Mumbai

To an astute observer, this would seem a city of nightmares, rather than dreams. This city has seen everything : from floods due to torrential rains to power cuts in peak summer time. From bandhs in the city to blasts in local trains. And yet, there are people like me, who still believe that this is the city of dreams. And not nightmares. Mr. Astute Observer, you are mistaken. And here is the reason why.

1. Can you tell me Mr. A. O., which other city can regroup as quickly and return to work as quickly as Mumbai can?
2. Can you, Mr. A. O., find another such place where people go out of the way to distribute food packets, water bottles, and other small (but necessary) miscellany to complete strangers? (Damn the Reader's Digest report. It was all crap anyway.)
3. Another thing, Mr. A. O. Which metropolis has gone through all that Mumbai has and still come out tops (and with a weathered, if only a bit wry smile on its face)?

The question that still rankles in the minds of all the average Mumbaikars though is "Why us?". Haven't we got enough to already chew upon? We've got corrupt politicians, a rubbish media, bad roads, insincere officials, drugs, cigarettes, poor public transport (which got even poorer by the latest addition to its services : improvized explosive devices (ied)) and other hassles to handle. Why torment us with additional misfortunes? Why barrage us with the occasional, more often than not, bandh, blasphemy, blast? Why is that we still live in "BOMB"ay and not Mumbai? Do we need to look within to find answers? I suspect not.

There are other places to look at. Other people to blame. For now, in the time of need, the spirit of Mumbai will reveal itself. We will move on. Those unfortunate enough to have not made it to another day in this splendid city will be missed. I am sure that they would have wanted us to carry on anyway. The way they themselves did all their lives : clinging to the local trains that were their daily partners.