juhu beach: in anticipation of the waves

I was people-watching at Juhu beach

krishna devotees on juhu beach

I've encountered the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) folks (better known as belonging to the Hare Krishna movement) all over the place. They're always dancing it seems. My first 4th of July fireworks was at the Berkeley marina in 2002 and my memory of the evening is marked by the presence of the Hare Krishna folks. Of course this was Berkeley so all kinds of folks turn up - but at the time it was just strange to experience my first American independence day celebrations with the Hare Krishna folks informally singing and dancing as we all waited for the fireworks to start. They also used to frequently turn up at the spot where Telegraph Avenue hits Bancroft Avenue, and dance themselves to glory. And they also made their way onto the campus - once a Hare Krishna guy came up to me while I was sitting outside Dwinelle Hall and invited me to come for Janmashtami celebrations at Berkeley's ISKON center (centre? I'm still trying to get used to British/Indian spellings again). I told the guy I wasn't religious, but he just wouldn't leave me alone. I have no problem with them claiming public space - in fact I rather enjoy seeing them - but why impose on me to join?! Had to get up and walk away.

Anyway, a week ago I saw a bunch of them at Juhu beach during one of my evening walks. Couldn't catch them in action (i.e. dancing), but they looked kind of nice against the sand and the sea. I particularly liked the fact that the guy up front was carrying a speaker on his head.

boy waiting

boy waiting at the bibi-ka-maqbara in aurangabad

ganesha on juhu beach

Most parts of juhu beach are pretty clean. When it isn't, its largely because of the remains of some religious ritual involving the immersion of an idol(s) and/or paraphernalia of such a ritual - flowers, leaves, thermocol pieces for some strange reason, etc. So it was somewhat of a pleasure some weeks ago to find that an immersion ritual had led not to a holy mess, excuse the pun, but a small ganesha idol embedded in the sand. Tried to take a couple of photos with my cellphone.

walking juhu beach

I've taken to almost daily walks in the evening at juhu beach. its summer so i usually get there just in time for the sunset... the beach looks beautiful at dusk and as the darkness is enveloping it. the water glistens and the clouds make the vast sky look different every day.

A few days before it was high tide and the wind was crazy. i could feel my hair being messed up in an irritating way while walking in the direction of the wind. walking against the wind, the feeling was different. the humid wind hit my face and by the time i'd walked 15 minutes, my brain was a pulp... there was no possibility of coherent thought. then there was only the sky, the water, the sand, the humid wind and the dark figures on the beach...