Yeh hai Mumbai meri jaan……….
Mumbai is entirely mechanical and yet we call it a city of dreams. Struggle- that’s one thing about this city; it makes life very difficult for you. But then it is only in our difficult times that we see our dreams the most clearly. And this is what Mumbai gives you- a DREAM!
Mumbai is in many ways just another name for fun, enjoyment and life. If you want to see the real Mumbai, the best thing you can do is travel in a local train. For any non-mumbaikar who does not share much similarities with superman, the first local train journey is an adventure. To get an idea of this adventure it is sufficient to study the morphological characteristics of the trains with flooded compartments and people clinging to its doors and windows with a grip much better than that of gorillas.
If you are a gourmand like me, then not visiting the khadau gali is as good as missing and Indo-pak finals for the sake of some boring saas-bahu serial. Every vendor in there wears the typical Saif Ali Khan I-bet-you-can’t-eat-just-one sort of expression. You go to any vendor and he proves it!
Mumbai is a fashion crazy city. Something you can make out by visiting the fashion street. I remember once on my visit to fashion street, I saw a torn-from-all-sides gunny sac like thing in one of the shops. It looked as if it had been given to an angry child with scissors in hand; something I would have not taken even if it was free. To my astonishment, a girl who seemed to have paid too many visits to the khadau gali bought it for a 100 bucks! Then trying to fit herself in the only mirror in a shop said “ Oh gosh! This jacket’s so cute!” Now that’s really crazy!
But this is not all that explains the true Mumbai. Behind this freaky happy-go-lucky face of Mumbai, you discover a life which is achingly human, a life which personifies courage. Behind the business like attitude of every Mumbaikar you discover a big heart and a spirit which makes him stand for others when circumstances demand.
Each Mumbaikar in his own way proves that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to face it!
Saluting the spirit of Mumbai.......................
-KETKI