Byculla area was concerned with my Garlick days. In March 1971, I was employed with Garlick & co which later became Garlick Engineering, division of Empire Dying ltd. As it is I was conversant with Saat Rasta, it is junction in Mumbai connecting many areas in Mumbai, near Byculla station especially Maha lakshmi and Nair hospital. When I was elected general secretary of Bharatiya kamagar sena, I had opportunity to visit our head office. It was Empire dying Ltd. In Lower Parel. Many of my friends lived in Lower Parel, Chinchpokali and Lalbaug area. My first was speech was so impressive that I won over all the staff members and workers of head office. But unfortunately for me I met there many like minded friends who introduced me to many liquor joints and my drinking started. Not that I was starting but my drinking got the better of me. Popular as I was with girls in head office, they soon discovered my habit. They also discovered my temper. Shashikant Shinde was my crony then and he was sort of accomplice in drinking and other activities. He was living in the staff quarters at Saat rasta of Garlick, and I did not hesitate to stay there if I had a drop too much. I know almost every nook and cranny of Byculla and Saat rasta area but of course west side, I seldom went east side. Whenever our union activity called me. I went to Byculla and in the night we enjoyed in one of the bars. Fortunately that time the system of dance bar was not in vogue in Mumbai. But I never mixed sex with drink. One thing at a time was my motto. That kept me away from sex related offences.
One bar I remember was opposite to Byculla railway station. Here I went whenever I was alone or in pensive mood. Actually bar was country joint run by aunty but you could have almost anything there, say rum or whisky or gimlet. Plenty of eatables were available with the drinks including barbeque. Here I collected my friends who were unknown to regular friends. All were music lovers and some of them played in orchestras of repute. One boy even sang and played in Shankar-Jaykishan clan. One night I was quite high on drinks when he met me. He offered me to take to a place where Shankar-Jaykishan rehersed. I went with him at the unearthly hour of two in the night. The hall was beautifully decorated with white mattress and curtains. Fragrant incense was burning in one corner. We sat in one corner and imbibed the whole atmosphere. That night neither Shankar came nor Jaykishan but I enjoyed whatever rehearsal they were doing. In wee hours I boarded a bus to Dadar station and came home, still heavy with drinks. Now that joint is not there thanks to Deshi bars or dance bars. Such bars were known as Aunty’s bars and that system is no more in vogue now. Right from Colaba to Mulund, aunty’s bars were popular joints in Mumbai of our time and safe. And mostly these Auntys were Goanese. They served high class Feni—coconut or cashew in addition to rum, brandy or whiskey. Even home made liquor was good quality with them. Drinking was quite safe in those days in Mumbai. That is why I love my Mumbai very much.