, including these woven ones. Not sure I'd want to carry a loosely woven basket of fish & ice on my head in a hot climate....

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Making Breakfast the Big Way

This man was busy making breakfast in the area of Mumbai where fish were being packed with ice and distributed. No doubt those porters and fishermen had drummed out a healthy appetite. 

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Head of Fish

Early in the morning in Mumbai, you can find people walking at a brisk pace, carrying bowls of fish on their head. The fish have just arrived from the sea and scooped into bowls, along with some ice. It is up to these people to take the fish and get them to destinations around Mumbai in a timely manner. This man was walking towards Victoria Terminus.

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Spring Break Trip Part Two: Gujarat

Having been to Rajasthan twice already, I was interested in visiting another state with equally colorful people and textiles. Although not nearly as touristy as Rajasthan, Gujarat fit the bill. The Kutch region of Gujarat is particularly well known for its textiles, so when I found a tour specializing in the crafts villages of Gujarat, I knew this would be a winning combination. The idea of meeting local village people (many of which still wear traditional costumes & jewelry), seeing crafts in action, some wildlife, plenty of photographic opportunities and of course shopping was something for which to look forward.

Following a layover in Mumbai, we landed in Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat. The state of Gujarat with over 60 million people is located on the western side of India, north of Maharashtra and south of Rajasthan, with 1,600 km (994 mi) of coastline on the Arabian Sea. A portion of Gujarat borders Pakistan. The following morning, our tour guide, a native of Tamil Nadu but living most of his life in Gujarat, met us at our hotel to begin our adventure in his adopted state.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/India_Gujarat_locator_map.svg/530px-India_Gujarat_locator_map.svg.png 

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Terrorist attack in Mumbai

This morning when I checked my usual websites as part of my morning routine, I saw the news headlines in which a photo of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai (Bombay) was on fire, with the headline reading that a series of terrorist attacks had been carried out late last night. Two five-star hotels, a hospital, and a train station were attacked, with an unknown Islamic group claiming responsibility. Details are still unfolding, but it is known that over 80 are dead and over 200 injured. Hostages may have also been taken. There are some reports that the terrorists at the hotels were seeking to find USA and UK passport holders. Cosmopolitan Mumbai is the economic capital of India and the places were carefully chosen for maximum impact - frequented by foreigners, the wealthy, and high-ranking people.

Two of my former colleagues in Belgrade are teaching in Mumbai. Thankfully their apartment is located quite a distance from downtown where the events took place. As a precaution, their school is closed for the day, with all told to stay home and lay low.

Chennai, located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, is far away from Mumbai and has different demographics. It has far fewer foreigners (toursits and expats) and is less developed/more sleepy- if one can say that for a city of over 7 million people! There are also far fewer Moslems here. I also have school off today, thanks to the weather. Like my colleagues in Mumbai, I will stay at home, using the opportunity to get some artwork done. Do know that I feel safe here.

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