I Am Mumbai

Two decades ago,I left my parents8217; sprawling mansion in a posh part of south Delhi to live in grotty PGs,hostels and miniature flats just to make a move to Mumbai. Simply because on one impulse holiday I discovered purely by fluke the secret to life in Mumbai. The city is polite,to a flaw. Specially to us. Mumbai opens doors for its women and always pulls a chair out for them. This city has the greatest female work force. In offices,in stores,on the streets you dont even look at a woman twice. Because she is as much part of the cityscape as the next man. Here you dont have to worry about lewd comments and eve teasing. Sure,there is the odd incident,but my wardrobe has nothing but nano shorts and LBDs and I have never been harrassed on the streets. My stories about Delhi and its male chauvinistic pigs would make your hair stand.

I am often told the reason for this,is not that Mumbai minds its Ps and Qs,it just stems from a larger indifference. Mumbaikars tend to keep their noses out of other people8217;s business and show no inclination to playing happy extended families. Lets be honest: most outwardly happy families have an inner Monsoon Wedding theme playing through them,so that kind of bonhomie is not something you really want. Respecting boundaries and space is actually a wonderful way to live. It allows people to grow as individuals and build relationships based on equality. Perhaps Mumbai arrived at this conclusion by chance. Whatever the reason,no other Indian city has acquired this sheen of good behaviour. The joke amongst us Mumbaikars is that perhaps other cities too would adopt this live and let live attitude if they spent the kind of time we do in traffic. A great equaliser,by the time you get from point A to B think one hour for every 10 km you are too tired to care if Mrs Kumar is getting over friendly with the courier boys!

Mumbai is also well-mannered enough to pay all of Indias bills. Need I remind you all that 35 per cent of the countrys taxes are paid by us? My city is one of the reasons this country functions. We get to work on time,come rain,more rain and still more rain. Other cities get a slight cloud burst and they collapse. Our trains stop,our streets get flooded,we wade through waist-deep water and accept fungus on our walls as part of our annual four month-long monsoon routine. Instead what does Mumbai do? It works it. And how.

If my city has a rude side,it is how shabby she has let herself become and no amount of superficial coating can hide that. But even that is admirable. Honesty,after all,is the best character flaw you can have. Tell the truth even if it hurts. Mumbai does that,so you are never lured to the city under false promises. And yet people throng to this tiny island,knowing that once they land,she will bestow her largesse. Every day you hear a rags-to-riches story. If you are willing to do the time,you are paid. In kind and by kindness. Which is why in this country you are only a success if you make it in Mumbai. And don8217;t believe anything anyone else says. They are plain and simple jealous and that is just unattractive pettiness.

The funny thing is that the rest of the country always gloats when a report rubbishes Mumbai. When the latest Economist Intelligence Unit8217;s Global Liveability Survey of 140 cities revealed its results,other Indian cities crowed. They behaved as if it were a personal victory,a battle well fought and won. We didnt react. We were busy. Mumbai may be squalid and derelict,cramped and unliveable,but it has a big heart. So come to Mumbai meri jaan and we will move over and make some room. And you don8217;t even need to say thank you. We live in Mumbai. Thats all the thanks we need.

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