Mumbai Fast forwarded >>>

Time doesn't stop for you. But time here moves at the speed of Usain Bolt!! The city never sleeps nor does it slows down. Be it in the times of floods, blasts or terrorist attacks. The last time Mumbai was in pieces was before the seven islands were merged to form the mega-metro!

Now... U just don't walk on the streets of Mumbai... You just cant. You are forced into the race against your will. One things that keeps it going are the local trains-the heart of traversing through the city. Isn't that an aspect( of keep going) we all need to embed in ourselves- which the मुंबईकरs already have in them?

P.S.: For the newbies in mumbai-"You run with the city o get dragged!!"

शुभ रात्री.

The Foreword: Mumbai of the Mumbaikars

Why just gold?? Mumbai gives it all.. from the chor bazar to hypercity,  from Bhandup's Gadhaw naka to the Crawford market, from the lively Dharavi to the glittering Bollywood, from khotachi wadi to Antillia. At a times it gives you glimpses of the starry sky and the next moment it drowns you in its engulfing terror. But Mumbai is not a showcase of mannequins.. It lives, it loves, it gets anxious, it gets petrified, its crumples to the ground.. then, it gets up, dusts itself and moves ahead with a big 'ठेंगा ' on the face of its critics.

Mumbai embraces you irrespective of your race, nationality, or any caste or creed. When the times comes to   give it back what it deserves, which cannot be anything less than love and respect, I cant think of any better way then 'IInd Class मुंबईकर '. IInd Class because Mumbai has its heart in its commoners and not in the glitterati. You'll find the real Mumbai in its IInd class daba and not the shining Audis and BMWs.

I was first introduced to this beauty by my father, who was  brought in Mumbai and stayed with her faithfully for 20 years till his destiny got him to Goa. My father had to leave the city but  the city never left him. For the next 30 years of his life, whenever he spoke about it, I never failed to see a gleam in his eyes, and I fell in love with Mumbai before I even visited her!! Though our acquaintance is just three meetings old, I feel I know about her as much as any मुंबईकर . So here I go...

Will be right back with my next post... शुभ  रात्री .