This is what my view of Haji Ali looks like today, with equal parts sunshine & rain and waves breaking over the walkway, but peacefully enough. The tidal waves were clocking in at 4.94 meters this afternoon around 2:43 (nothing compared to what was being touted as the highest tide in 100 years at an impressive 5.05 meters yesterday at 2:03pm.) I don’t even know how accurate those numbers are considering the BMC (*Bombay Municipal Corporation) released them along with a serious flood warning over a month ago. A press alert that came with ominous lines like, “BMC has already planned to keep the schools closed on 24 July 2009 since the tide level is record high of last 100 years on this day.” The BMC, as you see doesn’t waste time or for that matter unnecessary articles and prepositions on sentences that can be understood perfectly well without them. Thank you very much.
This reminds me of that cool little internet forward I remember reading once (and then seeing mounted life size on a wall in the Landmark bookstore at Infinity Mall, Andheri when I did that Deepika Padukone interview.)
“Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”
Didjya know that?
But here’s a glimpse of the Mumbai monsoon and some pretty impressive pictures I confess I did not take 🙂
Anyway don’t believe the hype. That’s all I’ve got to say. From everything I read and heard I was expecting some major water damage this weekend. (I came pretty close to inflating the kiddie pool we use on Holi as a sorta escape life boat if push came to shove!)
Speaking of which I have fond memories of Holi 2008 when my dear brother Deepak first pushed me in then pulled me out of that very same pool. (Note to self: gonna have to remind him about this on Rakhi and score some emotional brownie points in cash!)
Then again, better safe than soggy: The BMC published these 19 days of high tide as red-letter days in the rainy season between June 3 and September 1 for this year. While the monsoon was expected on June 10, and possibilities of it setting in early were high (as per the weather bureau) it actually came in mockingly late. But still, on these days the crest of waves at high tide is over four meters and if there is heavy rain, the possibility of the city flooding is very high. So heads up. Stay dry; we’re not totally in the clear yet.
*Which also just got me pondering whether anyone’s given the BMC flack for not rechristening themselves “MMC” aka the Mumbai Municipal Corporation? lol.