Benjamuna's Blog

Yesterday, we were invited to my Indian friend Joan’s new flat in Borivali, one of the northern suburbs of Mumbai. She has finally managed to get away from her husband’s family and money from her mother’s sale of some land made it possible for her and her two sons to buy a new flat. The drive to Borivali took two hours, of course there comes a point where the driver has no clue about where to go. The mobile phone was, as usual, our lifeline!

We were surprised to see the flat, it was modern, a hall/dining room, modern kitchen, two bath rooms (one with western toilet) and two spacious bed rooms. We were tremendously happy on her behalf.  We had been to FabIndia to buy her a present, a nice single bedspread. She said it must have been costly, to us shockingly inexpensive.
Her sisters and husbands + mother started to arrive; June, Jackeline, Jessica and mother Mary.  We were quite a few people and everybody was talking – + the teenagers going in and out. Joan had ordered food from a catering company, when he arrived he had been stuck in the traffic for 2 hrs…

It was a lively “party”, and it also included a priest (!) who came to bless the house (they are catholics). Quite unfamiliar to us….
We wanted to go home at 10 30 pm, thinking of the long drive, but everybody convinced us that due to less traffic and if we chose the new Worli Sealink, it might take us only 40 minutes, maybe less…. Ha ha. Anyway, we were not close to two hours, and traffic was running smoothly.

When we came back to the hotel, my new outfit had been deliveres from the tailor. My designer kurta (tunika), churidar (trousers) and dupatta (shawl). I don’t really know how to wear the dupatta, but Iæm sure it will work very well as curtains….

And tonight is Rohan’s wedding!

Joan and me at the Taj on my birthday!

Designer Geeta Hardasani and her daughter Jharna.

We came back to Mumbai yesterday. Took almost 4 hrs from Pune, felt like most of them were spent in the Mumbai traffic jam. But at least it is entertaining! We had lunch right away, and me – of all people – had to guide my flock through the menu….ha ha. But I have stopped eating only butter nan, I’m now able to eat Indian food in a normal way and I even have a favourite or two. The three ladies have managed to do some shopping, the two men are in despair….

This morning we went to the famous Cafe Leopold that were hit on last November 26. TV cameras and journalist were all over the place, I guess we will appera both in the newspapers and on TV because we sat at a table in front of all the open doors. Or, maybe they came for my birthday, who knows 😉

We just came back from a wine shop now. There is no beer in the mini bar so we got some directions to the nearest shop. It was in a back lane and the stank of urine was so strong I was hardly able to perform my wish; ten bottles of Kingfisher. The shop was a hole in the wall, hardly any light. Next in the queue was an alchoholic with stained teeth, those who were left.

Tonight is the celebration at the Taj. Asbjørn has forgotten his “Sunday shoes” and a white shirt. So it has to be his Adidas shoes tonight. Well, shoes are kept under the table!

Oh my VISA card stopped working when I arrived in India, just great. After some phone calls to the bank I managed to get into the net bank and transfer money to another account. Lesson learned….. And it’s good to have a computer handy!

Tuesday was another day with Childrens Future India and Sandeep. We were, among other things, to meet with our sponsored child Vrushali (10) – actually for the third time in three years. Her mum is a widow with two daughters and a foster child + her mother in the house. Well house, a sort of shed of approx 15 sq m. We we re taken ro one of CFI’s soup kitchens, where needy children get one hot meal pr day. It was good to see the family. Last year we gave them money to get a new roof and other maintenance on the house and we were glad to see that they house looked better. We took Vrushali and her mother, along with the social workers to a hotel for lunch – which was a really big thing for them. Afterwards we took Vrushali to a department store in order to buy her a new dress, and we also went to the Pune Fort. She probably had the day of her life, so far, coming from the slums and not really able to get anywhere.

In the evening everybody just longed for the bed. We had thought it wouild be a day without so much driving, still it was a lot of in and out of the car. Also we were ready for a different taste, so Pizza Hut was the sole option after a full Indian meal and several Kingfiskers the evening before….

This might be a very busy holiday, although it cant be worse than Delhi ++ in Feb?!!? Yesterday was a rat race in Mumbai. Some sightseeing with Sandeep from Childrens Future India CFI in the morning (Juhu Beach, Bandra). Then head over heels to Mansi’s place in the afternoon. Of course one must allow 60-70 minutes for transport which makes every outing a small expedition.

The small flat was filled to the brim with mothers and fathers, grandparents, uncle, aunts – the usual Indian crowd. I left my flock in the sofa and headed for the women’s room where Mansi was in the middle of her make up and hair sesson. When she was all finished and dressed up she looked…. stunning! Myself, well I was dressed up by the grandmother, and the sari felt comfortable in the way a BUNAD feels comfy and just right for every occasion. Even more so, because most of the time the bunad makes you suffocate whereas the saree hangs loose around the boody and makes you breathe freely 🙂

The ceremony, the engagement party of Mansi and Kirang was an interesting experience. We met a lot of great people, among them Mansi’s mother and aunts, and some of my colleagues in Aker Solutions, Gaute among them.

But we were dead tired from the journey and lack of sleep made me call for our car at 9 30 pm. We drove over the new Worli Sea link, an impressive brand new bridge over the waters. Actually it took less than an hour to get home to, well, put on the alarm bell at 06 45 the nxt morning. Hello holiday!