Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Salaam Bombay

A disclaimer: This post might sound offensive to some, but it is not intended to be. It only highlights my
jealousies and possessiveness. Bombay, at the end of the day, is open for all. So go ahead, have a good time.
A friend of mine recently told me that I have absolutely no tolerance for other people's opinions. The situation that merited this comment was that he disagreed with me on how milkshakes at Haji Ali were brilliant enough to be priced at exhorbitant rates.
I wondered for long after that incident as to what had made me react so strongly to so innocuous an opinion. And I realized that I don't really care about opinions in general and am not all that intolerant, but with regard to comments and opinions on Bombay, I am rather touchy. I take it personally when someone has something not so nice to say about Bombay. It hurts like some kind of insult to one's child. Or to one's parent. Or simply to something that belongs to one.
Because I believe that Bombay belongs to me. Additionally, it's a lot of jealousy stemming from the fact that people who have been in Bombay for a few days, or few months at best, are passing judgements and offering opinions on a city they barely even know.
For Bombay is not only about Haji Ali milkshakes and late night drives.
It is not about late night movies and all-night 5 star hotels.
It is not about Mondegars and Marine Lines.
It is not about romantic train journeys and sleepy book stores.
It is not about shopping excursions and expensive pubs.
It is not about petite dinner places and Colaba Causeway.
It is not about coffee shop fliratations or romances in theatres.
It is not about novel writers or their attractive words.
It is not about a blog entry or two on pretty Bombay.
It is not about fancy lights, good living and little adventures.

Those are fragments you see. But that isn't Bombay. Or that isn't all that Bombay is. It certainly isn't what you should love the city for and claim to love it, really.
Bombay is about hard work, hard-core professionals who struggle each day to grow.
Bombay is about utility, and an insignificant search for beauty by the side.
Bombay is about friends you may not meet for months, despite them living 15 minutes away, and catching up with them after years as if nothing happened.
Bombay is about owning, about dreaming, about demanding and winning.
Bombay is about suffering the sun and relishing the rain.
There are areas between Bhayander and Bandra, you know.
Bombay is about trains that have a purpose.
Bombay is about valuing everything you get, because you have worked bloody hard to get it.
Bombay is about bearing it with a grin.
Bombay is about walking on the beach with that boy you love, fingers interlocked, in moments stolen away from life.
Bombay is about a dissatisfied lower class, an over-worked middle class and an enterprising higher class.
Bombay is about living and struggling and loving every day.
Bombay is about a mystical attraction that pulls you and runs through your veins for every day, till you die.
Bombay is about giving a part of yourself up because you love the city so much that you will give it anything it demands.
It is about you and me and some memories.

Bombay truly is about the beauty of living every day of your life in that city, about learning to love it with its flaws and because of them. While all the beautiful touristy things one may see and like might be a brighter shade of the ever-tempting Seductress, that isn't all she is about. And it is very hard for me to listen to people talk about her so.
Perhaps all this on my part is plain and simple jealousy. In 3 years, I have spent exactly 4 days there. What right does anyone else have to be there when I am so near, and yet not there?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

this post is beautiful, i thnk what you've written here is absolutely true. eloquently expressed too (i hope it hasn't been plagirised!). this is the first time i've really liked something you wrote.

Bhavya said...

Hmm..thanks.
Plagiarized?! Err..no..I usually indicate when I'm quoting something on the blog.
Nothing else I've written merits liking haan? :) Anyway, I'm glad you liked this.
Yep..it's true. That's what Bombay is about. You from Bombay?

Anonymous said...

I didn't say nothing else 'merits liking', i just said this post was really good.
And yeah im from bombay, but im not staying there anymore. Miss it like hell though. Your post just stirred up some nostalgia

Bhavya said...

Hmm..yeah I miss Bombay too (as is rather evident, I suppose) :)

Where do u live now?

A ditty said...

i like. feeling oozing out. i like. also understand...have moved just the way you have

Bhavya said...

Yeah..can't take Bombay out of someone who's lived there, can you?

Anonymous said...

in philadelphia for the next few months, btw im a different anonymous from whoever posted in your latest post

Bhavya said...

Yeah..I know that. I know who the anon in the latest post is.
Lemme guess..you're an engineer..? Out of curiosity..Why do you post anon when I so clearly don't know you?

Anonymous said...

no actually im a doctor (only almost all the indians here are engineers). im doing an externship here. As for the anon posts, well i always prefer if comments on my writing are anon- makes them more honest. things aren't always as clear as they seem, by the way. you think i found your blog by chance?

Bhavya said...

Externship..? Sounds cool. I've only done internships so far :)
Well, yeah..I do agree that comments are more honest when posted anon.
Not always as clear as they seem? Hmm..what do you mean? Do I happen to know you? I don't think I know any doctor who has graduated from Bombay (my batch from school and college should still be studying med in Bombay), much less one working in Philadelphia..so I do think you found my blog by chance.