21 Comments
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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

What if I tell you my family and I stayed in an AirBnB apartment on Sherley Rajan road just last week? That I had chicken frankies and sat on the bench in your pictures (if that's the one from Carter Road)? That we stayed so close to Yoga House and it kept taking me back to the history of Bandra despite not being a true Mumbaiite myself? That area is soooo charming, Alaknanda and I'm in awe of this coincidence! I'm so lucky to now see it through your eyes :)

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

Nooo! The bench (katta?) in my pictures is on Marine Drive I think, but there will be no shortage of places to sit together and watch Mumbai go by on your next visit!!🩵🩵

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

The Noooo was as in: Oh nooooo...you should have come homeee kind of a nooo😁

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Ha ha haaaa sorry, I did miss this! That's so kind of you, Alaknanda. Beach bench ho ya ghar, saath milna kahin bhi achcha lagta ❤️ InshaAllah next time!

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Rohan Banerjee's avatar

I will add to the Sherly Rajan Road, because I've been living there (here?) for the past three years! Quite close to Yoga House, in fact.

It was lovely to get a perspective of this street during your time here. And we, too, have an Uncle P - our neighbour who is just as sweet and caring as your Aunty M. :)

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

Thank you for reading, Rohan - I think a little old-time-ness will always cling on to Sherley! And God bless your Uncle P!

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Sanobar Sabah's avatar

Unbelievable!

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Minaz Ansari's avatar

Such a wholesome read! I have been documenting and writing about Bandra for the last 5 years and I completely resonate with the way you describe the changing urban form and culture of Bandra. Thanks for this lovely piece :)

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

Thank you thank you thank you! I just read your The City and the Sea and wanted immediately to go and watch the sun set off Carter Road! I have saved The Veranda as a Threshold to savour at leisure!

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Minaz Ansari's avatar

Bombay is a vibe! Glad you connect with it.

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Farjad Nabi's avatar

Warm as always

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

So lovely to bump into you here, Farjad!🩵🩵

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Binu Sivan's avatar

“… but I have never quite caught up with this city. It keeps getting ahead of me.” - sheer poetry. I can imagine Gulzar writing this. That good. Beautiful post, full of love, Alaknanda. And God Bless Aunty M 😊❤️

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

He he Binu! Takes a poet to find the poetry??!!😅😀

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Chetna's avatar

Writing full of warmth! Always love reading your essays

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

Thank you so much!🩵😊

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Natasha Badhwar's avatar

A warm rich soup of an essay.

Love the braiding of the struggle for selfhood experienced by a young woman and the neighborhood she has chosen to make her home.

Alaknanda, your writing is so cosy even as it explores loneliness and a search for belonging.

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

Thank you, Natasha🤗 That message makes me feel all fuzzy and warm😊🌈🩵

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Charulatha Banerjee's avatar

Alaknanda- such a lovely essay. Bombay is a city I do not know at all but one that the good doctor worked in briefly and loves much. To see it through your eyes makes me want to know it too. And such attention to detail in your pieces. In speaking of the city you have traced a whole arc of your life itself. So enjoyed the read.

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Sanskriti Bhatia's avatar

What a beautiful essay! Loved how you explored your relationship with the city, through heart touching tales and acute observations ✨

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Moloya's avatar

This is really beautiful! Thank you for Sharing :)

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