Mmmmmubai….

Great and small. Deafening and feeble. Awesome and grotesque.
These are some of the opinions that I formed during the 20 months that I stayed in the city of survival and hope.

Great –

The city is simply massive. Reasons may be as statiscal as its 18 million strong population and 440 square kms of land area occupied. It is the world’s largest textile market, the country’s busiest port and contributes to 50 % of the national exchequer. What makes the city really great is that she gently nurtures people of different origins, religions, income levels, and cultures. The common thread that unites all this diversity is a dream of a better future. Every single person can find his or her little cozy corner in this ocean of fortune seekers, survivors and dark horses.

The greatest of all things of Mumbai has to be the attitude of Mumbaikars. As much as the place is cosmopolitan it still has a burgeoning middle class who wade through the day in teeming local trains, reeking slums, swarming traffic. In spite of the grind of daily life people are still as cool as cucumbers, laugh away the stress and keep gossip miles away.

Small-

However great the city is its still a small world. The roads still don’t seem to be big enough to accommodate the ever-increasing vehicle population. They are always chock a block and inching your way through it is a regular feature. There is such a small amount of clean and fresh air left to breathe.


There is such a small variety of flora and fauna left in the city. In the name of urbanization and development it has been systematically converted into a concrete jungle.

Deafening –

The fervour and zeal of the city dwellers is deafening. This becomes evident during the occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. Traditional festivals are a riot of colour. They depict the search for a soul and a need to reach our roots.

The endless hubbub of the vehicles on the road contributes to the already soaring stress levels. The constant honking noise, the din of generators and other machines simply contributes to the elevated decibel levels.

The threat of terrorist attacks and bomb blasts, whether in local trains or crowded market places can be horrifyingly deafening.

Feeble-

The city may be boisterous but it is contrastingly feeble also. The choking voice of a working mother braving crowds through a long journey in a local train to go home to a sick child goes unheard of. The voices of all the collective poor of the slums of Dharavi fall deaf on the ears of the bureaucracy. The exasperation of the pocket scrounging taxpayer, who gets very little in return for her hard earned money, gets ignored. The cries and pleas of all those victims of injustice are simply too feeble to be heard through the mounds of files in the law courts.

Awesome –

In many ways this archipelago of seven islands is truly awe inspiring. It is a natural harbour for great dreams and ambitions. It has nurtured so many self-made achievers. It is indeed a land of opportunity. The public transport system is one of the best in the country. In spite of numerous bottlenecks there is adequate infrastructure like electricity, water and power.

Grotesque –

The disgustingly wide income disparity is grotesque. I find it really ugly to see a spoilt rich kid driving a black money funded BMW car through some of Asia’s poorest slums without a driving license. It is a sickening to see the corrupt politician’s wife display all her jewellery at the slightest opportunity. It is indeed an unfair world to see the extent to which people go to get their children admitted into upmarket schools.

One can rant away endless opinions about this city. But for me she has taught me how to survive and move on. I came to the city on work soon after college. It meant a lot to me and my family – suddenly letting go of home (the safest place on earth) into the big bad world. The work culture is excellent; you will seldom find people shirking their responsibilities away. And in spite of all the imperfections the city is very safe, the crime rate being one of the lowest in the country. The employment market is booming with people seeking jobs in various fields. The enormity of the place would humble any body trying to throw a lot of weight around.

I share a love hate relationship with the city. I will be eternally grateful to all the invaluable lessons I have learnt. The city would make any body fiercely independent. This is probably one of those rare places that can humble you, challenge you, frustrate you, educate you, tire you and honour you all at the same time. I owe to this city, many moments of learning, fun, philosophy and gloom. The bickering and the kudos always identical in number. All said and done I miss Mumbai terribly and thank God for an eventful 20 month long chapter in the great city of survival and hope.