Few days in...

Three weeks into the Bombay and I am slowly settling here. The rains in Bombay disrupted normal life and brought it to a standstill.The predominant thought on everyone's mind was how to reach home. I was in a car wading through Juhu. Even the road that had bunglows of Bollywood's most famous like Amitabh, Anupam Kher, Rakesh Roshan was not spared. All these bunglows were knee deep in water and I saw a Merc with water upto its windows. Poor Guy!

The people more hit were the lower middle class and people living in slums. Water reached 7 feet in a particular area near my office. Everyone was scared and last year's memory was still afresh as it figured in almost all conversations. Everyone recounted the hassles they faced to reach home last year and feared worse this year.The media defintely made gross miscalculations. On the first day of rains this year, when it was normal monsoon rains, the media overplayed the disaster card and scared people. They tried to do the balancing act on the next day but they chose the wrong day.

The cops have been doing a tremendous job directing traffic and managing stranded vehicles and passengers. Cars were offering lift to strangers; residents living in the area were taking turns to help people walking, by guiding them through safe paths. Its a nice feeling to witness this. Guess this is the Mumbai spirit people talk about. I am sure people across the country would do the same, but in Bombay its become a habit.

A habit that I have noticed among the people in Bombay is the importance they give to food and places to eat. Everyone knows of a place that makes the 'Best Sandwitch' or the 'Best Paneer' or the 'Best Vada Pav'. And this list of 'Best place for so and so in the World' varies from area to area. So you have worlds best pav bhaji guy in south bombay, in dadar, in Andheri and so on depending on whom you are currently having a converstation with. It is something like being 'World famous in Dadar or Andheri', if you get what i mean. But there is no denying that street food is absolutely amazing.

I stay walking distance from the Juhu beach. I walk to the beach almost daily. There is something about the sea that draws me to it. Is it the breeze from the sea or the sound of the waves? I don't know why,but the sea has a calming effect on me.I am usually reflective whenever I take a walk on the sands. Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes pensive. The last two saturday evening/nights were spent at Marine Drive, during a slight drizzle and the waves lashing on. Its such a beautiful sight and a memorable experience. One just does not want to leave that place. Another distinct difference that I noticed among people from Bombay is that they are not drawn to the sea the way people from Chennai are. Sea is not a major attraction for Mumbaikars. I do not know why it is so, but it is just is. A pity, I say!