As the time of having to leave home comes closer, I began thinking of all the crazy things I will miss about this unique, colorful, noisy and sometimes smelly city. Whether it is the constant honking of cars or the peculiar smells, here are some of the things I will miss most about Mumbai.
1. Signals That Don't Mean Anything
Traffic signals are after all just accessories and here in Mumbai, they seem to serve no purpose at all. I guess that’s why all roads are a free for all! I will miss the craziness at junctions where everyone is trying to worm themselves through tiny gaps and refusing to see that if they just wait for a minute, the traffic will clear out!
2. Rickshaws
Where do I even begin. I will miss their constant honking (or will I?) and their determined effort to wiggle through places where they should not be wiggling. I will miss cursing them every time they get too close to the car and thinking I will die every time I cross the road and they stop half an inch away.
3. Brave Pedestrians
Speaking of crossing roads, I will miss admiring (and sometimes cursing) the brave and gallant pedestrians of Mumbai. These truly heroic humans have no regard for their safety and don’t care if they get hit by a car; they just want to cross the road as fast as possible. Whether it is stopping cars in the middle of the road to walk at a snail’s pace or coming out of nowhere and challenging Usain Bolt with their speed and agility, they will truly be missed.
4. Interesting Smells
The amount of sensory stimulation one’s nose receives here in Mumbai is incomparable to any place else. A mix of cow poo, muck, fish and a perpetual smell of urine has become normal. I’m afraid my nose will go through withdrawal symptoms for these peculiar smells.
5. Bollywood
Where in the world will I find 3 hour long epic love stories with people running around trees and professing their love in the most elaborate way possible?! Whether it is grand, extravagant sagas like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or coming of age films like Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani, I doubt I will find films that are so colorful and so unique. And of course, the music. From beautiful lyrics to some songs where my only reaction is “SMH”, Bollywood music will be missed.
6. Roadside Stalls
Fruit and vegetable stalls, pani puri stalls, ice cream stalls and a million other stalls that are unique to Mumbai. Where else can I find those?
7. Festivals
Building a human pyramid, throwing colors at each other, lighting up the country with diyas and tying rakhis. Probably the thing I will miss the most are the colorful and vibrant festivals (partly because they make for so many holidays! But mostly because they are incredibly fun and uniting).
