I've known this city to an extent that I feel I belong here...ya the Aamchi Mumbai kinda spirit! Though a long-term resident of Bengaluru (thats wat they call it these days!), I have a special attachment to this place. I graduated, had my share of first love, discovered my passion for lifesciences ....all of this and more at this very city! So its not surprising the way I feel for it!
Not long ago I was exchanging emails with an acquaintance (I can refer to him as my friend now...) that I live in Mumbai and there came the response...
Mumbai?? Seriously, I have never liked Bombay!! I mean I have never been there, but then I see the humongous number of people there, and I go!! No way!! I can never survive in the place with SO many people!!
Actually thinking about it..the response isnt one bit exagerrated or for that matter a surprising one...I still remember the first day I boarded the local train to CST (then it was to collect college application forms!) man...It was nothing but Darwin's Theory in action...Only the fittest survive... Just that mumbai...or rather its people help u get to that mark..with their support and camaraderie (The fish vendors threatening to spill stinking fish extracts/juices on you if you dont create way for them in the teeming CST station arent included in this category!)
College days as always was fun here...From weekly visits to fashion street, linking road (these were monthly!), to the amul sandwich wala at Xaviers college, the Amraas at Haji Ali, the chinese dosawala at Ghatkopar...I've savoured it all. The cultural extravaganza at College festivals (Malhar/Hooner) still are still fresh in my memory. There used to be this diary farm my special friend and me used to visit for early morning chais...and samosas almost every other day.Recently (thats almost after 10 years) I had a peek look at that very place and boy...It now serves exotic flavours of icecreams and the delivery bhaiyas use paper gloves while handling the samosas.Its all done up and has the Works man! (as they call it!). I am sure to an extent that we are stake holders of this establishment...(having had hundreds of samosas and a thousand cups of chai...)
Now those were the fantastic fantasy days of college. Cutting back to reality...the Present.
I have had to cope with monsoon evenings wherein the entire system (nearly) collapses. People rushing from work to reach their homes safely; this 'rainophobia' mainly trigerred by the July 26, 2005 fury. People still are open to sharing their rickshaws and vehicles with other stranded co-passengers. Its a time when sex, creed or age matter the least!
I have been spared of getting on to the very train that had a bomb planted on it, thanks to a cancelled meeting. We've had to walk long distances to reach home in the midst of rain and anxiety over the serial bomb blasts.
We are not alien to the never-ending traffic woes; we have seen the rain fury, witnessed the deafening bomb blasts, still somewhere deep in our hearts we refuse to accept defeat. Thats a hard to find sensibility of the human spirit... the true legacy of Mumbai!
Saalam Mumbai!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Friday, December 1, 2006
Best part of the Day
The part of the day I love the most is undoubtedly the mornings. I have been an early bird to begin with by upbringing, then because of the early morning lectures at college and now by choice.
I nearly follow the same routine every morning. I wake up, brush my teeth still half asleep, walk across to the kitchen and put on a pot of water for tea. While I prefer the soothing therapeutic green tea, C loves the classic chai. I stand by the stove, relishing the morning calm and the rising sun from the across my kitchen window. There is something calming about this ritual of making a morning cup of chai. The dubbas for tea leaves and sugar are at hand and I can measure and pour with my eyes closed. As the aroma of the tea wafts from the boiling pot, I add a pinch of cardamom and slice of ginger. The satisfying wooshing sound of the tea boiling and rising up to touch the lip of the pot wakes me from my trance.
Now its time to rush for a quick workout at the gym. I enjoy gauging people's expressions in the wee hours of the day. Some gymmers let their feet talk on the tread mill, while a small set of still-sleepy friends have their gazes fixed on the overhead television set thats playing some weird music video. Then I also come across people...who appear beaming with energy ...all set to face the day in radiant spirit. Trainers are the busiest at this hour... waking up people from their slumber ..pushing you to do that one last set for the day...U need to be well-motivated urself to drive a dozen drowsy bodies to do the drill at dawn! I love the circuit workout as they call it...it lets u put most of your muscles to use...(a couple reserved for more pleasurable pursuits!)
Get back home to catch up on my Green tea and a couple of crisp Parle G biscuits (havent loved any other biscuit as much!) and the times of India. Not a time for an elaborate read though, a quick glance and am off to the kitchen again this time to put the breakfast basics in place. I could put another blog on planning the breakfast menu..(ya maybe some other time); I normally stick to a standardised weekly breakfast plan. While the plan is being executed (mondays - batting with upma, tuesdays - shapping up the idlis, wednesdays - smothening the dosas and the like!), its time for sweet nothings with C and my brat. I love the gleam in C's eyes when I demand the customary morning huggie! and the way my coochie-boo thinks hard (with slightly raised brows and enlarged eyes) when we talk about what he's going to do today at school. A nice bath, a recital of a standard set of slokams, binging on the breakfast...I am ready to take on the world (read that as emails, calls and meetings for the day!)
So its the morning hour that allows me to ...Meditate at the tea ritual, Energise at the gym, get worldly-wise with the newspaper, creative at cooking breakfast, naughty with C, positive with prayer and pampered by kutti papa.
Whoever thought about power-breakfast sessions..I care less..I guess I belive more in Power-packed mornings!
I nearly follow the same routine every morning. I wake up, brush my teeth still half asleep, walk across to the kitchen and put on a pot of water for tea. While I prefer the soothing therapeutic green tea, C loves the classic chai. I stand by the stove, relishing the morning calm and the rising sun from the across my kitchen window. There is something calming about this ritual of making a morning cup of chai. The dubbas for tea leaves and sugar are at hand and I can measure and pour with my eyes closed. As the aroma of the tea wafts from the boiling pot, I add a pinch of cardamom and slice of ginger. The satisfying wooshing sound of the tea boiling and rising up to touch the lip of the pot wakes me from my trance.
Now its time to rush for a quick workout at the gym. I enjoy gauging people's expressions in the wee hours of the day. Some gymmers let their feet talk on the tread mill, while a small set of still-sleepy friends have their gazes fixed on the overhead television set thats playing some weird music video. Then I also come across people...who appear beaming with energy ...all set to face the day in radiant spirit. Trainers are the busiest at this hour... waking up people from their slumber ..pushing you to do that one last set for the day...U need to be well-motivated urself to drive a dozen drowsy bodies to do the drill at dawn! I love the circuit workout as they call it...it lets u put most of your muscles to use...(a couple reserved for more pleasurable pursuits!)
Get back home to catch up on my Green tea and a couple of crisp Parle G biscuits (havent loved any other biscuit as much!) and the times of India. Not a time for an elaborate read though, a quick glance and am off to the kitchen again this time to put the breakfast basics in place. I could put another blog on planning the breakfast menu..(ya maybe some other time); I normally stick to a standardised weekly breakfast plan. While the plan is being executed (mondays - batting with upma, tuesdays - shapping up the idlis, wednesdays - smothening the dosas and the like!), its time for sweet nothings with C and my brat. I love the gleam in C's eyes when I demand the customary morning huggie! and the way my coochie-boo thinks hard (with slightly raised brows and enlarged eyes) when we talk about what he's going to do today at school. A nice bath, a recital of a standard set of slokams, binging on the breakfast...I am ready to take on the world (read that as emails, calls and meetings for the day!)
So its the morning hour that allows me to ...Meditate at the tea ritual, Energise at the gym, get worldly-wise with the newspaper, creative at cooking breakfast, naughty with C, positive with prayer and pampered by kutti papa.
Whoever thought about power-breakfast sessions..I care less..I guess I belive more in Power-packed mornings!
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