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09/24/2013

Ganesh immersion in video!

Every year I go see Ganesh departure in the sea… (The idea here is that Ganesh, the God with an elephant head, comes in people’s homes every year and after a couple of days (up to 10) he leaves, carrying everbody’s sins with him in the purifying water.)

But for the first time I went at night on the main day of immersion…

Walking home took me two hours. Partly because it was overcrowded (especially Juhu Tara Road where all the processions happen) and partly because I was so busy filming!

 

It was amazing to see the joy, the fervour, the passion!

People also kept coming to my mini video camera and smiled and sang.

My ass got groped only twice which is a performance seeing the number of people gathered…

 

A truly energising and incredible experience!

 

Pictures of my previous Ganapati festivals are here. 

 

Here is the short version (10 min) of the 2 hours of shooting I did:

 

And here the long (30 minute) version!

08/16/2013

A Saturday in Mumbai

On a Saturday I took my parents out for a walk around (some parts of) Mumbai: the Byculla zoo (where we happened to be more of an attraction than the poor bear), Malabar Hill and the Banganga tank, Chowpatty beach and Marine Drive, the local train back home.

I dont'think I have ever ever seen so many people. I think the 3 millions of Muslims of Mumbai went to the zoo and then to the beach on that long Eid week-end... Socially interesting but physically suffocating...  

I concluded by visiting Big Bazaar on Sunday. When I saw the line I thought of giving up but pushed by my dad I went. You couldn't move 2 centimeters anywhere in the supermarket and each cashier had a line of 50 overfull carts. Before fainting I dropped my empty basket and rushed out (as fast as the crowd would allow me). Stupefying experience. Sales were going on. People fighting to get 1+1 bottles of coke. If this gives a glimpse of what the world will be when India access modern consumption, we should be shit scared I tell you! 

Video of Chowpatty Beach and the Saturday crowd

 

Photos of a day strolling around Mumbai 

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