Twinkling Dots

Mumbai.Bombay.

 

Why do people fall in love with Mumbai? What is it about this city that fascinates India?

Bombay came out of nowhere.Barely a few hundred years old and formed from seven islands and land that was reclaimed from the Arabian Sea, Bombay cannot compete in terms of history. It flourished under the British,yes,but how did it become India's NYC?

People say that the character of Bombay lies in the buzzing flurry of people-that everyone is in a hurry and always has some place to go,but  that is true of almost any large city.People always have somewhere to be and they won't necessarily take their time getting to it.Of course,every city has a certain pace,but the original spirit of the place can only be seen in a few pockets of the city. This way, some cities have a natural inclination towards a lazier atmosphere while other cities were always meant to race.

So that's what I did when i came to Bombay. I looked for its spirit.And I found it.In  many places.I couldn't even find a word for it. It was there on the local trains-the lifelines of the city.A place where students,fisherwomen,families,corporates and anklet sellers are all mixed up in one huge bundle of systematic chaos. It was also there on Marine Drive, amongst the stones,lovers, joggers and the sea.It was there in the twinkling lights of the Bombay skyline as the nocturnal wanderers  were whizzing past on the highways in the midst of their club hopping.

I feel like it's this transforming butterfly. Everytime I get close with my net, it changes.Another thing people tell me about this place.It constantly changes.But change is inevitable.We are constantly adapting  so change has almost become necessary to keep up with us.Bombay is overwhelming.And  dazzling.There's always some kind of activity and you end up getting caught in it.So you're buzzing with some sort of energy,constantly wired. I guess this city hits you like a dose of caffeine.

From the almost familiar streets in Mahim that reminded me of Bangalore, to the kukum stained streets around the Mumbadevi temple, I found myself lost in the mess of the city.It’s very difficult not to be impressed while seeing the mills turn into glitzy skyscrapers as the train approaches Parel.The city is home to contrasts that thrive side by side-A city where the auto drivers know all the stories of the city and the addresses of their beloved Bollywood stars.

As we take off, I glance at the million twinkling dots that make up Bombay.Some glint faintly,winking back from the sea.The Western expressway winds its way towards the North, like a glittering snake.I look back at those dots and they look like dreams-A million dreams living in Bombay.