Mumbai as I see - “3 salutes to Mumbai”

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…

Train life in Mumbai, in itself is a story to speak about. I find people sometimes so hardworking, sometimes so crazy and sometimes feel bad for them. I ask myself, ‘They never get tired’? They chat and shop inside the local trains… Sometimes the women, begin cutting vegetables for the night, in train itself!!! Would you believe that? They even read novels standing in the overcrowded compartments.

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.

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.

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