A Good Day

Mumbai. Different people describe this city differently. City of dreams, 'mayanagri', a city that takes in everyone are jus few of them. we have seen quite a lot of such descriptions on celluloid. Also when the city is attacked and the very next day people in the city are back to work. It happened on 26/7,11/7 and 26/11. They say the city bounces back quite soon.

But what is all this from the view of a bombayite(or shuld i say mumbaikar...lets leave that for some other post).

I, having been stayed in here for all my life always felt why is it that such a big deal is being made about people going back to the normal life. I got a satisfactory answer while walking my way on a busy weekday morning-afternoon on the busy streets of mumbai.

If you go on a stroll on one of the busiest road which is used by most top exectives of the top companies to go to work....u'll also find one of the poorer sections of the population on the very same road. they may be selling stuff on the signals, or may be having their own vada-pav and tea stalls, or may be serving as the watchman to the very same buildings, or may be driving for these executives,or may work as labourers in construction of buildings, or serving us in the udipi resturants. These people are mostly migrants. They come here leaving their home in search of greener pastures. They cannot afford to take days off at leisure. They are mostly on daily-wages. They have to send maximum possible money back home for the livelyhood of the family. They have to have to go for work.
Also you see people in the cars on these crowded road. AM sure all of them will be complaining about the traffic on the road so much so that on somedays it may actually be possible to reach on cycle earlier than in your luxurious four-wheeler.

While walking on the roads of the city which boasts of more than 1% of the country's population-about 1.2 crore by 2001 census- what can be the odds of meeting someone you know randomly on a road which is nowhere near your home or work. Just then I met a friend right there. So if you have been living in the city and socialize a bit, you will keep bumping into people you know when you are least expecting it.

Then I also went to BSE, the place on which India's Economy depends to a large extent. The richest people of the city or country are at those enviable positions because a lot is at stake in this building. Though now after so many security concerns this building is guarded like a fort but the area around the building is far from being opulent. Except for the extra security the area is just like any other area of the city - same bhelpuri wallas, same udipi restaurants etc.

On my way back home I reached from CST to home in abt 70 min. Got a fast train very soon with a seat to sit at 8p.m. then got a rickshaw soon at thane station with almost zero stopping because of traffic or signals.
Also if you have a walk on the streets of the city even after mid-night they are reasonably safe - definitely more than any other part of the country. In that sense Mumbai gives more freedom to its citizens than rest of the country.

So in all I had a really good day.Not just because of the above described but I realized how lucky I am to be born in a city like Mumbai and even more lucky to be born in a reasonably well to do family. Would especially like to thank my father for giving me such a wonderful life...Thanks PA...