Mumbai

There is a rush in the way things happen here. A mad rush. Purposeful or not, but mad.

 There is a spring in the step of people moving around. An urgency in the way fleet of autos clog the roads. An uncanny haste in the way the hawkers make Vada Pao. And all this show goes on, drenched against the background of rain. And, it only makes literary wisdom to do a course like MBA which shares its traits with the way city moves. Time here, they say, is precious.

The wide expanse of Arabian waters at Marine Drive keeps you astonished. The expanse is prevailing yet peaceful. In some tumultuous hours, they can wash away lives with impunity. Yet, it is peaceful to sit by them and watch the waves ebb and flow. Astoundingly scary yet spiritually serene. This city sleeps late into the night and wakes up early. Houses here look dilapidated from outside, but there are luxury cars and sedans parked outside. An umbrella is as necessary a utility as a mobile phone.

An unknown cloak covers this city. From the deepest corners of heart, strings of Delhi hold me. It has a smell of my childhood that pervades through my growing years. Yet   each day, I fail to crack this puzzle called Mumbai. It is a strange city-where people find peace in rush.

I am a laidback Delhi guy who loves to sit back as the world rushes by. I take my own time. But when I wake up every morning, I realize one needs to walk brisk or else, like the locals, life runs by.

 There is a rush in the way things happen here. A mad rush. Purposeful or not, but mad.

Amritsar : Travelogue

A casual glance at the streets, the people and the anachronistic ambience won’t tell you the tale of sordid bloodshed this city once went through.  Amritsar, despite having a torrid history that spurred the nation’s independence, has been unharmed and unaffected. The air here still whiffs of spirituality and peace, like it has for years. This speaks volumes of the greatness of the city that despite such troubled history, thousands of devotees throng Amritsar daily in search of peace. What, then, could have been the magnet that attracts the world towards itself? We found those answers and a lot more in a first-hand experience in the one of the most amazing cities in India!

The board outside read Amritsar Junction in three languages including the native Punjabi. A cool breeze welcomed four of us. We knew something special awaited us for the next two days. We didn’t know what but one thing was clear to all of us. The objective: To soak in as much of Amritsar as we can in the next 48 hours. With loads of expectations, we headed to the city. The two old rickshaws that took us from the station to the temple reminded of the old rickshaws of Delhi. They had a subtle resemblance. Our first major concern was getting a good enough room to get things started. A good clean room that washes away the tiredness of the day! Skepticism lingered heavily if we could get such a room quickly for best money. After a failed attempt to bag in a room in The Golden temple itself, we found a relief in the form of Baba Deep Singh Niwas lodging. The Dharamshala seemed a newly constructed one and surprisingly less crowded. In one hour, we got our room and it met the low expectations we had for it. If anything, it exceeded! Clean washroom and floor, plus a mini-balcony having a panoramic city view –all that for mere 100 bucks a day. What more can you ask for? By 10:45 we left for a visit at the Golden Temple. A quick gorging of nearby delicious kulchas and  5 Rupee coke from the factory outlet-could it have started any better for the rumbling stomach? We made our way to the Temple. After a long queue, we got the sacred opportunity to pay obeisance to Him. It was followed by langar and idle sitting around the sarovar vicinity. A feeling that provided immense peaceful vibes –away from the rigmarole of our daily lives, away from the running crowd. It was something beyond words-something heavenly and priceless. Every moment dipped in spiritual cleansing. It had the aura that seemed to purge sins of ages. People had faith written all over their face as they dipped in Sarovar water. Enlightening and soothing –this was the place, I realized, that could make a thief a hermit. Such was the power it possessed. One could pass his lifetime here, just sitting and soaking in some soul food. But we had to leave. We were not like those lucky ones who worked here in His service. We were petty travellers bounded by a time frame. We had to make most of it. We rushed our way to negotiate with cab drivers for Wagah Border trip. A relatively modest charging cab driver took us to Durgiana mata mandir and finally to the border. Even after reaching fairly early, we were greeted by a long queue. We finally decided not to be a part of it-a decision that could have backfired.


Just as the small gate opened, the deluge of crowd shoved each other to get in and grab a good view of the ceremony. We somehow rushed and managed a relatively good place to grab the proceedings. A man ensured the crowd pumped up for some patriotic shrieks , while BSF jawans marched on the way, like they did every evening. The sweltering sun on our heads looked a little menace in that patriotic environment. You feel like a Hindustani sitting right there, an integral part of your nation. An amazing experience it was, that can be only partly and vicariously enjoyed if told and best when experienced. We felt a little more patriotic hormones being evoked on stepping out of the place. After a little rest at our Niwas, we headed to Brothers’ Dhaba-a place known  for its food here since 1912. But to our disaapointment, it lacked the traditional feel we expected Amritsari food to have. It was a restaurant  now and sadly commercialized. After the gorging, we headed back to the Golden Temple to catch the night view of the wonder. And it was more stunning than we had seen in the pictures. A beauty that stood in waters-the gold accentuated its sheen and the waters reflected a blurry image. The crowd now a little less and the view that any camera would be proud of. This was something that made Amritsar trip worth.  A picturesque Golden Temple against a night sky with slow Sangeet in the background –what else do you call Picture Perfect. We sat there for hours just admiring the view and soaking in as much as we can. Any thought of returning to normalcy after 2 days would make us to absorb more of the present. It was divinely beautiful. With tired bodies, we dragged back to our niwas and woke up a little late next morning. Hunger bugs were satiated with same morning Kulchas-this time they tasted better somehow to me. The relentless butter reflected the open hearted  food culture of Punjab. Truly, eating here is a bliss. We asked for a good Lassi place-that we had not found one yet. A 1500 m walk to Ahuja Lassi wala was worth the effort.

We headed to Jallianwala Bagh after that thirst-quenching mission. A massacre place that set off the revolution at enormous pace ending at Indian freedom. A 20 minute movie at the very place along with the museum paintings spoke how a butcher called General Dyre ripped apart humanity. It is difficult to imagine that a place you are standing on was once veiled with blood of innocents. Jallianwala Bagh stands tall next to the Golden Temple, reminding the world how humanity died one black day in 1919. We went back to the Temple for the probable final time and sat by. A foreigner made us understand what the maze on the floor and the ceiling of the main golden structure signify. And it was good to learn that from someone not living here. It showed how deeply Amritsar had connected with the world. After the evening started to take over, we went in search of Kesar Dhaba like ravenous lions in a forest. A shopkeeper ensured it won’t disappoint .And after a little walking, we realized he was true. This was the last piece of puzzle we were searching for-a perfect traditional dinner at dhaba with lassi. Kesar ka dhaba was 96 years old bistro that was still innocently a dhaba and preserved its legacy amidst rapid urbanization. After a delightful eat-out, we went back to the station to say good-bye to a trip that was amazingly soothing to the soul and amazingly satiating to the stomach.

 We departed with a lot of memories and a peaceful soul. But we aren’t dejected to leave as we know this place will call us another day when the mundane and dull life needs an escape. And we hope that amidst all the development human society is making, this place remains untouched and anachronistic, as it has.

Mind the gap. Mind the shoves.

Image courtesy: THE HINDU

Seat seat everywhere.
No seat to take.
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                                                    * THE IMPACT : prologue*

"Where is Neeta's marriage next sunday?"
" Paschim Vihar, opposite Metro pillar no. 655"

This is what Delhi metro has done to Delhi in last nine years or so. It defines the way things move and also defines the way non-moving things ( Read: Neeta's venue! ) are addressed. You are flying over and creeping under the hectic roads in 'saadi-apni metro'. All you have to do is pay at most 30 bucks and you can travel across the breadth of the city! Easy on the pocket, right? But that ain't a charity. So what profit are they eking out??
Interestingly, I read once that " DMRC makes an operating profit of Rs. 0.48 per traveller". Multiply that by daily commuters and it would statistically look like a business now!


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                                                          * Characters*

THE  COUPLE: They ease the rush by staying close. Need to say more?

THE FAT GRUMPY UNCLE:  Finishing moves ----Trampling feet and shoving giant hand.

THE FAMILY: Pappu, chhoti , munni and monu-all don't need VERSA anymore. DMRC at their service!

THE HOT CHICK: Busy on the phone or faking?

THE  MACHO MAN: He is always at the entry gate corner. And not leaves early.

THE PANICKERS: They somehow managed to not get stuck in closing doors! I bet they even didn't get the token inserted in one go?

THE SLOTHS: They can sleep any where. Shove them or kick them.

THE FRIENDS WHO LOOK REUNITED: they'll talk loud and won't mind stares. They actually thing themselves as youngistan representatives who own the whole damn metro

THE BUSINESSMAN: Making deals about reaching that station and overtly.

finally, THE 'YOU': At the centre of  the crowd, waiting for next station to arrive when the announcement says " we'r late,s orry for the inconvenience and you don't even have a 'physical metro touch' nearby to smash your face at"

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                                                               * the Pot Luck*

You are LUCKY if you make to Blue line metro itself. Amidst the swarm of people running , event his seems like an achievement that shouldn't be seen just like that

You are VERY LUCKY if you somehow find a dangling handle. You actually feel having an authoritative upper hand on the poor people who are still struggling to stand still without any support.

You are EXTREMELY LUCKY if you find the non-opening door as a respite to rest your jaded back. This way you also get to see people entering and exiting, making things less boring.

And , finally YOU ARE LUCKIEST if you find a man getting up inches away while you had no hope standing besides his seat , amongst with zillion of frustrated hands and legs.

And you are UNLUCKIEST if ...As as soon as you sit, a lady comes by and points out you have no business sitting there :P


Now you know why it is called BLUE metro.!!!