成人论坛

Prix Italia-winning producer Steven Rajam's arresting, intimate, breath-close binaural portrait of the intoxicating city of Mumbai in India.

From a walk through the narrow lanes of Dadar Flower Market as it springs into life in the early hours, to a hair-raising, ear-bending ride on an auto-rickshaw whizzing through traffic; from grandparents frolicking in the ocean surf, to the twilight hum of Bollywood blaring from inside of every taxi; hawkers by the sea, the roaring swell of commuters at Chhatrapaji Shivaji Terminus... and the frenzied joy of the Ganpati Visarjen (Ganesh Festival).

This is an aural trip like no other.

--

We begin at 3am - perhaps the only few short moments this city truly sleeps, with only the hum of electric lights and an arid breeze for company. Our first destination comes into focus: Dadar Flower Market - one of the largest on earth. Vast bundles of every bloom imaginable arrive and are tossed from high platforms - accompanied by yells and cries as they鈥檙e ferried to stalls, and sellers begin their patter. As the sun rises, we're whisked to Mumbai鈥檚 main train station, Chhatrapaji Shivaji Terminus, as it too sparks into life. Tannoy announcements in Marathi, English and Hindi pepper the preternatural calm as gradually, great diesel juggernaut huff and puff in... and tens of thousands of commuters huff, puff and rush out.

It's time to escape - via a hair-raising journey by tuk-tuk - to the 鈥淕ateway of India鈥�, Mumbai's harbour. Mid-morning, beside the sea, and commuters of a different kind - fishermen returning home - are bringing in their boats as tourists gawp and snap and are hawked at. A brief moment of repose in the back of a taxi is broken by the surreal and vivid sounds of local FM radio - complete with a swooning Bollywood soundtrack - as we arrive at Mumbai's beach, Chowpatty Gurgaon: a place where canoodling lovers rub shoulders with chattering pensioners, businessmen in suits weave past yelping children flying kites - all set to the thrum of sweepers on the boardwalk and the pulsing waves of the Indian Ocean.

Finally, as the sun goes down, we join the crowds filling every street in the city to celebrate the annual Ganpati Visarjen (Ganesh Festival) - immersed in the visceral sonic thrill of pulsating massed drums and celebration all around, as our journey ends. [Credit: "Indian Ganpati Drums" by loganbking @ Freesound.org (CC BY 3.0)]

Producer: Steven Rajam
An Overcoat Media production for 成人论坛 Radio 3