Skip to main content

Featured Post

2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with

Snow World, Mumbai


Living in a city where the winter is nonexistent, and snow is something that can only be seen in movies, the prospect of seeing and playing in snow can be a real temptation. The new Snow World at Phoenix Market City at Kurla had been tempting us ever since it opened, especially since it is barely half an hour away from our house. However, actually going there was another matter, and it seemed we needed some extra impetus to drive us there. 



The impetus came last week in the form of an invitation from Kiran to join her and her son in a mom-kid get together, along with some other friends. Kiran and I first met at Lavasa, and it seemed a good opportunity to catch up, and introduce our kids to each other!

The kids bonded over Pasta, Pizza and French Fries, while we moms chattered away, and finally it was time to visit the Snow World. The entrance was unremarkable – in fact, we could have easily passed it as yet another store. Inside was another matter entirely. We first had to deposit all our bags and pull on the jackets, shoes and gloves provided. That itself took us more than half an hour, but finally we were done, and were allowed inside.

The temperature inside is maintained at -100C, and in spite of all the warm clothes, we did feel a bit of the chill.

The interiors are quite simple... just a big rectangular area with snow all over. Even as we looked around, the kids sensed the best section – the snow slide... and headed off.


Sliding on the snow covered slide, sitting on tires, seemed to be quite exciting, especially for the smaller children. Samhith refused to come out, and did so only when his friends called him to throw snowballs at each other.


On one side is an enclosure where people can play with balls...


There are a few sleds, which none were in the mood for...


On one side is a kind of cafe...


And there is also an area reserved for ice skating.


Skating shoes were available (though not one in Samhith’s size... he had to wear one which was at least two sizes bigger), though there were few who could actually skate. The kids walked gingerly, holding the railing, and I wondered if they were enjoying themselves, or if they were afraid!


By the time we had seen and done all this, the temperature seemed to have fallen further. The blowers were on, so it appeared as if snow was falling. While I had to handle my camera, which was getting to be quite difficult with my glasses fogging over, the kids seemed to be enjoying all the snow even as they were shivering with the cold. I eventually had to put my foot down and insist that our time was up, and that we had to leave! It was only when we came out that we realised that in spite of all our warm clothes and shoes, our socks were drenched, and so was our hair where the hood had slipped! We were shivering, and it took cups of hot chocolate to get everyone back to normal.

Even as we got the jackets off and returned our stuff, Samhith had just one question – “When are we coming back?”



Information:

Location: Ground Floor, Phoenix Market City, L.B.S.Marg, Kurla West, Mumbai

How to get there:  The nearest Railway stations are Kurla or Viyavihar on the Central/Harbour lines, and Santacruz on the Western line. If you are driving, be warned.. the traffic at any given time on this road is a nightmare! It is far better to take a train and then an auto to get here. 

Cost: The tickets to the Snow World cost Rs. 400, inclusive of jackets, shoes, and gloves. Socks are available at an extra price. Camera / Mobile Phones are charged Rs. 50 extra. It is best, however, to leave everything, including handbags, purses, mobiles and cameras in the lockers provided. 



Comments

  1. awesome Anu - thanks ... was actually scratching my head about what new in these holidays + Shameeraa has never seen actual snow so she'll love it _ will make it as a surprise for her. rgds Vaidehi Dagar


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Vaidehi! glad to have been of help! btw, had no idea u were in Mumbai! we shd meet!

      Delete
  2. Very interesting. I never knew about this. In fact I was in Mumbai between 26th and 31st of October to participate in a Laksharchana at Antop Hill (Wadala).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THanks PNS! we missed an opportunity to meet!! next time u are in Mumbai, drop me a line and we shall def meet!

      Delete
  3. Has Samhith seen real snow by now? This sounds like a very interesting place right there in Mumbai!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Mridula.. he has. we were at Srinagar in May, and he played in the snow at Gulmarg. i have yet to begin writing about that trip!

      Delete
  4. Oh, I have been wanting to go to this place since quite long!

    I can see Samhith enjoying, what were you doing besides clicking pictures? :)

    Glad that you wrote about it, showed some nice photos... now I can again push myself to visit it. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was busy clicking pics as usual, Nisha! and of course, shivering from the cold!!! and am sure u will enjoy the place... and we shd meet sometime! maybe there?

      Delete
  5. very interesting to find this in Mumbai, Greetings Dietmut

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey,

    Thanks for the updation. Long time ago I been there but now will definitely plan to go Mumbai because I have a reason to visit snow world.

    Thanks a ton

    ReplyDelete
  7. I actually wanted to know whether a 2 yr kid is allowed or not

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow, thanks Anu for all the information and lovely pics. Looks like lots of fun for Mumbai kids. I'll take my son this Christmas vacation.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for a very comprehensive description of the facility. The photographs are very informative as well. Specially liked the last bit describing how socks and hair were wet.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

Rama Temple, Gokarna

To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.

Pandharpur Yatra 2023

The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie