Mumbai – a megapolis that attracts
thousands of people each day with hopes of fulfilling their dreams and
presenting opportunities. Thousands enter this maximum city with suitcases and
bagful of dreams - dreams of making it big, dreams of landing a high-paying
job, dreams of being independent, dreams to earn a livelihood, dreams of mere
survival, dreams of finding love, solace, life….. Awestruck by its fast pace, undying
spirit and give a damn attitude; the city soon makes these migrants its own who
go on to love Mumbai despite its traffic woes, pot-holed roads, filth and open
nullahs.
For an inhabitant like me who has
lived all her life here, I have this love-hate relationship with the city.
During peak hours; you absolutely abhor the over crowded trains, suffocating
compartments – be it first or second, the “you just can’t do without me
attitude” of rickshawallahs and sea of faces everywhere. However it is the same
crowded trains, sea of faces and rude rick guys who come to your rescue at 3am
not even once making you feel unsecure. I love to love-hate this city.
It’s a known fact that an individual’s
personality is the sum total of his/her heredity factors, culture, upbringing
and environment. I attribute a significant part of my personality to my upbringing
in Mumbai. For me, Mumbai is much more than a city of fair opportunities. It is
like a companion that constantly walks by your side no matter where the world
is headed to. It calms you down, soaks
all your worries and matures your every day with new experiences. You may be
experiencing the worst day of your life where you missed a promotion, got
stranded due to heavy rains, are late for an important meeting, stuck in
traffic, just broke-up and might be totally knocked out and de-spirited; when
far away the high decibels of nashik dhols give you this adrenaline rush that
pulls you back to the mad chaos and lifts up you up instantly.
As I bid adieu to this maximum
city; I will miss the loud honking trains that announces its arrival befitting
a king’s home-coming, the small nod that strangers exchange hinting the sight of
their daily locals, the frustration that fellow passengers engage in while
waiting in the long serpentine queues for a rickshaw, the sheer joy of sipping
chai and vada pav on a rainy day.
I will miss all this and more. Coz this is Mumbai – C’est la vie!!!
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