My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
It was just a long-overdue social call which ended up with something I had been wishing for, all week! We had been to Matunga, to my aunt’s parents’ place, and my uncle (mama) volunteered to drop us back home – nothing so special about that, right? But what was special was a ‘slight’ diversion – so we could go over the newest landmark of Mumbai – the Bandra Worli Sea Link!
Since the last few months, we have been looking forward to going over the much-awaited bridge (the plans for the bridge began when I was in college….), and we saw the previews to the inauguration on TV enthusiastically, wishing we were there, especially during the fireworks, the night before the ceremony!! If this had been a few years earlier, I would have been among those who jammed the bridge on the first day, eager to be among the first to go over it. Now, however, it is another matter, and I waited patiently for my turn, knowing that once the toll collection started, things would be much easier…. Sunday’s was an unexpected treat, thanks to mama……………
Driving along the roads leading to Worli Naka, it looked like most of Mumbai was headed towards the bridge – it was after all, the last day that entrance was free!!!!! As we neared the entrance, it was clear that most people were here simply for the bridge – more than half of the cars were those making a U-turn after exiting the bridge, so that they could go back over the bridge to Bandra!!
The mass of humanity was typical of Mumbai – swanky imported cars rubbed fenders with battered taxis filled with families with children, jeeps and SUVs with boys standing up behind to take a better look at the sea-link (and better pictures too…), couples driving small cars, holding hands – no doubt a memorable date for them! Almost everyone had a camera in their hands, or at least a camera-phone… and went click-happy every now and then! I was one of them too, thankful that I had thoughtfully picked up my camera as I left home. Come, join me in my journey across the Bandra – Worli Sea Link……….
Our First hazy view of the signature towers of the sea link.. as seen from Worli Naka..
You are in queue!!!
Cloud cover - the only sign of the monsoon...
The sun peeps through - as people loiter around the sea face...
Work completed... and Work in progress...
The Contrasts of Mumbai - the sea link against the backdrop of the buildings and the hutments of Mumbai
The waves lash at the man-made intrusions.....
Looks great, doesn't it???
Not so great now???? but this is what holds the bridge together...
View from the Car window...
The Other half of the bridge.. work in progress...
We're ahead of all you guys!!!!!!
The real heroes - the chaps who actually worked on the bridge...
Another view...
And yet another - look how the traditional co-exists with the modern!
The Worli Fort - a long forgotten monument - now in the limelight again!
Here's another look...
And many more....
Here's someone more enthusiastic than me!!
The view as we approach Bandra...
The toll collection booths - they start working today!!!
Look at the rush... coming and going...
A last look.....
Here's the site office....kudos to HCC!
I hope all of you enjoyed this journey as much as I did! Here's hoping that all the other infrastructure projects in Mumbai get completed soon.......... and we get many more landmarks like this!!!
Since the last few months, we have been looking forward to going over the much-awaited bridge (the plans for the bridge began when I was in college….), and we saw the previews to the inauguration on TV enthusiastically, wishing we were there, especially during the fireworks, the night before the ceremony!! If this had been a few years earlier, I would have been among those who jammed the bridge on the first day, eager to be among the first to go over it. Now, however, it is another matter, and I waited patiently for my turn, knowing that once the toll collection started, things would be much easier…. Sunday’s was an unexpected treat, thanks to mama……………
Driving along the roads leading to Worli Naka, it looked like most of Mumbai was headed towards the bridge – it was after all, the last day that entrance was free!!!!! As we neared the entrance, it was clear that most people were here simply for the bridge – more than half of the cars were those making a U-turn after exiting the bridge, so that they could go back over the bridge to Bandra!!
The mass of humanity was typical of Mumbai – swanky imported cars rubbed fenders with battered taxis filled with families with children, jeeps and SUVs with boys standing up behind to take a better look at the sea-link (and better pictures too…), couples driving small cars, holding hands – no doubt a memorable date for them! Almost everyone had a camera in their hands, or at least a camera-phone… and went click-happy every now and then! I was one of them too, thankful that I had thoughtfully picked up my camera as I left home. Come, join me in my journey across the Bandra – Worli Sea Link……….
Our First hazy view of the signature towers of the sea link.. as seen from Worli Naka..
You are in queue!!!
Cloud cover - the only sign of the monsoon...
The sun peeps through - as people loiter around the sea face...
Work completed... and Work in progress...
The Contrasts of Mumbai - the sea link against the backdrop of the buildings and the hutments of Mumbai
The waves lash at the man-made intrusions.....
Looks great, doesn't it???
Not so great now???? but this is what holds the bridge together...
View from the Car window...
The Other half of the bridge.. work in progress...
We're ahead of all you guys!!!!!!
The real heroes - the chaps who actually worked on the bridge...
Another view...
And yet another - look how the traditional co-exists with the modern!
The Worli Fort - a long forgotten monument - now in the limelight again!
Here's another look...
And many more....
Here's someone more enthusiastic than me!!
The view as we approach Bandra...
The toll collection booths - they start working today!!!
Look at the rush... coming and going...
A last look.....
Here's the site office....kudos to HCC!
I hope all of you enjoyed this journey as much as I did! Here's hoping that all the other infrastructure projects in Mumbai get completed soon.......... and we get many more landmarks like this!!!
def. a new symbol for the city
ReplyDeleteThe sheer number of shots indicate that you have gone ballistic Anu. Neat shots showing the bridge from every possible angle from the road.
ReplyDeleteI remember the first day news on it!
ReplyDeleteBedse Caves
Looks a lot like Charing Cross Bridge in London, will post a photo soon.
ReplyDeletehmhm--
ReplyDeleteI second Mumbeye s comment...
a good piece of engineering....