Monday, August 31, 2009

Mumbai on Monday - Life in the FAST lane

Just got back from Maximum City, and as was the plan, here is my post today on Mumbai on Monday. The city seldom ever ceases to amaze me. The sights, sounds, vibrancy, and life in general, kinda make me feel alive again when I set foot in Mumbai. Ok ok, I know I sound like the typical 'madly in love with Mumbai' kinda person. But I can't help it. Mumbai ends up doing that to people.

But one thing that really appeals to me is the pace of the city. And the difference is more pronounced each time one goes from Mumbai to another city or the other way round. I remember when we'd go to another city for hols as children, we'd be made to wake up by 6 or 7 am by the elders of the house, and try as we might, the day would pass so very slowly. Take Mumbai in comparison - life is forever in the fast lane. Turn around and it's 11 am. Take a walk and look at the watch, it is 2 pm. Do I like that? Yes I do. But many don't! This affection towards the pace of the city is an acquired taste, more like how one acquires a liking toward the taste of wine! People complain about how one never has time in Mumbai, and how everyone is perennially impatient. I like the pace of the city, because there is always something to do, all the time, and there is no scope for an empty, idle mind! You get a sense of productively using your time and at least I feel a sense of accomplishment when the day is done!

But one flip side is the fact that almost everyone is in a perennial hurry, as displayed by the intolerant horns that blare the second a traffic signal turns green. Or for that matter the gross disregard for a vehicle backing out of a building in reverse. The onward vehicle has 0 regard for the vehicle moving in reverse and yet again the horns return - while at times the impatience is exacerbated to a level of knocking off a tail light!

But that is one part of Mumbai that we cannot disregard, and perhaps have to live with. And for all the other good stuff, a few tiny aberrations are ok, what say fellow Mumbaikars?

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