My first few days with Mumbai...
I had never dreamt in the dreadiest of my nightmares that i will land up in mumbai for job, for i was so scared of this city owing to what newspapers write and and what i had always heard of, But sometimes as they say, Destiny plays its part.
So far so good, this is what i can sum up as of now, though i could really find certain things that are highly appealing and interesting here.
and as my friend told me --
and as my friend told me --
"I will either stick to Mumbai or will never ever see this place again".. Who knows what is in my platter.
My first day: -
Early in the morning, glancing across the clarity of glass, enjoying rains from the 11th floor of an apartment. Yes I am inside for balconies here is a concept forgotten long back :)..this is where i encountered the mundane: Space Crunch, but again this would not imply crunch in availability of space. In a small 1BHK of a decent apartment a complete family can dwell happily :)...so not a crunch in moral sense.
I am here at my di's place as i am still "be-ghar" ..house hunt is on. Either i dislike the place, or the owner refuses or the roomies not available. Owing to all these simple excuses i am staying at her place shamelessly. Everyday Mumbai reaches out of its home to reach their DAFTARS..yes this is one thing that i have always heard "mumbai kabhi rukti nahi hai"..yes witnessed this truth and amazingly everybody is so strictly following this very simple funda. There is one thing that amazed me and that connects everybody around here..that is commonness. This is one place where i have seen people craving for uniqueness and yet plunged in their similarities and being common. They are not sorry of being part of a crowd, instead they are proud of it. :)
A very simple rule of being happy ....
My story continues: -
As each day passes by, I witness the simple truths that i have either heard as dialogues in famous bollywoods- "Mumbai kabhi soti nahi". 11:00 clock in the night, coming from lower Parel to Thane local station, a long queue that actually took U-turn to form a replica of it making the waiting time more than double. Sorry i forgot to mention, this long queue was waiting for their turn for Autos :D. Yes first time ever in my life i saw this much discipline for a relatively austere means of transport and that too after
encountering the Locals. I might not understand the station for i am also cursed with the female's biggest drawback of being geographically challenged, my friend took me to General Dabba of local. imagine how did i get into it..... First local we missed to make me familiar with how poeple are gettin in and may be because of the traumatised look that i gave when people were trying to board in. :D. I admit i was. For second local i somehow gained that courage and some and a magical push (it was through the crowd :)) dragged me
in and so my frie nd. Earlier i was quite conscious for being the only girl amidst hundreds of stinking men, yes you read it right stinking. In 5 min, i just realised that none of them is even bothered if a girl is standing there. That was a feeling of WOW !! Being a female, i can definitely say that any girl would just love this feeling of not being eyed upon in such a big crowd, Best part of Mumbai..yes again i admit,,,i just loved that WOW feeling. Within a moments of my comfort i asked my friend to shift a little bit towards door to allow my nasals to breathe some of the fresh air particles. Did you just notice what time i was referring to 11:00 clock in the night and yes train was completely full, to which my friend told me its normal...u see in the peak hour, and i
was simply awestruck :OThat "dhad-dhad-dhad-dhad" of train was actually seeming musical in the darkness of night creating a rhythm, and i started enjoying that local ka ride (though i still will not go
alone, until i have a friend with me :D).
Few days later...
Finally i got a "chhat"...a so called home...that actually is bit less than my previous one because the one is Pune was smaller but full of laughter, chit chats, friendly abuses and a we like SHOR was there that made me feel lively in a home away from home.
People ....this is what maketh Mumbai.... people in hurry, people keeping patience, people helping each other..actually there is such a big population that you can't miss any variety :). language, culture .....but all are mumbaian from heart. Sometimes it feels good also if you find people with such throbbing nerve, a craze for something for that matter they call it their "Swaabhimaan"...and i respect it.
After some more days....
One thing that i am still missing here is "Apnapan"... Pune is also not my hometown, but i can so easily relate to Pune as "apna pune", may be its too early to comment, because i am still in quest and may be because of that inherent fear that is preventing me from socialising much and making friends. I will wait fot the cceptance till i get it.
tahayyur-e-waqt
tahyyur-e-shaksh
tahyyur-e-shaksh
tahayyur hai ham !!!
aaine mein dikhta shaks kuchh badla sa lagta hai...
ye hum-shakl bhi ghair andekha sa hi lagta hai..
maanind nain-naksh mein tahayyur-e-jazbaat hain....
Aaaah...after one year..
the first day in capgemini...9th Aug 2010..a confused face and a heavy file but luckily escorted with a dear friend and thus seemed no worries... then there was a period of frustation of emptiness and hollowness around for the heart was still in the old times and physically i had moved to a new location.... then work and more work and very hectic schedules (loved this period)....and then a lean period followed and i am an unemployed employed (not liking being idle :()... and there is Mumbai in my breaths now :) yes it is...
I am now quite accustomed to Buses, trains, autos, meru, easycabs....yea i can now move in this place....
I still long for Pune from deep inside (it was my first love..i had bestest of my moments there). One day when "i am rich" i will buy a "chhat" in Pune.... i know Pune is in my nerves now....and Mumbai is settling to my breaths.... given a choice i would not leave the place....though i will add to one more to the unwanted crowd for local guys here but i dont feel the place is some other for me..I feel like i belong to this place... (and believe me i will do no harm to your culture or will pose any insecurity to your jobs, i will stay as a good citizen, witnessing, acting and reacting and yes there is something bad about you as well... your rigidity...may be one day i am able to crack this nut and make you realise the sweetness of assortment). but again must say despite the rigidity in minds and beliefs, Mumbai Potpourri does exist in deeds..
I was an atheist turned to an agnostic and after knowing people here i know why mom stressed on "Dharma-Karma", what "Shraddha" means ...... suddenly i am realising things....suddenly i am a transformed person.....suddenly i am grown up (obviously it seems to be an over hyped statement here for the lack of facts and evidences but its true).
After this whole long year...i have accepted the place (though Pune remains my first love), but it is still a question to me ....have i been accepted here (Maharashtra)... ???
I get no answers... :(
One thing i really want to remark - "I am not loosing my originality, my individuality. I am just enhancing myself".... Same applies everywhere..Wish i could break the rigidity.... as I have broken mine.... Mumbai brought me closer to God.... to real....to myself (1 year of loneliness --- quite a good teacher).
What's next for me ???? let's see.....
