Bam-bai: the year that was

Alright. Since I ranted on so much when I moved to Mumbai, it’s only fair that I evaluate and record my thoughts about this hard-to-ignore city now that I have decided to leave it.

One year and my perception remains the same (not!). Have I resigned myself to the unacceptable filth and the sheer number of people the place holds? Not really. Have I acquired the Mumbaikar trait of ignoring all this and getting on with things with the nothing-can-daunt-me attitude? Sort of. Am I going to miss the place?

....

The happy outcome is I don’t at all regret moving to this city. It’s clichéd to say Mumbai is an experience. But only because it’s true. There is no other Indian city that I could have moved to which would have exposed me to a life and lifestyle that was quite a bit different from the one I was used to in my home town of Bangalore.

Delhi is not an option, for obvious reasons (forgive me all ye Dilli loyals), Hyderabad and Chennai aren’t much different from Bangalore, Calcutta – let me not dwell on the other aspects, to start with I wouldn’t have found employment in the city. So Mumbai it was. Once you live in Mumbai, you obviously realise you are not the only one to have made this evaluation of the most eligible city. And that accounts for the hordes and hordes of people, most whom live in the most unimaginable conditions.

Which logically begs the question – why do people do it? Hang precariously from the locals, travel for up to two hours one way to get to work, live in dingy, one room houses in shockingly unhygienic environs? What’s in it for them?

Money money money money and money. The financial independence this city offers, irrespective of the nature of your job, is truly one of its kind. No matter how destitute you are, Mumbai holds the promise of a livelihood for one, for all. It’s arguably the richest city in India, after all.

And not to forget the physical security one enjoys, in addition to the financial one. Unless you have allegiances to the famous world that is under, Mumbai is safer than most cosmopolitan cities. People have no qualms about plonking themselves on the side of desolate streets and camping the night or travelling from “town” to their suburban homes located hours away at any given time of the day or night.

But funnily enough, the city never promises you permanence. Everything is make shift – your home, your grocery store, you laundry wallah and even your job and favourite pub. Things appear and disappear before you bat an eyelid. And that could very well be true of the island of Mumbai itself which hangs precariously amid the sea.

And the biggest advantage of living in a populous city like Mumbai is every locality is self sufficient. A Thanekar has no necessity to visit Bandra unless s/he wants to and a Bandra resident never needs to go to Colaba, unless of course Mondegar calls.

So, in case you haven’t picked up on the signs, my locality is Bandra, most recently that is. I completely loved living here and of course I’m going to miss it sorely. The sheer accessibility of it all – pharmacist, grocer, laundry on call, tons of restaurants and bars lined up with NO deadlines, autos at 1 AM that bring you home for 12-15 bucks and the freedom to wear what you like without drawing attention – oh how I shall miss it all, especially in Bangalore. Much as I love my city, the deadline sure as hell has screwed it up. And of course the autorickshaw guys there are running a cartel.

Sigh....

Now for things I will NOT miss.

FILTH. That comes from the stark poverty you see within five minutes of where ever you are, no matter how swanky the location. And the way it shames you. The sheer economic divide that only seems to be getting worse. People are enticed by Mumbai, they arrive and are willing to do all sorts of menial jobs. So you have real estate being sold at criminal prices while make shift tin homes continue to balloon within 100 feet of the swish apartments.

The WEATHER. Hell, no! That will not be missed! No more fungus growing on your leather bags and jeans.

The TRAFFIC. It’s much worse than Bangalore.

The RENT. I can live like a princess in Bangalore for the amount of money I’m paying to live in Pali Hill.

So there, a fair picture of this insane city. I have learnt a lot from this place, that’s for sure. A silly little jam on Koramangala ring road during rains is not going to be enough to upset me anymore. When you have to be at work by 8 AM no matter how hard it pours and walk back all the way home from work because it'll save you time, you really get on with life. Mumbai has changed my perspective for the better and it’s given me the confidence of being able to survive in any other place!

And since the city has the knack of inspiring extreme emotions, nothing I have said is something that has not been said before. But here’s my love-hate relationship with this city for posterity.