The Final Replay

 

10th farewell.

One of my oldest photographs. It's my birthday.

First motorcycle ride with Jessica to Konkan.

First bike ride with Joel.

Rajasthan bike ride with Awnish and Sandeep.

If I were to die today, what fragments of my life would my brain hold onto before it shuts down?

I think I would remember the quiet mornings standing beside my grandmother, waiting for the school bus. The rush of running back to class as the recess bell rang. Endless summer days spent playing cricket and wandering through the colony with friends, with no sense of time.

I would remember the small, warm moments waiting eagerly for Papa to return from work, watching Mummy make chapatis on the stove in our B-Type home.

Then come the journeys—trips to Bangalore and Goa with Mummy, Papa, and Anisha. And meeting Joel, who unknowingly changed my path, introducing me to motorcycle riding and photography. That was the beginning of a different life—a wanderer’s life. My first ride still feels vivid, perhaps because of the photographs, or maybe because it was the moment something inside me came alive. Since then, I’ve explored the outskirts of Pune in every season, at every hour, each ride telling its own story.

I would remember meeting Jessica before marriage, the adventures we shared, the journeys we took, the meals she lovingly cooked, and the quiet joy of helping her in the kitchen. But more than anything, I will never forget her standing beside me through chemotherapy, strong, present, unwavering. Along with her, Mummy, Papa, and Maushi, who carried me through the weight of radiation therapy with their support and strength.

And when all memories settle…

Perhaps it will finally be time to meet Sharad Mama, the one who still finds his way into my dreams.

A Night at Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai

 That weekend was a long one. Since 26 January 2026 was a Monday and 27 January was my birthday, my wife asked if she should take leave on the 27th. I told her I would also apply for leave, and we could plan something together. On her birthday, we didn’t do a big celebration, so we thought we could combine both birthdays and celebrate on mine.

We already had a plan to visit Mumbai and go to our favorite restaurant, Bade Miya, to enjoy some delicious non-veg dishes we don’t easily find in Pune. Having one extra day in the long weekend felt perfect. I was also thinking about staying near Khandala ghat. Every time we pass through the Lonavala–Khandala mountains on the expressway, I feel like I’ve never really experienced that place, and the view from there must be breathtaking.

While I was thinking about this, an old, dormant plan suddenly came back to mind: staying at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. I immediately checked for reservations, and since it was a weekday, I got a room at a cheaper rate. I’m not someone who usually spends a lot on expensive hotels, but this hotel has a special place in my heart because of its history and its connection with Mumbai and India.

On Saturday morning, before starting for Mumbai, Google Maps showed almost five hours of traffic on the expressway because of the long weekend. But we were determined to go, so we prayed and started our journey. To our surprise, when we checked the route again in the car, it showed no traffic at all. Maybe the earlier data was outdated, or my phone was offline at home. I thanked God, and we continued. On the way, we saw heavy traffic in the opposite direction — people leaving Mumbai and heading toward Pune.

We reached our destination early, before check-in time. Our first stay was at YWCA Hotel, Colaba. I kept our luggage there, and since we weren’t tired, we decided to explore nearby places on foot. We walked on Karmveer Bhaurao Patil Road and MG Road, admiring the Victorian architecture of Mumbai University, the Bombay High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, and Flora Fountain. We also bought some books on the way back. The streets were surprisingly empty, the weather was perfect — cool breeze with warm sunlight — and I clicked lots of photos of those beautiful buildings. The YWCA hotel was clean, had a peaceful Christian vibe, and the staff was friendly.

For lunch, we went to Bade Miya and enjoyed mutton dishes, shami kebabs, and seekh kebabs. Later, we visited the promenade near Worli Sea Face. We had to change two taxis because the drivers weren’t familiar with the place. It’s a walking and cycling path along the coastal road, somewhat like Marine Drive. We enjoyed the sunset there and then returned to YWCA. Dinner at the hotel was simple and homely. The mix veg soup especially made us feel relaxed and refreshed.

The next day, we were very excited about staying at the Taj Hotel. Since we had some time before checkout, I went for another walk with my camera to capture more views of South Mumbai.

We always thought of the Taj as a place for the rich and famous, so we were quite careful about how we carried ourselves. We dressed our best. On reaching the hotel, we handed over our beloved car to the valet, hoping she would be safe. We were welcomed in a traditional Indian way, given a tulsi mala and a welcome drink — shikanji. We were both amazed by the grandeur and luxury of the hotel. We kept noticing the sofas, carpets, and small details in every corner, sharing our observations in whispers.

We were then escorted to our room on the second floor, and we were truly in awe. The room had beautiful wall colors, wooden and marble work on the cupboards and floor, lots of mirrors in the lobby area, good quality carpet in the bedroom, and a big, comfortable bed with many pillows. There were two newspapers, a central AC, a huge TV, three big lamps, fruits, three paintings, and even an old-style ceiling fan. We also had a balcony with French-style doors and warm sunlight coming into the room. The bathroom had a large old-style wash basin, a bathtub, and two bathrobes. We clicked pictures like excited kids.

Then we looked at the menu and realized that everything was very expensive — all prices were in four digits, excluding 18% tax. So we decided to go back to Bade Miya for lunch.

After returning, we stopped at the swimming pool, where they asked for our room number. Then again, near the elevator, we were asked for our room number twice more, which felt a bit intimidating and unwelcoming. We went back to our room and relaxed until evening. For dinner, we went to Delhi Darbar, where the food was also very good. After returning to the hotel, we spent time in the massive lobby, observing the artifacts and intricate decorations, and half-expecting to see some celebrity walk by. But after hours, we didn’t see any famous faces.

We celebrated my birthday with a small cake cutting at the Shamiana restaurant — an almond cake with ice cream on top. The next morning, we had breakfast in one of the ballrooms. That experience confirmed our belief that big hotels don’t always have tasty food.

Later, we joined a one-hour historic guided tour of the hotel by Mr. Percy, which completely changed how we saw the Taj. Percy was a retired travel manager with 44 years of service at the hotel. He was the person who used to welcome and see off famous guests on behalf of the Taj. He told us where the founders sourced many of the artifacts, how the structure was built, and how the hotel evolved over time. It was something we hadn’t expected at all, and we were pleasantly surprised.

On our return journey, we talked about all the memories from those two days — and most of them were about the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.