Mumbai Lens: The Junction Box Family

Posted on by sudhagee

There we were — a friend and I — walking along the Central Avenue in Chembur last Sunday animatedly discussing forthcoming travel plans when we met this family.

Street Art, MumbaiNaturally, we stopped to say hello. The Junction Box Family, that was their name, had taken up residence in Chembur earlier this year during the Chembur Festival.

“We like this place,” said Mr. Junction Box.

“Oh yes, we do,” repeated Mrs. Junction Box looking adoringly at her husband.

Street Art, Mumbai

Sulky Master Junction grumbled, “I don’t like it here. Don’t have anyone to play with.”

Street Art, Mumbai“Don’t mind him,” said Mrs. Junction Box, sotto voce. “Junior’s always like this after church service.”

We left after the family (except Junior) happily posed for photographs and with promises to meet again soon.

It was such a pleasant surprise to come across street art in a place that had none before. And what a wonderful way to cover up ugly and rusty junction boxes. Central Avenue in Chembur is a lovely road, broad and tree-lined and it is a real pleasure to walk on the road. But till that day, I had never seen any street art on that road. I did come across a couple more that I hope to share later.

I am really liking the way that Mumbai is slowly  and surely adapting to street art in its own way. And I look forward to being surprised in my forays into various parts of the city.

What did you think of the Junction Box Family? Do tell 🙂

Note:
Though I didn’t have my camera with me that morning, I could manage to get a couple of photographs thanks to the Dell Venue Tablet (sent to me as part of the Dell blogger review programme) that I was carrying in my handbag. I also edited the photographs and typed out this short post on the Tablet. Must say, I’m getting better at using the Tablet as a blogging tool ! 🙂

Published by sudhagee

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33 thoughts on “Mumbai Lens: The Junction Box Family”

    1. Thanks, TGND. In a concrete and vertical city like Mumbai, it is things like these that make the city more human, more bearable and so much ore fun. I wish there was more of this all around us. 🙂

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  3. lovely captures, Sudha! I saw them during the Chembur festival, but i would never have thought of writing a post like this on them!!! btw, the year before, they had painted some lovely artwork on the monorail pillars… unfortunately, they are all covered with stickers and ads now.

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    2. You never told me about them, Anu ! And this also makes me realise that I haven’t walked down Central Avenue in ages. I have seen the street art on the monorail pillars in passing, always meaning to see them another time. Looks like I’m too late. An important lesson learnt about street art – its impermanance ;-/

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  6. Loved the post; and am praying that the warring political parties of Mumbai leaves the family alone. BTW, the family is also a reminder of what Chembur was in the ye good old days which, depending on one’s point of view, ended between the 1960s and the mid 70s.

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  9. This is bang opposite by house! 🙂 And i Love them totally! 🙂
    They were painted during the Chembur fest by volunteers 🙂 sad to see people sticking bills on these!

    Loved your story and glad to have stumbled upon your blog!

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  12. This was done during the Chembur Festival and I loved them too.. A pity that people don’t see the cheer they bring when they stick silly pamphlets on it 😦 It is the same with the fantastic graffiti that was once visible on the monorail pillars before certain Bhais came and adorned their photos instead

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    1. I missed the Chembur Festival completely. 😦 Don’t know what I was doing at that time.

      Right now, the junction box family is the only one that doesn’t have anything plastered on it. Every other surface is liberally plastered with something or the other. Let’s see how long this family remains free of defacement.

      The current state of monorail pillars is really sad. I’m waiting to see if anything comes up on the Eastern Freeway pillars.

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    1. Then please keep your fingers crossed. The rate at with bills are being slapped on walls and any vertical stuff in Chembur, you have to hope that they leave the Junction Box Family alone.

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    1. Thanks, Havovi. The Junction Box Family has unfortunately been almost completely covered up with posters of political parties and people selling miraculous cures and what not. Another piece of street art lost to vandalism of a different kind. 😦

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