At home in the city

Carter Road, next to the Arabian Sea, is one of the few places that offer peace and space In manic Mumbai

As a row of people gaze admiringly, the ball of fire sinks into the sea and is gradually extinguished, setting the water briefly on fire before leaving dying embers to light up the dusk. The day is over. But Carter Road is alive and buzzing.

Lying along the rocky edge of Bandra, Carter Road is a Mumbai landmark.

A 1.2-kilometre stretch of road with expensive real estate to its east and the Arabian Sea to its west, the road has celebrity homes, incessant traffic, food joints in close proximity, and all kinds of people wearing down the concrete. The promenade, lined with benches and shaded off the road by palms, is a welcome respite from the frequent claustrophobia of the crowded city.

 

“We could block all the entrances and allow only one access point, where we could sell entry tickets,” says Darryl D’Monte, who heads the Bandra West Residents’ Association. “But we want this to be an inclusive space, open for all,” he adds. And it is. Carter Road is, in fact, a microcosm of Mumbai itself. People of all ages, cultures and religions flock to the seashore, especially in the evenings. It’s a space to sit and stare at something beautiful, to wind down, and breathe — all of which is impossible during hectic workdays.

The occasional celebrity jogs past, blocking out the world through his music as heads swivel to follow. Youngsters burst into loud laughter as they tease a friend. A group of senior citizens argue over Pakistan’s latest actions, some waving their walking sticks in excitement, voicing opinions as old as free India but younger in years than them. Culture enthusiasts cluster near the amphitheatre, enjoying a free, open-air performance of Chhau dancers visiting from West Bengal. Little ones from the nearby fishing village chatter excitedly in the audience, taking in the bright costumes even as their raggedy clothes expose them to the cool evening breeze. A man mixes bhelpuri as some girls salivate in anticipation. Stray dogs patter by, hungry for love or just plain hungry. A young girl speed-walks, encased in lycra and giggling into the phone, while some burqa-clad women huddle together and gossip. Sometimes, Capoeira dancers perform on the promenade, casually raising energy levels by several notches.

The Laughter Club Park (aptly situated on Hrishikesh Mukherjee Road), Joggers’ Park and the elite Otters’ Club form one end of Carter Road. The promenade begins with a snack shop (Crunchies) and the Paradise Book Store, which has an interesting if odd mix of books on display, and inexplicably, some leather handbags as well. Easing into the paved promenade through one of the entrances in the low boundary wall, one can walk uninterrupted for 1.3 km. Not many places in Mumbai can boast the same.

Strict rules enforce order and help maintain cleanliness. Notices everywhere remind people not to eat or drink on the promenade. It costs over Rs 40,000 a month just to maintain cleanliness here, says D’Monte. But there is always room to do more. “A few toilets need to be installed,” says Darryl. As one notices a man walk out of the mangroves by the sea adjusting his pants, one hopes that happens soon.

The Titan public “clock” (the sea air got the better of the wheels of Time) creates an open space where people stretch their legs and watch the sun rise or set. The Children’s Park is always busy, kids jostle and bicker to be first on the slide and then pile up at the bottom. Adjoining this is the enclosed dog park where dogs of every shape and size gambol freely with their indulgent owners. A few illegal shacks put up by fishermen are partitioned from the promenade with fishing nets, which double as nets for some cricket practice when the fishing is slow.

That’s Carter Road at a glance. As you walk, you overtake, or are overtaken by shuffling senior citizens and iPod-tuned youngsters respectively. You overhear stock tips, gossip, weight-loss shortcuts, lovers’ tiffs, and much more. You touch the palms as they sway in the breeze and let your fingers linger over rough stone benches inscribed with the names of long-gone people. You see children flitting after soap bubbles as the vendor blows a magical batch of them into the skies. You watch adults let their eyes follow colourful balloons as they rhythmically push their children’s swings. You smell the sea and the fish being brought in, bhuttas roasting, guavas sliced and spiced.

You taste Mumbai.

The making of carter Road

A four-way partnership made the promenade possible in 2002. Shabana Azmi, then Rajya Sabha MP, helped with infrastructure costs. Architect P K Das designed it free of charge. The Bandra West Residents’ Association led the citizens’ initiative. Commercial sponsor, Marico, took care of all the related costs

Carter Road Happenings

Last Sunday, Carter Road was the venue for the first ever Car-Free Day, organised by NGO Khar Bandra Santa Cruz Foundation. It was closed to motor vehicles, taken over by stunt cyclists and children on roller-skates, bicycles and tricycles. There was a performance by playback singer Shaan and actor Salman Khan made an appearance too

EAT YOUR HEART OUT

There’s something for every budget on Carter Road. But watch out, no eating on the promenade.

# Mineral-water chuski at the bright red Go Gola van parked near Otters’ Club.

# Roasted bhutta, peanuts (seeng), fresh-mixed bhelpuri and kulfi are easy finds along the road.

# Dimsums at Red Ninja.

# Sandwiches at the newly-opened Olivet Bleu.

# Crisp dosas at Ramu’s popular road-side stall.

# Sheeshas at Mezbaan