Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Ek saal baad...

Last year, to the day I was sitting twiddling my thumbs at the departure lounge of Delhi's Terminal 1A waiting for my Indian Airlines flight to take off. It never did, so the entire sho-sha put on by the Snake and Double T, including mala's and all went to waste. I eventually left Delhi two weeks later. Both my father and my step-father had gone to Bombay on 26/07/2005 morning for a day's work, they were both supposed to be back in the evening, they both returned three days later. My dad who was interviewing a Bollywood superstar spent six hours getting from Mahalaxmi to Bandra. Most of my friends were fine, but some of them had to walk on the roof of cars to get home that day, at least they had power at Pali Naka.
Today, a year on I happened to go to Kalina. It was bright and sunny outside, autos and BEST buses were jostling with each other on the roads and the smell of half-burnt hydrocarbons filled the air. Everything seemed normal. But since last July, civic facilities haven't become dramatically better, sure some roads her and there have improved, but somehow you do feel that a bad rainshower will bring this city to its knees again. That said, 950mm would have brought any city in the world to its knees.
But since 26/7/05 we've had 11/7/06. This city deserves better. Much better! I will miss Bombay when I leave eventually, because I know I will never call this city home like millions of other immigrants - I love this city at so many levels but its attitude and its people above all. Yet, you just can't live here for too long. Something about living in a city like Delhi, despite its myriad of problems spoils you. Godammit, I miss parks and gardens and trees, wide roads, things like that - infrastructure basically.
This city deserves so much better, and I hope to god it gets it. Bombay is not Shanghai, it ain't London or New York. It is Bombay, don't ever forget it!

Technorati Tags : India Bombay Mumbai

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I completely agree. There's are many things i love abtthis city, the sea, the air around Colaba, the way people are so busy doing their own thing they dont bother u (much).
But delhi, its home. Its beautiful and wide and open and you can breathe. Here, sometimes, you can't.

Anonymous said...

great post! i've been to delhi once in my life for 2 weeks and i completely fell in love with it. It really is beautiful, including the people living in it.

Anonymous said...

My latest curse to delhi's bad drivers is wishing Mumbai roads on them! Yes Mumbai certainly deserves better...

Anonymous said...

i forgot to tell u then, that interview of the Bollywood superstar was super ... but then that is only natural :)

Anonymous said...

I'm a bombayite, moving to delhi for an year. Any advice for someone who loves the people of Bombay (but hate the traffic and crowds) and is a southie on how to survive Delhi? I mean I have heard all about building muscles and learning dilli gaalis... anything more?

K said...

Lesson #1 for Delhi - stay in South Delhi unless your office in in G'gaon or Noida. It will be the best thing you do in that city.

Anonymous said...

felt the same way, k. mumbai could never be home. i now visit it twice a year and am slowly learning to fall in love with it all over again