Of Reunions and finding your way...
Yesterday was a memorable day for more reasons than one. I made my first solo trip into London - changed trains at Victoria (another VT!), figured out the different train lines, changed 2 trains and didn't get lost too much. I reached where I had to go intact - which does wonders for my confidence! I am very pleased with myself!
Yesterday, I had a reunion with my father's sister and her husband after 12 odd years. They live in Canada, but in another of those amazing coincidences that my life is full of these days, they were on day one of their Europe tour at a time when I was in the UK. Amazing really! It was so good to be with them - I don't remember much of them because they left when we were little - but we've kept in touch over the years; and it felt like they've never been away... It was so much fun reminiscing about the years, stories about my childhood (and theirs) and how my first cousin (their eldest son, 3 mths my senior) and I were really a public nuisance when we were put together.... I have (fortunately) no recollection of the events that they insisted on relating, but it was fun to hear all the stories! Why can't human beings have a more vivid memory of what their own early childhood years were like?
It is such a different experience to climb into a train and not get jostled about; walk in like human beings instead of pushing and shoving like a pack of hyenas trying to get to a piece of meat (yeah). I think it speaks volumes for a city if a tourist can travel in a new place on her own without getting accosted most of the time. Imagine a tourist in Mumbai, especially a single girl, trying to get into a local train and I leave the rest to your imagination........
The sheer number of people in Mumbai is a big problem, but what about other basic courtesies for tourists (or locals)? Like an information desk with people who can actually give some information instead of staring lecherously at the women. Like brochures and leaflets that have maps, so women don't have to go to the creeps at the so-called "information" desk anyway..
If you're a man in Mumbai, you might not understand what the fuss is all about. But if you're a woman, you'll know what it's like to be in a new place and not know where to go and the only person to ask is a shifty looking character, shirt out, paan in his mouth and eyes that are so creepy. There's atleast one in every office. And definitely one at every tourist 'office'. And if you are a foreigner whose accent they can't understand, then God-help-you. Hope you have a good guidebook along. The Lonely Planet is a better alternative to a govt office. Really.
It's a safer bet to check with the tea-stall boys at the platform or a chana-wala outside. They're more focussed on their work and usually don't have time to be a nuisance.
I don't mean to rave and rant about my country and my city all the time - but I look at it and I just can't help feeling sometimes disgust and more often rage at how we treat our people - Mumbaiwallahs, tourists, "outsiders" - it's all the same. No respect, no courtesy, no dignity.
No more ranting.
You call yourself Mumbaiwallah but you have everything to say that bad/sad about Mumbai. Why dont you write a blog that says something good about how charming Mumbai is. Have you considered what London would be like if it were as populated as Mumbai. Be proud of Mumbai and they way daily life chugs along inspite of all the problems. Be proud of where you come from!
ReplyDeleteI have lived in these places London/Canada. Careful you might have actually see the day when you have to eat your words! :-) Shame on YOU!
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ReplyDelete@Anonymous : It's sad that you saw my blog that way. I write about Mumbai with a pride that's fierce - maybe if you read more of my earlier posts, you'll see what I mean. It's like what a mother might feel for a child who's going astray or falling by the wayside - you love the child so much, but you can't do anything, and while you can see some good qualities, you can only look at the bad points sometimes, because those need to be rectified. Much has been said about Mumbai's resilience, the friendliness, its people etc etc - but I've always focussed on mainly the civic point of life and how the Municipal Corporation takes the citizens for a ride, because I see what the city CAN be. I see the possibilities and the potential. It helps to make a noise on the blog. Atleast somebody does. Usually the grumbling gets lost in the trains and in the streets.....And that's a shame!
ReplyDeletePS : Have you ever lived in Mumbai? Try it sometime.
Born and brought up in Mumbai Missy!
ReplyDeleteDear Anon,
ReplyDeleteLucky you and me. Born and brought up in Mumbai. Lived in London/Canada. Love the city very much. So do you too see the possibilities of what the city CAN be and how it's upto ordinary citizens like you and me to make things better? Complaining does help, esp if it's in writing on the internet - from personal experience I can say that my blog has made SOME difference to some civic matters -and it encourages me to point out stuff which I think people just tend to accept as a part of daily life in Mumbai. We've got so used to the neglected state of affairs that we don't really expect any more than what's dished out to us. I'm only questioning that attitude. And doing something about it myself. I believe that while you can love something with a passion, you should be able to step back and take a detached look at what it's really like and help make a difference if you can , in whatever way if things can be made better. And yes, they CAN!!
This blog is my view of the Mumbai that I have lived in all these years. It may certainly differ from your view, as people living in different parts of the city see and experience it differently. And that's fine. That's what makes the island so special!
Dear MW,
ReplyDeletePerhaps all these critics who want to praise Mumbai so much, because they love it for its perfection, can write their own blog about Aamchi Mumbai. I'd love to read it. Let's see how many positive things one can say about the city without becoming repetitive. It's a great city, but as you say, there's a lot of room for improvement. Shame on those who chide you for pointing that out. The biggest part of any problem is pretending that there isn't one in the first place.
OK!!! let me explain. You recent blog had nothing to say about the system. you refer to refer to your fellow indians as being hyenas, the man behind the counter lechting at the women, the so called creeps at the information desk and lack of basic courtesies to tourists - have you even been a tourist in Paris or Quebec or for that matter London. They treat you like shit. Yet indians come back saying Oh! Paris/London was so beautiful. Are you sure this blog was about the system or did it smell of bigotry towards your own fellow indians.
ReplyDeleteI sense a hint of prejudice here. Ofcourse its awfull in Mumbai. but its the PARADOX of the beautiful, charming as opposed to the dirty, uncomfortable and scary that makes Mumbai unique. I still say at the end of the end of the Day. "Amchi mumbai, ghaanerdi mumbai pun amchi mumbai, premal mumbai"
Given the dynamics of Mumbai in any other part of the world, We would find strange similarities elsewhere too. think about it. :-). I apologise if i hurt your feelings. Its just constructive criticism!
Comment # 2 was a duplication of comment # 1 and hence deleted.
ReplyDelete