As I get ready to relocate to Bangalore to work with HP (Hewlett
and Packard), I am having mixed feelings leaving Mumbai. I remember the days in
school and college when I used to dream of flying to different parts of the
world but now I realize that I have become so much attached to my motherland.
Growing up in Mumbai is one of the most cherished years of
my life. I wouldn’t have played the most enjoyable games of the world like Saakli, Laghori, Kho-kho and Lappa chuppi if I was not brought up in Mumbai. Those
interesting and hard fought cricket games after school under the hot afternoon
sun are truly unforgettable. Mumbai invented words in cricket like kaccha limbu, sarpatti
that even Bradman was unaware of. Did you know that when a batsman screams “Fast”
before the ball hits the bat he cannot be given out? Imagine Dale Steyn steaming
in to bowl and Sachin screams “Fast” and refuses to leave the field even if the
ball hits the stumps. Steyn will be left fuming. It happens only in Mumbai!!!
The day starts pretty early in Mumbai and ends very late.
You can see people running to railway station during the morning hours. During
this time the ultimate goal is to catch the 8.30 am local. The Olympic race
starts with quickly gulping down the breakfast and running like a hare towards
the station. If you get late by 2 minutes, your eyes start searching for
rickshaw. If the rickshaw driver doesn’t agree to come, you start emotionally
blackmailing him ” Chalo na bhaiya, late ho gaya hai”. At the end when you miss
the train by a whisker, the expression on the face is worth seeing in the
mirror. It feels like you have lost the battle of life. You say to yourself “
Mere saath hamesha aisa hi hota hai”.
The food here is something to die for. There are many Khao
gallis in all corners of the city. All working people jam pack the roadside
thellas (shops) during the evening time. You can see people sweating and eating
hot dosas and Chinese food. It
is commendable to see their resilience to eat even under such unfavorable conditions.
This is what is called as Mumbai Spirit!! During the cricket match people
gather in large numbers near a TV shop and cheer for every wicket and run. O
Mumbai. I am going to miss you!!
Apart from Mumbai, I will also be missing my family and
friends. They have made me what I am right now. Although I am sad to leave
Mumbai, I am quite excited to meet new people and exploring Bangalore culture.
Wherever I go, I will always be called a “Mumbaikar”.
