"Bombay is beautiful, not for its buildings for most of them hide squalor, poverty and dirt; not for its wealth for most of it is derived from the blood of the masses; but for its world-renowned generosity. Bombay’s charity has covered a multitude of her sins. She has enabled India to keep her promises" —Mahatma Gandhi
Wow ! Now this is somethign new about Mumbai --- interesting to read that the Mahatma also thought this high about mumbai. He is still right about the dirt & grime though !! Was it this dirty even in the Mahatma's times??
Which brings me - an immigrant to this city of last 6 years-to dwell upon what ticks me (on)/(off) about this 'city of dreams' - Vikram Chandra and Sharada Dwivedi notwithstanding !
a) M in Mumbai stands for Maida - one look at the vada pav (ok, the pav of the vada pav), Vibs and all the breads jostling for space both at the supermarkets and local grocers make u, feel, very ‘gastric; apart from the ‘spice’ of the potato filled mixture, nothing else seems to be of nutritional value !! ok, we do have the brown bread et al.. but, isn’t brown bread in india made by adding colouring, and not reducing the gluten content … Having said that, am prepared for the day Jumbo Vada Pav enters the gastronomic dictionary of my little one, and she pays obeisance to rasta food .. Health given a toss out of the window!
b) Next has to be the local – Mumbai’s lifeline – even beats the reliance , BSES, BEST power !! Although runs on the same. Much has been rendered on the ubiquitous mode of transport for all men (and women ) alike – a Dalal street broker from Borivili would share the space( or the lack of it) with a very ‘uppish’ , ‘snootish’, Bandra boy who prefers his branded clothes rather than rasta maal !! And about the ladies' compartment... well, it wouldnt fill this space , what with all the jealous pangs, and uski-sadi-meri-saadi-se-acchi-kaise-hain looks!!
c) Which gets me to ponder on the great north / south divide. Hell ! no. Am not supporting Raj Thackarey or his misgivings on the North India pooulation. Am talking about what Sion, Mahim divide between the auto driven and the more expensive ‘cab’ driven population. Does that mean that South Mumbai is not to be polluted with the fumes of the unassuming autos? Is this divide confined to the vehicles or even to ‘townies’ as they prefer to be called. A resident with a sea facing apartment in Marine Drive is much higher in ‘societal valuation’ than one living in similar sea faced apartment in say ‘ bandra’ , which is in turn higher than one with a sea facign apartment in , say, Gorai? Is the sea different ? Or does the proximity to ‘town’ matter that much? Isnt this a charade or what? ( and by the way, never mind the harbour trainwallahs, or those on the harbour suburbs- they are yet to ‘evolve’ on planet Mumbai !! )
d) And the plastic clips – wow !! Seemingly dangling like butterflies in every hue and colour, these are the 3rd (or 4th) most important paraphernalia of mumbai’s life. Tagged to the highest balcony (that’s a misnomer again), these appear like flags, and once they slip out and reach terra firma , you may be at arms with ur neighbour segregating your undergarments J
Till the next quote by the next Mahatma, ciao !!
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