What comes to your mind, when u say, “Mumbai”?
For those who have not been to the city…
It’s either the most
happening place in India'... a place
full of crimes... a city where
people have an attitude... the place
of Bollywood... polluted city... city with zero security or
anything that doesn't define the city as a whole…
For someone who has been there, it’s mixed feelings…
It may be a place where u
get everything and for some it may be a place u get everything but happiness... For some it’s a city that never sleeps and for some it’s the most secured place, for some
it’s a place where people don’t have
time to enjoy life, for some it’s a place
where all dreams come true, for some it’s a city with never ending problems... a city blessed by Goddess
Mahalakshmi, a developed
city for some or a noisy city for some,
it’s a city which makes travel
easy and for some it’s just the
opposite, some call it beautiful and
some call it dirty… It just goes on and on…
What more can explain Mumbai better than the song of 1950's "Ae dil hai mushkil jeena yahan..." sung by the late Mohd. Rafi.... The only thing that comes to my mind now is that the song makes complete sense even in this decade...
The Mumbai I have seen, is a city little different from the
rest… Many others would believe so too and have not found a way of
expression… I am giving a try to put my ideas into expression.
Born in Mumbai and brought up in Coimbatore, I would call
myself more belonging to Coimbatore than Mumbai. The lifestyle and values I
developed as I grew, is that of Coimbatore’s. Mumbai had to welcome me again, post my marriage…
Mumbai was not new to me. It didn’t fail to make me feel at
home, anyway. I didn’t miss Coimbatore, except for its people. I had all the
facilities needed to make a good life.
I enjoyed living every moment, Mumbai
had to show to me. A city where anybody
would feel at home I would say. One would never feel out of place in Mumbai.
Being a metropolitan city, Mumbai has people of all status, castes and culture.
"Everything about Mumbai has got to be great." Be it Ganpathi
or Diwali or New Year or just a Sunday. Mumbai is fun and has lots to tell you
and give you. If only you could see and listen to them…
Ganpati is one festival worth watching Mumbai
celebrate. People’s devotion and belief in the Lord just keeps growing. The
long queues and waiting for long hours is not going to stop them from seeing their God. It’s when, devotees of all ages and class come together to get darshan of their
favourite lord. They just don’t want to
send Him off from their home for immersion. The music “Jaidev jaidev jai mangala
muthi...” is so very invigorating… The dance and processions and prasads and but of course
the different kinds of Ganpati statues are all just more than revelation for
eyes…
Can anything be a greater
celebration?… Salute to the devotion…
I would term the Mumbai working wives as someone with super
natural powers. They cook food for their family in the morning and start to
their offices, change buses and trains and go in the overcrowded transports and
slog at office. They come back home and finish their work at home and then
go to bed just start the cycle again next morning… It’s just so easy for them
to narrate their daily activities, they do it with so much ease. I wonder how they are able to be so and they would wonder at why I am
so wondered at them… :) So mechanical and
yet they are happy and ready to go on the same way, lifelong. The ladies run to
catch their trains, fight for their spaces, stand on footboard and reach office;
they come back to do a hundred other jobs at home. They just manage to make
time for everything… Ufff…. It is not something impossible, but when I tried, I failed. In the beginning, I couldn't manage to even step into the train, but through a month’s time I became an equal opponent to all, to
fight to get in… Only the fittest can survive in these… And if you are not, this
life will teach to become one too… :)
Hat’s off to all those
people making a happy life out of such a hectic schedule… Salute to all those
working wives… They really set an example to show the world the limit to which a human body can exert itself…
Speaking about the culture difference; in many small cities, considered to be a traditionally inclined, temples are mostly visited by the priests and elders only.
'Temple' for me; is a place where you need to rejuvenate your mind with all good thoughts, finding the better you and believing in the existence of God as the better you, in you. It’s just not a place just to dress up traditionally and visit, see some known faces and act like belonging to the cultured world.
Speaking about the culture difference; in many small cities, considered to be a traditionally inclined, temples are mostly visited by the priests and elders only.
'Temple' for me; is a place where you need to rejuvenate your mind with all good thoughts, finding the better you and believing in the existence of God as the better you, in you. It’s just not a place just to dress up traditionally and visit, see some known faces and act like belonging to the cultured world.
In cities down south, I have seen very less middle aged people or students visiting temples. Even if they, it would be to just satisfy their parents' wishes. People living there may have the perception that Mumbai would be a place with zero culture and youngsters living is such a city would be arrogant and demanding. But I beg to differ; I have felt it’s just the opposite.
There are more of children and students visiting temples and even following the morals and values set by our ancestors. College goers never fail to pay their respects to the lord, whether they come in jean or skirts or shorts, and just to request Him for a pass mark in exam or for a better career or just win their love... Reason be any; but they at least don’t forget to worship the Almighty.
There are more of children and students visiting temples and even following the morals and values set by our ancestors. College goers never fail to pay their respects to the lord, whether they come in jean or skirts or shorts, and just to request Him for a pass mark in exam or for a better career or just win their love... Reason be any; but they at least don’t forget to worship the Almighty.
May be people in small cities don’t bother much about the changes happening in our culture and tradition, hence don’t bother to pass their values to their children. Mumbai, being a place with changes happening every minute, I was surprised to see the culture still intact…
Something to learn from the city… Salute to the still intact culture…
The other small things like crazy shopping and big malls and
opportunities to rise professionally and financially also do make a difference in
living in Mumbai, which depends on every person’s perception…
There are still more to explore about the place…. Like I said,
it’s a place which has lots to say…
Mumbai is place every
person should definitely visit or live in for a while, because you learn a lot about yourself there;
be the learning tough or easy…
Sharing my beliefs and ideas having no offense to others',
Shwetha
Sharing my beliefs and ideas having no offense to others',
Shwetha
