Aaahh Mumbaii...

I remember the time when I was told that I would be moving to Mumbai for work. I was scared as hell and I really did not want to move to this city. I had my own reasons at that time. But being brought up in Delhi, I had presumed Bombay (or Mumbai) to be a big disappointment. I think that must have been because of all the "gyan" shared by our mentors at our training programme in Chennai. I specifically remember this guy telling me, "You should take each day as it comes in Bombay. As life can be very difficult at times and you might want to run away!!!" Well I might as well add that he was right for the first part. You have take each moment, each second of Bombay, as it comes. Because at times it comes as a shock, at times it is as mild as the sea breeze.
When I first landed in Bombay, what hit me the most was the humidity. The dampness of the air that hung around like a heavy curtain around you. I used to feel miserable at times, missing Delhi and its liveliness. And once the rains started, as much as I enjoyed the first few weeks, I started to detest the sight of those huge black ominous clouds AS IT JUST WONT STOP RAINING!!! All those washed undried laundry and 3 destroyed umbrellas. And rains in Bombay have a peculiar style. It wont drizzle ever you see. When it rains, its like the gods have unleashed their fury on us for something.
The first few months were so hard on me that I even considered quitting my job and going back home. But then, as everybody has to sometime or the other, I too succumbed to the mere beauty of all that was Bombay. The first moment was my first trip to Band Stand, Bandra. On a stormy day. August 5th, 2007. The rocky beach was at its best. The Bandra-Worli sea link was just coming up, so one could still see the skyline. It was amazing. One of the few days that I would remember forever (I am not that good with dates;)). The sea was so violent, it beat around the walls of the Bandra Fort like an angry monster. The wind was blowing so hard it could knock you over. That was the first time, I thought to myself, that Bombay IS beautiful. For what it is. Sheer natural beauty juxtaposed with the concrete jungle. The marvellous buildings. The historical names. For Bollywood. For the rich people and the poor. The welcoming sight of Gateway of India. The simplicity of life as we take each moment as it comes. I still miss my home, Delhi. But I miss Bombay like my own home.