On Christmas Eve we attended High Tea at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, on the waterfront in South Mumbai. Built in 1903, even before the adjacent Gateway of India, the Taj is the original home and flagship hotel of the Taj group, which now has luxury hotels around the world. We were joined by our friend Kirti, recent Dartmouth grad and Mumbai resident, for this lovely meal. It was worthwhile visiting for tea just to explore the grandness of its lobby and interior architecture, though as non-guests we were able to visit only a portion of the hotel. We passed a display of photos highlighting famous visitors to the Taj, over the century, including queens and rock stars and cricket players, and most recently, Barack Obama. In the display is a guestbook open to the page on which Obama signed a note. I have a few photos in my Mumbai album.
High Tea is served late every afternoon, in the informal and peaceful Sea Lounge overlooking the harbor. While a pianist played Christmas tunes, we explored the buffet and its delicious range of savory and sweet snacks. The waiter brought petit fours, scones, tiny sandwiches, and other tea-time standards. My favorite were the flights of chaat… my favorite was the sev puri but I loved the bhel puri and liked the dahi puri. The kids were entranced by the chocolate fountain, quite literally a chocolate fondue waterfall in which they could dip fruit sticks. And, of course, each of us received a pot of tea selected from over a dozen varieties. Magnificent!
We arrived just before sunset, allowing a fine opportunity for a family photo in front of the Gateway of India.
The top tourist attraction in town, this arch was built in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George and Queen Mary. Hundreds of other people were visiting, all passing through metal detectors and bag checks before being allowed into the plaza. The arch and its plaza are beautiful, though marred by the ugly police fences strung around the perimeter. The security is necessary, given the 2008 attacks; I just hope a more permanent (and more attractive and effective) perimeter fence is in the works.
Visiting the Gateway, the Taj hotel, CST station, and staying at the Trident, it’s impossible to forget the sad November day in 2008 when Pakistani terrorists attacked Mumbai. Known since as 26/11, these attacks began as my parents landed in Delhi for their tour of India, and while we were living in Bangalore. A terrible tragedy with 164 killed and over 300 injured, this incident shook India deeply. I wrote about it in my blog a few days afterward. Four years later, Indo-Pakistani relations are still strained. Indeed, as I write today, Christmas Day, the Pakistani cricket team is visiting India for the first time since 26/11, playing the Indian cricket team at a match in Bangalore. Let’s hope this is the beginning of an ongoing peaceful relationship.
Merry Christmas and a best wishes for a peaceful New Year.
David Kotz 