Mumbai - As I Like It

Mumbai, the city I once thought was appalling, changed my attitude toward itself. Somewhere between arriving and leaving, my apprehensions turned into appreciation, and there are many of them.

I only regret one thing: I did not carry a camera to capture the images of Mumbai that were amazing and astonishing.

1. Taxi and taxi drivers
   To my astonishment, I found the taxi drivers very honest. They charged as per the meter and the chart (and believe me, none was forged). Even more surprising, the taxi fares were lower than what I usually, and what most people in Pune, end up paying to auto-rickshaws.

   Moreover, unlike many other places in India, there was nowhere the taxi driver was not willing to go. You open the door, sit, tell the destination, and the taxi starts moving. Drivers are always ready.

   One reason for this is that people prefer taking local trains, because they are faster and convenient (if I can say so). Better transportation is what most cities in India lack, and Pune is one fine example where urban sprawl has been huge in contrast to the development of basic infrastructure.

2. Fort area
   My impression of the place where Rohit (Rohit Chauriha) and I were staying changed after a chat with my cousin Shrey when we met him at Marine Drive. The Fort area is full of old buildings and streets that still carry the feel of colonial Bombay. The whole neighborhood pulls you back into history.

   Fort George was nearby, and we could not visit what remains of it. Otherwise, it would have been a great chapter from a history book come alive. Nevertheless, the Fort area is an amazing place surrounded by some amazing buildings.

   As you move from CST towards Byculla, you will find buildings that forced Rohit to call the area “the ghost town.” Still, it was amazing for us to have stayed in Fort area. I only regret that I could not take any pictures as I didn’t have my camera.

3. Gateway of India
   One night after dinner, Rohit and I decided to visit the Gateway of India. We hired a taxi and reached the destination for just Rs. 20 (to my surprise).

   The building did not impress me at all when I first stepped out of the taxi. But as we moved closer, it started to excite me. It felt like a blend of Hindu and Persian architectural styles. The arches reminded me of monuments from Delhi Sultanate times. The corbelling, as usual, was a great piece of artwork.

   We were not able to go inside and had to view it from outside its inner boundary.

   Opposite the Gateway of India is located one of the most famous hotels in India, the Taj Mahal Hotel. It is amazing. But if I started writing about it, it would have taken over the whole post.

4. Marine Drive
   In Mumbai, if I were to call any part of the city the place to live, it would be the Marine Drive area. It is a great place to refresh yourself, refurbish, and replenish your energies. Visit it, if you have not already done so, to know why I say so.

   We were sitting just opposite Air India’s office, and I think that is the best place to sit on Marine Drive. A thought passed my mind that I shared with Rohit: if Air India moved to some other place, perhaps the financial losses it was facing would reduce.

5. Dadar Bus Stand (Dadar Bus Sthanak)
   We caught Shivneri for Pune from Dadar East. The city, over and over again, made a point to attract me to its finest details.

   Dadar Bus Stand, from where we caught Shivneri, is located below an actively running flyover and is an amazing example of space creation and utilization. It is the recognition of the utilitarian value of space that attracted my appreciation, and of many others who use the bus stand for commuting.

   It is a good example to be copied elsewhere, where population is increasing day by day and impacting available space. It is a wonderful piece to keep in mind when thinking about urbanisation.

6. Pancham Puriwala, CST
   Rohit and I were surprised when we reached Pancham Puriwala. It is located at Bazargate Street in Fort. What a discovery it was.

   Typical Uttar Pradesh food: puri aloo. Visit it if you are a North Indian living in Mumbai and crave homemade food. There is nothing commercial about their food except that they sell it. The food is what mummy cooks at home. Amazing.

Mumbai is amazing. The only thing I do not like about Mumbai is that it is so fast-paced that it leaves you with no time to be in peace with yourself. Everyone is in a hurry to reach somewhere.

Keeping that aside, Mumbai is a wonderful city, and I can understand why people do not want to leave it. Great.