A DILLIWALA IN AAMCHI MUMBAI

A DILLIWALA IN AAMCHI MUMBAI

What happens when a true Delhiite at heart, a lover of the local street food as well as rocking night fests, lands in a city that all say, never sleeps? Well, the following is what happened with me, a dilwali, in the heart of India’s financial capital, Mumbai.

I heard people telling me a lot that Mumbai is always moving, on the go 24*7, but I was there to experience it for the very first time a few years ago, when I got down from my train at the CST (Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) station with a sceptical mind, an apprehensive heart and eyes full of twinkling dreams; dreams that started nagging me even weeks before the planned trip.

Trust me on this, and all Delhiites would agree, I was ready to relentlessly be rejected by a dozen auto drivers before one agreed to drive me to my hotel. But the first sight I got on the street was of the vintage yellow and black taxis standing in a neat queue that I had seen only in the movies, all of which were ready to go anywhere I wanted.

It was late at night, almost 12am as the taxi moved towards my hotel. That was the first time I witnessed how lively the city was. It didn’t matter about the time that I entered the city, the electrifying energy that sparked out, amazed me in and out. But what is it that keeps this city awake when the rest of the country dozes off? Why is it that the land which turns fairytales and dreams into tangible realities never sleeps for itself? All this kept running in my mind as I readied myself to find the answers ahead of my time there.

My trip included long walks by the Bandstand, rejuvenating emotions inside the marvellous Mt. Mary Church, endless shopping strolls in the street jewellery hub – Colaba, the Fashion Street and the Linking Road, the reckless rounds of liquor in the plush Hiranandani, visiting the spectacular Gateway of India standing in its ultimate glory, playing with the beach sand amidst the vast stretches of deep waters at the Juhu and Aksa beaches and of course, galloping the lip smacking street food every now and then that the city offered.
But what flabbergasted my senses were the nights I spent doing absolutely nothing on the mile long boulevard that Marine Drive is. I sat there alone, around midnight, on the strong grey rocks right beside the huge Arabian Sea. Yes. And I have never felt this safe and free and enlightened before under the above circumstance. It was a short walk to heaven I felt.

We asked other Dilliwalas about their first time visit to Mumbai. Most of them shared a mutual feeling.

Niharika Parwal said, “My first time in Mumbai was when I was 3 years old and have been coming here since then. Mumbai for me is all about the sea, its high rise buildings and its street food. The vada pav is to die for and people are always ready to help. The weather is quite humid but you just can’t get enough of this city. I can bet that every delhiite falls in love with the place just like I did!”

Divita Bali, a young journalism student said, “Landing in Mumbai late night devoid of any letchy eyes staring right at you was the best feeling which one cannot encounter domestically more often. Taking an auto at 2:45 am and reaching my hotel without any hassle made me fall in love with the city. I was astounded as to how nobody was concerned about my dress sense. The city felt safe and being an Indian woman, it’s a rare feeling and I loved it.”

Ishan Siddiqui, an aspiring photographer and musician said, “Mumbai was quite a journey for me. I was baffled to see the endless population striving so hard to achieve something, anything in fact, and at a point when I thought I was drowning, I found myself, my space and standing. It’s not easy to survive in Mumbai, it hit me, broke me, I fell and cried but just when I lost all hopes, it helped me get back on my feet.”

“The first time I came to Mumbai, I was sick and couldn’t taste half of my food. Only thing I remember eating very well is the panipuri outside the Mumbai Central station. I ate three plates alone. That was good.”, recalled Aseng Borang.

Guneet Kaur, a first year under-graduate said, “When I first came here, all I saw was traffic and highly congested streets with no organization. An hour later, I passed the Marine Drive and the city truly felt like the city of dreams where people come from everywhere with aspirations of their own. The sea looked beautiful during sunset and I sat there for an hour just watching the waves. It was serene and peaceful.”

“When I stepped in Mumbai, all those amazing stories that I heard from its residents were struggling to prove true in my head. It’s a place that makes you feel safe and welcome. That was my first impression before the humidity, traffic and chaos. It’s the people that make me go back there time and again.”, recollected Sanya Khanijow.

There might be film stars staying at every corner in the city, but if you visit it with an eye of reaching deeper ends, you will find a lot of culture existing on the surface, more than what’s projected to be.

I got all the answers about this place. It’s the city which stands with arms wide open ready to adjust every person that aspires to make it big. The never say die attitude of the locals, the warmth with which they greet and welcome you, the enthusiasm in every smile you encounter, people crazy about getting a chance to struggle and be part of the city’s radiance and glamour and everything else makes you feel glad inside.

Mumbai is one of the busiest places in the country aka The Indian New York, but it’s that hustle bustle and the continuous moving about that gave me peace ironically; peace that makes me go back to Mumbai every year now. And even though it is love, Delhi is (love)2.