Early evening at the Oval

After a late lunch at the Gaylord Restaurant, those of us wanting some free time slipped away from the main group. Some headed back to the hotel to rest, others towards the nearby bazaar. We decided to spend a little longer around the Gateway of India rather than join the scheduled museum visit.

We walked the short distance back, still not entirely used to negotiating the traffic and its unwritten rules. The Gateway was still relatively quiet, though the side facing the harbour had become busier. Local visitors lingered, strolling slowly, taking photographs and simply enjoying the atmosphere.

Golden hour was approaching, and several photographers had already taken up position. Families posed patiently while cameras were adjusted and tripods set, everyone waiting for the soft evening light to fall across the façade of the Gateway.

Eventually we moved on towards the bazaar. Earlier we had noticed a McDonald’s nearby, and it became our destination for a quick cappuccino. Perhaps a slightly odd choice in India, but the familiar ritual felt oddly comforting, a small reminder of home amid so many new experiences.

Taking advantage of our freedom to wander, we followed our own route through the streets, passing the impressive colonial façade of the Mumbai Police Headquarters. Not far away the ornate Rajabai Clock Tower rose above the trees, its Gothic spire catching the last of the afternoon sun.

At its base the wide green space of the Oval Maidan opened out before us. In the warm golden light of early evening the cricket grounds were alive.

Oval Maidan in early evening

Several organised clubs were just finishing their practice sessions, packing away stumps and kit bags, no doubt eager to head off and watch the India vs England match starting later that evening at Wankhede Stadium, less than half a mile away.

But the cricket did not stop with the clubs.

Across the oval informal games were still underway everywhere you looked. Small groups of young men played with easy enthusiasm. A young girl, fully kitted out in pads and helmet, practised her batting while her father bowled patiently to her. Nearby whole families joined in: grandparents batting, children bowling gentle underarm deliveries, everyone laughing and cheering each small success.

There was something wonderfully relaxed about it all. As the sun lowered over the city, the oval became a kind of shared playground, a place where the game belonged to everyone.

With the light beginning to soften further, we left the Maidan and walked towards the sea front at Marine Drive. Along the way we met a few friends from our group and continued together towards the hotel.

Evening sunset over the Bay of Bengal, Mumbai

The sun hung low over the Arabian Sea, glowing deep orange through the evening haze and the silhouette of bougainvillea, while people gathered along the promenade to watch the day end. It wasn’t the most dramatic sunset, but it had a quiet warmth to it, a gentle closing note to an unhurried afternoon wandering through Mumbai.