The Mumbai Sarvajanin Durgotsob at Shivaji Park is the oldest Durga Puja in Mumbai ... 2008 is the 72nd consecutive year !!! Its also well documented that Shivaji Park is where all Mumbaikar cricketers Tendulkar, Manjrekar, Gavaskar and other xxx-kars have honed their skills ... not so well documented is the fact that I've also played some cricket at this hallowed ground but I'm digressing :-)
Given all the background above this was one pujo I just had to see for myself ... so Piya and I drove down to Shivaji Park today. To be honest it was a bit of an anti-climax as we had very high expectations.
The pandal itself is tucked into one corner of the park, totally enclosed ... almost claustrophobic. In fact its not even a pandal in the true Bengali style which would usually have a theme ... more of a large tent actually with no external decoration. There are some food stalls inside the enclosure and I tried a egg-chicken roll ... oil-soaked and tasted like cardbord ... totally unpalatable.
Overall, there is something missing in the ambience ... could not put a finger to it ... but maybe the whole affair is too commercialised and lacks personal touch and attention to detail which is the hallmark of a good pujo anywhere.
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