The City That Never Sleeps

In response to :Heritage

Heritage is not always the past.

At times, it is set by the people living and breathing in the moment. This is true for Mumbai as well.

When I moved to Bombay ( yes, I am one of those who prefer Bombay to Mumbai), I hated it. I was a kid back then and I loved my previous homestate better. I hated moving around and Mumbai was the nightmare I didn’t want to live in.

I still remember getting used to new school, vehemently hating this new city I was thrown into. I hated the pace, it was all too much.

Then somewhere down a year, it grew on me. I was suddenly indifferent.

Into my new found adulthood, I realized that I actually would not want to live anywhere else, because, convenience!

Today, I love the city and in one of my more problematic moods I even hate it. But here’s the thing, I get why people romanticize their cities so much. It is hard not to.

It gets crowded, it gets lonely. There are alleys you pass by you never see and then one fine day you discover it. If Bombay had a heritage, it would be discovery.

When you shed all the difference, and assumptions, you discover a whole new layer to the city. It does manage to surprise, no matter how much you try to avoid it.

Beneath the veneer of gritty cynicism, Bombay sometimes lends you this unadulterated moment which feels like a real conversation. Bombay is like people, to be honest.

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