Air-conditioned tours Last year Naini Mehta and Kunal Vahalia noticed that Indians from across the country come to Mumbai especially for Ganeshot- sav. Once here, they visit small pan- ft dals around their hotels or depend on the locals or rela tives to see the more popular ones. Keeping that in mind, they devised a Ganpati tour. Result: their company, Namaste City, has started Mumbai's only guided Ganesh tour with a dash of comfort. Priced at Rs 3,150 per head, the tour takes people to the big Ganpati pandals around the city in an air conditioned car. Mehta says, "People come to the city to learn about our culture and we give make them experience it in a zara hatke manner." The four-hour long tour, with a professional guide included, is conducted throughout Ganeshotsav. Visitors are driven to the city's popular sarvajanik Ganpatis. There the guide explains the significance and religious story behind every pandal and Ganpati. After the tour, they also visit a friend's house where they participate in an aarti and the ensuing rituals. Then, it's shopping time in the Dadar gullies. At the end of it all, the visi- tors receiving a memento from the tour operator. Vahalia is especially upbeat about the tour on ananth chaturthi. Rea son: the visitors get to experience immersions at Chowpatty beach. He says, i : "We once took a very affluent high society couple for the immersion and they were awestruck by the entire expe rience." Last year 22 people opted for this tour. This year, 6 have already been a part of the experience. Buoyed by the response, Mehta and Vahalia plan to conducts similar tours for festivals like Diwali and Christmas. Mehta says,. "This city always gives you an opportunity to do something different You just need to grab it with both your hands." For more details please contact Namaste City Tour at (022) 23888711 / 9323652111 or email visitus@namastecitytour.com. Alternatively you can visit the website at www.namatecitytour.com.