“Ei Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena
Yahan”
“Zara Hatke Zara
Bachke Yeh Hai Bambai Meri Jaan”
Eternal
lines from an eternal movie! These lines, besides being evergreen, had, more
importantly, picturised a cult image around the city of Mumbai. A city which was, is and perhaps will,
for a long time, be considered the ultimate symbol of consumerism, a city on
the move, a city that never sleeps.
Ever
since the song happened, much has changed. While Bambai or Bombay as it was more popularly known became
Mumbai, the city itself metamorphosed into a labyrinth of sorts! And, the
metamorphosis is still on, every day and every moment!
So,
what is Mumbai? What defines Mumbai? Why is there an aura around Mumbai and is
it really worth it?
Mumbai
definitely is not just another city, it is a statement in itself. There is
always something in the air, an under current of excitement and purpose. There
is no doubt that it lends a different meaning to the concept of city dwelling
but is the city itself responsible or the people living in it responsible for
this image. Rather who lent this image to Mumbai?
Mumbai
did not become what it is today overnight. Rather it was Kolkata which was the
commercial capital of the country before Mumbai emerged on the map. But over
the years Kolkata decayed and Mumbai prospered.
The
confluence of different people, with many enterprising amongst them, catapulted
this city as the economic capital. There was in place an invisible effect of
people getting into a work hard mode automatically. Perhaps, this was and is
still missing in other cities!
Economic
prosperity pull people, there is no second doubt on it but then may be Mumbai’s
identity rests only on its economic highs. The mills and factories flourished
and so did the rags to riches story of people like Dhirubai Ambani. May be the
city played a role but wouldn’t Dhirubai Ambani have succeeded equally, if not more, had he lived in any other city? But in mid of all this, Mumbai itself got
associated with this rise, just like the rise of many other such names. And
this association brought in many more wannabe Ambanis et al.
With
economy develops society and with society develops crime. While Mumbai even
today remains the safest city for the fair sex, yet it also has the dubious
claim of being the crime capital of India! The city produced names like
Haji Mastan, Karim Lala, Vardharaj Mudliyar and the biggest of all Dawood
Ibrahim. It became the refuge of small time criminals who found employment in
one and more underworld gangs operating out of the city. With rich economy and
industrialists galore, there was a regular source of income for such men
through abduction and kidnaps.
Of
course, Bollywood and its movies, with its full quota of high voltage dialogues
definitely worked as a catalyst in getting dreamy eyed people from across the
country either for testing their luck in Bollywood or find a sustenance. Bollywood
remains another highest point of Mumbai, lending it its character and attitude.
The silver screen has presented Mumbai in different avatars, which often
attract people.
I
have been in Mumbai for now over three months and every day as I look around
myself, I wonder if the city is inhabited by human beings or robots in form of
humans. Or how else could we understand this 24X7 madness, a never stopping
rush, a constant squirm to survive. Why is the city so impatient? Why are the
people living in this city so impatient?
Why
does the city live, eat and breathe by its watch. Why does the city refer their
watch for everything perhaps even for washing their teeth in the morning!
Yes
the lifeline of the city is local trains but isn’t it also a fact that a better
part of everyone’s life is spent in traveling in these trains! So where is the
fun? What is the meaning of a life where people get perhaps a few hours to
spend with their loved ones!
Why
is the city always on the move and does everyone even know their destination? Is
there any place in the city, where the robots actually remember that they are
humans after all and live the life as it should be?
A
strange spectacle greets the eye every day with the most modern cars on the
road outlined with slums. Big high rise costly apartments happily co-exist with
slums.
A
city where I fail to find a place where children can play and yet families keep
moving in by hordes every new day. Why?
A
city where the celebs and power-czars rub their shoulders and yet a large
population goes to bed with nothing more than a plate of vada pav as their
three meals. So what is so great about this city? Isn’t it a mere illusion that
Mumbai provides for all.
It is indisputable that the hype around the city pulled more towards it but I wonder that once people start living here, is it really so different from others but then Mumbai has two set of residents- one who are born and brought up in Mumbai and one, like the writer, who has come in recently (recently can extend till last 10 years). Maybe the city presents different meaning to both these set.
May
be there is something in the air which makes people accept Mumbai with all its
follies. Like a popular saying goes, Mumbai offers only two choices- either love
it or leave it but I am sure quite often people keep living without loving it.
Maybe
Mumbai is the eternal lover whom people just can’t leave behind. It is that
mrigtrishna which keeps pulling people towards it. Yes Mumbai is an Oasis for
it provides for many and yet it is a Mirage coz it always remains an illusion
to other many but whatever it might be, zara hatke zara bachke yeh hai Mumbai meri
jaan!
