The NewYork of India. Review on Mumbai

My pulse picks up dramatically whenever I land in Mumbai. It is so vibrant , that it cannot be described. There is an excitement everywhere that cannot be compared. The city is mystical.

Mumbai is a ‘typical city’ in the sense it is understood in the west: huge skyscrapers, business houses and department stores. It is the NewYork city of India.

Mumbai may not have much history or sightseeing places, except the Elephanta caves on an nearby island, the Gateway of India and some Museums like Prince of Wales ,Victoria and Albert Museum etc,.

But , it scores heavily over other Indian cities in many aspects.

1)Business Capital: Business is Mumbai’s Oxygen, everything else, culture, style, lifestyle is dictated by it .It is an undisputed commercial Capital of the country. It contributes to 40% of the India’s trade, has the largest stock exchange, contributes 35% of the income Tax,60% of custom duties and a fifth of central Excise.

2)Work Ethos: Work ethics govern the ethos of the common man in Mumbai. What I admire most is its people .The determination and resilience to overcome all odds is amazing. No wonder the city has so much success stories. For Example ,I recall during the bomb blasts in 1993,as soon as the news spread ,the Mumbaikars rushed to help the victims, but the next day the attendance in the offices was nearly 90%.Their zest for work is unparalleled in any other place.

3)An egalitarian society: It is possible to find a film star, an industralist and a common man socializing without any qualms about their social status. The flat systems allows everyone to integrate with one another .You know your neighbors …you are in and out of their homes.I have some fond childhood memories of the times I have spent here. It was here that I had my first girlfriend .My kya bolun bhidu?(What can I say ,friend ).I love Mumbai.

What is wonderful about Mumbai is its natural capacity for receiving people from all over the country, even the world for that matter. An outsider will never feel an outsider. They are friendly ,yet they know when to mind their business. No murkiness, no sleaze, no eagerness to please. I like their ‘tapori’ language “Apun to sala bindaas hai,Bhidu patli gali se photo le” .Oooh, I love it.

4)Entertainment: is Mumbai’s forte.It is an important center for the film industry-Bollywood-is a national institution. Multicusine restaurants offer fare from round the world but not just in five star hotels ;French and Thai delights are available for small budgets as well. Behind the Taj Mahal hotel, the picturesque tree lined streets lead to Colaba Causeway, a street full of frenetic activity has café’s like King Edward’s where fresh juice is a special delight or the enticing Kailash Parbat where the quality of Aloo Chat is unrivalled.

Mumbai also has one of the best pubs in the country. Indigo, Library Bar, Three flights Up, Copa Cobaana and the most happening ‘Fire and Ice’.

Like other cities Mumbai is also a city of contrasts.On the flip side;

1)Slum City :Beneath the larger than life film posters on the hoardings and the electronic advertisements for dotcom companies, you see the destitute lying down in rows.40 % of its population live in slums.

The single biggest problem in Mumbai is the jampacked roads and equally crowded public transport system ,not to mention the long streches of seemingly unending distances that people have to commute every day .Most of the places in Mumbai are unclean .There are huge dumps of garbage .The smell in some parts is unbearable, particularly if you are in the midst of a traffic snarl.

2)No space:Mumbai has no elbow room left .You have to jostle through the crowds that throng every public place. Flats are like rat holes. There is no space to keep pets or cultivate garden. Of course, you can stay in their hearts , there is a large space there.

Mumbai has very little greenery ,except for Bandra which is the only greenspot in the entire city .It has very few trees besides scraggy coconut and palm trees.

However, the city has much to offer :it is a colorful, charming ,energetic and a friendly city with many reasons to face the future with confidence.