Was facing a bit of a writers block for the past fortnight . Also along with it , was a slight sense of depression . Then , while humming " Under The Bridge " by the Red Hot Chili Peppers , inspiration struck . So here I am trying to expound on the mesmerising metropolis that is Mumbai . Here goes my homage to a city that can be explained by a million different people in a million unique ways .
Mumbai city , home to 20 million odd humans from just about every ethnicity across India . The life here hectic , fast , never ending , steadfast no matter what the time . The city itself is small , but its suburbs spread out in all directions like ripples in a pool of water . Mumbai is the "HUB" be it cultural , social or economic criteria . It also has a reputation for making dreams come true and due to this , Mumbai has often been labelled " Sapnon Ki Nagri " . Be it aspirations of a film career or just plain dreams of making it big in business , this is where it begins . People who are new here find the city disgusting , full of dirt and during peak hours , even claustrophobic . They cannot adapt to the crowds and the lifestyle here and that may leave a bitter taste in their mouths .
Truth be told , once you open up and let the city in , it grips your heart and you never want to go away . You don't mind the incessant noise , it becomes a distant chatter , you don't mind the dirt , you learn to avoid it and most importantly , you learn to live . There are some experiences you can only have here . Standing at marine drive during a heavy downpour looking at the sea , sitting at chowpatty relishing savouries , standing atop a terrace and seeing Ganesh Idols go for visarjan . These are just a few examples of the spirit of this city , and its exhilarating to experience it all . There is a multitude of places and experiences available on a platter in this great city . The museums , the art galleries , the Victorian buildings , the tumultuous crowd in Crawford market , the political rallies , Gateway of India , the Bandra Fort and innumerable things , big and small , that piece together the psyche of this soulful city . This is a city where you can find qawwalis and punk fusion metal in equal competition .
This is also a unbreakable city . Not in physicality but in the strength of its inhabitants . time and again its integrity has been tested . The city buckled , went down on its knees but didn't give up . No sir , it fought back and exemplified the meaning of true resilience . The 26/11 attacks and the train bombings are just a few instances that were designed to break Mumbai . But it persevered and it will till the end if days .
Even when i write this , i have a inkling that i have not mentioned a ton of things about Mumbai . But that's the thing about this city . It cannot be expressed in a article , a essay or even a thesis . Because its not just a place , its a part of us . Here , we don't live in the city , it lives in us . We are the heart and soul of the city and we keep our heads held high and carry the city on our shoulders . So that is what we tell people who come to us asking how to live in this chaos . We say " Don't just live , feel and love and live . "
- A proud resident of Aamchi Mumbai , a true Mumbaikar .
Mumbai city , home to 20 million odd humans from just about every ethnicity across India . The life here hectic , fast , never ending , steadfast no matter what the time . The city itself is small , but its suburbs spread out in all directions like ripples in a pool of water . Mumbai is the "HUB" be it cultural , social or economic criteria . It also has a reputation for making dreams come true and due to this , Mumbai has often been labelled " Sapnon Ki Nagri " . Be it aspirations of a film career or just plain dreams of making it big in business , this is where it begins . People who are new here find the city disgusting , full of dirt and during peak hours , even claustrophobic . They cannot adapt to the crowds and the lifestyle here and that may leave a bitter taste in their mouths .
Truth be told , once you open up and let the city in , it grips your heart and you never want to go away . You don't mind the incessant noise , it becomes a distant chatter , you don't mind the dirt , you learn to avoid it and most importantly , you learn to live . There are some experiences you can only have here . Standing at marine drive during a heavy downpour looking at the sea , sitting at chowpatty relishing savouries , standing atop a terrace and seeing Ganesh Idols go for visarjan . These are just a few examples of the spirit of this city , and its exhilarating to experience it all . There is a multitude of places and experiences available on a platter in this great city . The museums , the art galleries , the Victorian buildings , the tumultuous crowd in Crawford market , the political rallies , Gateway of India , the Bandra Fort and innumerable things , big and small , that piece together the psyche of this soulful city . This is a city where you can find qawwalis and punk fusion metal in equal competition .
This is also a unbreakable city . Not in physicality but in the strength of its inhabitants . time and again its integrity has been tested . The city buckled , went down on its knees but didn't give up . No sir , it fought back and exemplified the meaning of true resilience . The 26/11 attacks and the train bombings are just a few instances that were designed to break Mumbai . But it persevered and it will till the end if days .
Even when i write this , i have a inkling that i have not mentioned a ton of things about Mumbai . But that's the thing about this city . It cannot be expressed in a article , a essay or even a thesis . Because its not just a place , its a part of us . Here , we don't live in the city , it lives in us . We are the heart and soul of the city and we keep our heads held high and carry the city on our shoulders . So that is what we tell people who come to us asking how to live in this chaos . We say " Don't just live , feel and love and live . "
- A proud resident of Aamchi Mumbai , a true Mumbaikar .
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