It's that time of the year again when thousands of students from Mumbai head to college, some for the second, third or fourth time, and some for the very first. Yet, every time you exit the city and head towards the international airport, leaving the slums of Dharavi behind and entering the new building with strange metal flowers hanging from the ceiling, you get a strange feeling. The modern design of the building transports you to perhaps a Heathrow, Changi or JFK — this no longer feels like Mumbai. But soon enough, the sound of a crying baby at the gate reminds you that no matter where you go, you can never truly leave home.
And why would you ever want to? No place will seem quite like this one and no place will ever replace it. So here’s 11 things that will bring out a wisp of nostalgia in every student who has grown up Mumbai:
1. Marine Drive
If you live in Bombay, you’ve been to Marine Drive at least once. What makes Marine Drive stand out from the other places in Mumbai, is that every resident has a completely different set of memories attached to it. The Queen’s Necklace attracts locals and tourists alike, who can be seen sitting by the coast till the wee hours of the morning. Fun fact: One of the top associated words for "Marine Drive" on Google is "couples" (Mumbaikars, you know what I'm talking about). However, despite the unwarranted PDA behind the umbrellas, it is still one of the top recreational spots in the city for all kinds of crowds. And if you haven’t already, you should definitely make it a point to see the firecracker display during diwali.
2. Food
Food, food, and more food. There is no shortage of fancy restaurants and sultry cafes. Yet, the best of foods often come from the roadside stalls, that non-locals, who don't possess the robust immune systems of Mumbaikars, find difficult to stomach. The bhel puri, vada pav and pav bhaji stalls serve up some of the best foods in the city. My personal favourites are the late night rolls at Carter's Blue or Ayub's, washed down by a Ferrero Rocher shake from Bachelorr’s.
3. Traffic tales
Mumbai is known for its traffic, accompanied by the incessant honking of what seems like a thousand cars all at once. And while you wait at these traffic signals, it is almost certain that you will hear a knock on your car window, with someone trying to sell you flowers, books, or even toys, at easily negotiable prices. If you notice, every time you pass by these locations, it's usually the same people you'll see again and again. Sometimes stop by to hear their stories, you'll never know what you find.
4. Rich-Poor divide
Beggars are freckled across the streets of Mumbai, and it often makes you wonder how billion-dollar buildings like Antilia stand tall alongside such boundless poverty. Mumbai, a city of such contradictions, is an example of how two completely lifestyles can exist simultaneously. While this widespread inequality is not ideal, it still serves as a constant reminder that your luck can change instantly, much like in "Slumdog Millionaire." After all, that is why Mumbai is called the "City of Dreams."
5. Bollywood
Almost everyone who has grown up in this city has some sort of story to tell about a celebrity they met (read: vaguely saw from a distance), a Bollywood connection, or an ongoing fixation with a rising star. And it's not just the people of the city; it seems as if newspapers are even more star struck. I can't remember how many times I've opened a Mumbai Mirror, to have it tell me what a movie star's dog eats for breakfast, or how much a celebrity pays his bodyguard.
6. Politics
Mumbai has been home to a lot of political activity. As the financial capital of India, it is crucial to the country, also housing the state's Chief Minister. It is also the playground of a certain regional political party, that believed at one point that it was absolutely necessary to shut down the city following the death of its leader. The same party has also insisted on building apartments for "strictly vegetarians???" "Surprisingly" enough, the Bombay/Mumbai name confusion can also be attributed to this political party, that has been known to get violent for use of the former name. So for the sake of technicality, and my own life, I will refer to this city as Mumbai, NOT Bombay (even though that's what it will always be in our hearts).
7. The Social Network
When the legal drinking age is 25, it's sure to bring about a lot of protest from the ever-growing youth of the city. But this isn't the kind of political protest you imagine. It's more like underage youth entering and infiltrating the bars and pubs of the city, often leaving the adults feeling out of place and "too old." Tryst, one of the initiation nightclubs for every teen, should honestly change it's policy to "under 21 only." And to all the Mumbai kids — don't deny having entered a bar/club you weren't supposed to.
8. Rivaling Teams/Towns
There's the rich-poor divide, there's the political divide, and then there's the biggest divide of all: the "Town-Bandra Divide." Each side of Mumbai has always believed itself to be superior, with a distinct identity. Town (or South Mumbai) is described as the more preppy, elite part of the city, while Bandra is the more chill, outgoing side. However, the opening of the the Bandra-Worli Sea Link has helped eliminate these differences by shortening travel times. This has allowed residents of each team to go scout the opponent and understand their culture. And like me, perhaps others too have fallen in love with the opponent's people, bars and most importantly, food.
9. The Monsoon
Long hours at school followed by the constant dilemma of whether it would take you 2x or 3x times to reach home that day are a commonality during the monsoons. Unless you've been stranded in a building, drenched from head to toe, dealt with cancelled trains, or stuck in knee-deep water, you do not know what a Mumbai monsoon is. And if you've been as lucky as me, you've also probably had your car submerged in the middle of the streets while you sustain on leftover sandwiches for a good 7 hours (: thank you, monsoon.
10. Mumbai Marathon
Probably the most fun time of the year in Mumbai is the Standard Chartered Marathon, held each January. To those prepared few who run the Full and Half Marathons, this event is a test in hard work and motivation. To all the others who participate in the Dream Run, the Marathon is a celebration of different causes and beliefs, and is also probably the only time in the year where each and every Mumbaikar is suddenly an athlete. The infectious energy and lively cheers from onlookers, accompanied by live performances and celebrity appearances, is an experience that everyone should have at least once during their time in Mumbai.
11. Taxis and Rickshaws
Long before the Uber's and Ola's existed in Mumbai, there was the good old "kali peeli," or the cabs and rickshaws you see on the streets of Mumbai today. As the lifeline of the city (second to only the railway), these services are available around the clock, and have come to our rescue more times than we can imagine. And for the townie who takes the occasional trip to the burbs, a Snapchat video of a rickshaw ride is almost certainly a reason to cross over to the other side.
