STRAIGHT FROM HEART-Mumbai miracles...!!

A lot has been already said and described about Mumbai, through  songs and movies dedicated to this magical city, articles, photography,  speeches etc. We all know, actually it’s like a fact now,” Mumbai is a city of dreams”. So what’s special about this city which makes people from all over the world to admire it so much? Honestly speaking, I never liked or loved the city so much.  I was already too floored by my hometown Lucknow, that there was no space whatsoever left for any other city in my heart. I tried hard but I must say, Mumbai has its charm. It waded its path through thick and thin and slowly captured this small heart of a 20 year old girl hailing from a so called “small town”,(technically Lucknow is a state capital and cannot be called as a small town but I while comparing it with Mumbai regarding a lot of factors still consider it to be a “town”).Though this entire process took a significant amount of time for Mumbai  to share my heart’s space with the memories and affection I have and will always have for my hometown.

                    In spite of various limitations and hardships like, crowd, overflowing population, terrible and deadly monsoons, poor infrastructure, and huge distances within the city the most important factor which made me love this city are its people, the Mumbaikars. You know however bad your journey is, if you get good company, still the journey becomes worthwhile. You almost tend to forget the negative aspects and start going with the flow. Same happened with me. Mumbaikars are the most welcoming, honest, helpful people I have ever come across. However issues parties like ShivSena and MNS bring along and try to create bridges and gaps between people but still the spirit of Mumbaikars is worth adoring. This city has a mixture of cultures, it welcomes all, it opens its doors for all and one, whether you are a Maharashtrian, a Gujarati,  a Marwari,a Tamil , Telegu, Malyali or a UPite or Bihari for a matter of fact. The differences created are just for namesake, these differences are not there in people’s heart or in their minds. You slowly and steadily tend to adapt to the fast lifestyle, the overflowing roads during monsoons, the dirt around, the portholes filled roads. It all just becomes the part and parcel of one’s life and you just don’t mind it any longer.

                    The city is really safe for girls. Unlike other metros, like Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata etc(I have just been to these cities as of now) it does not have problems of eve teasing ,vulgarity, being highly unsafe or language constraints. The most important thing I noticed is that men in Mumbai treat   women with respect. They take them at par, and don’t look down upon them unlike in north where a women going outside her house is scrutinized by several eyes. The work culture is really intense. People are extremely hard working, and besides work it has whole lot of choices for those who want to enjoy their lives. You are free to do anything, chose any path, do whatever you want. You will not be questioned why you took Arts in your HSC rather than science, why you took singing or writing as a profession rather than banking or finance(It happens in my side sadly).What I noticed is that ,though other people(especially people who have been  to Mumbai form my side, i.e UP)complaining that no one is hardly bothered about anyone in this city and as I was made to have preconceived notions about this city that it’s a big bad city where no one is concerned about anyone or anyone’s life I would simply like to tell them that the way you think or perceive is wrong. Mumbaikars will not unnecessary interfere in your life, but yes unlike those shallow people who just interfere and do nothing when you need a real help they will always be their standing for your rescue. That definitely does not make them indifferent at all.

       People say that they come with dreams in this wonderful city but I will say, I never ever had a dream. The sky scrapers don’t scare me anymore, the twisted roads and paths don’t make me feel lost any more and the most important fact I don’t feel they way I used to feel anymore. I love marine drive, the peace the serenity there, the crowd at Colaba, the busy office goers at Churchgate, my college at Parla, the never ending and vast Andheri,and Mumbai’s life line the local trains. This city made me learn to see dreams, to follow peruses and achieves them. It made me believe that yes I have something, something special in me, made me feel different and now when I look back down the lane I would say, Mumbai gave me my aim, something fruitful that I can do, it strengthened my believes in myself and persuaded me to change,  change for a better future, a better life.