There's something about Mumbai!

"... I believe that one person's experience, honestly captured, even on the sidelines, not only is unique but is the only certain data of history that we possess as human beings (Gurucharan Das, India Unbound, Pg x)

So here i am, narrating my experiences to be read as "history" for generations to come. Provided the oncoming 2012 massacre spares cyberspace, and that the first generation in the post-2012 era quickly discover internet (perhaps even before wheel or fire).

My first post. And what instigated me to write it? Its the city i love the most after Bhopal- Mumbai. Lets start with the so-called "public perception" of Mumbai. Reader's Digest in a 2006 poll rated Mumbai as the rudest city in the world, many of my friends liked Delhi over Mumbai and would prefer it for jobs, shaadi et al. So why do i love Mumbai like anything? Why i'm forever excited to come to this city for whatever reason?

I think the answer lies within. Within the city, within the people living here! Last year, when i asked a random person on a street the address of a travel agent, i was surprised when he almost guided me personally over there, and even more surprised when he gave me a visiting card of another agent just in case i'm not satisfied with this one. The other day, i was guided to a vodafone store(where i wanted to go)when all i asked was where a particular street is!

Its also the city, where walking on marine drive even in this weather gives you goosebumps(good ones!), where even the names of streets and stations show the chilled out attitude of people, which was divided by political parties but united as a result of terrorist activities, where you just can't hate travelling in a local train even with all its pitfalls and lastly, but not the leastly(?) its a strange city where even the millionaires dont mind travelling in taxis and locals..

Perhaps i'm biased towards Mumbai, perhaps i ignore the traffic rules violations, bad roads, the water level problem that arises every year and so on. Yes, and happily i ignore them. Coz perhaps nothing can defeat this city's biggest strength- The never say die spirit! Come what may, the city will never stop or die down!