Highest Tide at Worli !

Pic 1 : The police watch as a wave vanishes after leaving water on the road. The BMC people are seen working hard to keep things in control. A wall broken with the force of water can be seen on the right.

Pic 2 : Here you see Haji Ali dargah in the backdrop and officials keeping a watch on the high tide and the waves

High tides were predicted in Mumbai on 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of July, 2009. The highest tide in 100 years in Mumbai was seen on 24th when tidal waves of 5.5 mts lashed Mumbai shorelines.

On 23rd July, I was back at my desk after having lunch in office pantry. One of my team members asked me, 'Ma'am aap samundar ke paas jaakar aao. Sab dekhne jaa rahein hain.' I looked at him surprisingly and asked, 'Kyon? Kya hua?'. He replied, 'Wahaan paani bahut upar tak aaya hai aur raaste par udh raha hai !' I was definately excited. But being busy, I could not immediately go. I asked a few colleagues after sometime if they'd been out. They replied that they'd just come back from watching the waves create havoc. I am transferred to our Worli office since a month and have been enjoying the rainy season near the sea at Haji Ali. It wasn't raining that day. But it was very cloudly, breezy and cool. I tried to go out, but a sudden torrent of heavy, windy rains started and I postponed going out. But I saw some colleagues get nice video shoots of the rising waves and some sweet pics too. When I tried to go, I got news that the tide had subsided. Too bad, I thought. But definately the next day was the 'highest tide' day. So I still had my chance. I made proper plans to go out with colleagues around 2 pm next day as the hightest tide was somewhere around 2.15 to 2.30 pm.

On 24th July afternoon after lunch, I set off with some female colleagues to watch the waves. But to my dismay, a huge crowd had already gathered in anticipation near Lotus at Worli. The police including the traffic police alongwith BMC workers had gathered to shoo people from venturing too near. They was a huge crowd. All office goers from almost all companies in the area had got onto the streets to catch a glimpse of the huge tidal waves lashing against the shore walls. There was a lot of excitement. We tried to go ahead. I managed to get a few haphazard pics since vehicles coming into Lotus compound kept dispersing the crowd. Morever, as soon as any wave splashed against the walls lining the shores, the police pushed the crowd away. The people who'd come impromptu the earlier day, got a better glimpse than the people who came on 24th July. Since we'd to go back to our desks and work too, we couldn't dare to venture further and watch more. So we returned back with some exciting moments and a few pictures. The next day too I had a chance to catch the excitement, but unfortunately I had my monthly Saturday off and Sunday of course, meant holiday. So it had to be next year I guess. But from what I hear, some high tides at in store for Mumbaikars in Aug and Sept 2009 as well. But to see the next hightest tide, I'll have to wait!