Apart from Juhu in the suburbs,
Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach. During the day, it is the hangout
of the happily unemployed who snooze under the shade of its stunted trees.
But in the evening the atmosphere is more like a carnival: kids screaming
on Ferris wheels or taking pony rides, wayside astrologers making a quick
buck, monkey shows, and even the odd self -styled gymnast who will demonstrate
amazing yogic postures for a small fee. At one end is a row of bhelpuri
shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina
doused in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a flat, fried puri. You
might even catch a film shoot or a street play. In short, for most tourists
Chowpatty is where the action is.
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