In the Bombay of my dreams

I meander once more through my Colaba,

Lanes leaden with leafy trees

adorn sidewalks

Bordering quaint homes, art deco stunning, oldworld charming

Some have gardens

bougainville and flowers,

I peer into windows

fascinated by Life,

peeping inside to glimpse

families behind heavy wood and glass doors

Chandeliers gleam

Pots overflow foliage

Birds actually sing.

A blind protects a shadow

A balcony for Romeo

Wood carving follies

Streets cobbled no more.

Footpaths for red paan

Now shiny smooth for

Storefronts and coffee shops.

Bells peal loudly fervently for Ramji

And no one glances at

the plump lady or her the cows

Basking outside His doors-

Spirituality for us

Fodder for them.

Remember Tango for free?

Chanting, a tango in your hands

A smile on your face

And suddenly the world is

a much better place

with lips stained tangerine.

We feast with Theo now,

chocolate mouths and

wide smiles over croissants,

Or the Woodside inn

Quaffing beer to old music.

We dine in hipster cafes

past stalls of shiny bangles, garish kaftans,

Up up up

old wooden stairs

shiny teak bannisters,

Attar mingles in salty sea breaths

Marina gulls call out

sail boats gently sway:

we sip on tea in delicate

floral Wedgewood

the Sea a Lounge of sunlight

drenching dainty boats gold

water gleaming molten fire.

Sassoon smells of brine, fish guts,

choral babel brisk business

But the Navy twirls barbed wire on walls

of colourful murals and superheroes.

Lions Gate to Navy Nagar

we are safe.

Otherworldly

Elegant stores of hushed luxury

Linger

Around the arched corridors of

Her magnificence

the Old Lady of Apollo Bunder

Gracious Charming Home.

Around the black horse

Temples of learning

Secret gardens

art and more art,

books and old things

to be lost in

A horseless carriage

neighs- brays -sways

causing hilarity on the pavement

The Gateway herself standing tall,

proud as hordes swarm each weekend,

to revel in fresh brine and Sev puri,

selfies and tug boats and monkeys at Elephanta

across the water.

Tall branches drape graceful mansions,

Canopies dappling gullis

Another age, another world long vanquished

Remnants clinging to brick and lime

Trees witness the travel of time.

Cusrow Baug beckons,

enticingly a wind curls up my skirt

from her archway

Or a gust tugs at my hair;

I long to return there

Find my Farouk.

The tall friend in his red tee shirt and wide smile

Play catching cook

exploring the baug

with its wild greens

As nana chatted away with

Katie auntie-

their Ghosts from a past long gone

Just like Frankies and chikoo ice cream at Aga brothers

and old Mr Aga himself

Just like Janata stores for everything magical

tinsel tiklis pens chart paper paint,

Walking home from school past Wesley church

Champa tree

BEST and MSLTA

Juice at Diptis

Bade Miyans rotis

Swabal stores Max s library

Bombay dyeing

Colaba High Street

Olgas for hand made dresses

animal shape biscuits

Sticky halwa from Chandu

Kamal kakadi, falooda kulfi,

KP s holy trinity.

Broon pau at the breadwala

dipping into Paradise dhansak

and chicken pie.

Endless games on building tanks

Mr. Christy’s garden

Phantom, Mandrake from Mr. Shetty,

Sarah and George

Rajiv and Pravesh

Rani and Sarita….

ghosts all ghosts.

All-Bombay hide and seek

Trips to the museum laughimg at old things

Gape at Philips antiques,

Drapes flow at Chunilal

paintings at Jehangir

Gape at marvelous old edifices

Staring up inside the Cathedral

enthralled by Shaolin at Regal

chicken rolls and softy reflect in

art deco mirrors

as expresso machines hiss angrily.

Thumbing books at Mahrouks store

or dancing to Mithun

When we weren’t practising

skits for parties, burning crackers

Even setting a house on fire.

Wodehouse, Clarke House

Broacha House, Cleave house

West View …..

Toddledom, Nazareths.

Shabnam in her purple sash and

Long long hair

Editor of Picktales;

Nuns in grey habits

stern and sweet in the

School of my dreams and dramas.

Celeste on the piano

Making us sing in unison

As I wear a wolf mask, caught in grandma’s nightie,

audience laughter as I struggle to escape

unseeing and lost on stage.

Another time I am King

as blackbirds sing and crow

over a pie and sixpence.

Strand cinéma

the Fox and the Hound

My tears wet the party-

scarred for life, my tender heart.

CCI pool, library and club sandwiches

Silver shoes and swimming Sir.

Oval for wide WIDE WIDE

open spaces.

Bandstand ponies

and candy floss sticks while

Double decker buses hurtle past

In my dreams

I walk the lanes again

Again

Again

a Ghost.