Tuesday, August 15, 2006

 

Au Revoir Mumbai

Having spent the best part of 5 days chilling in Mumbai after eons. Viz. No work/No relativity/No functions/ No nothings it was a bit of a shock to see how things have changed. Is it me or is Mumbai losing all the things that make it Mumbai. One by one the Mumbai icons that I identified with are going. The Iranis are in decline, Cafe Naaz has shut down and there seem to be pleximalls galore. (You know what I mean - ex cinema theatres that are now malls with a token cinema centre. Even god is not safe. All the temples with character are now looking like sort of religious malls and a prime example of that is Siddhi Vinayak. Used to be a temple where I wouldn't mind going (inspite of not having too much faith in Tuesday shit)but the temple now looks like a one stop religious mall. Really don't see Mumbai being Mumbai but soon be YATMC (Yet Another Totally Mega City - Tchah ignorates). Folks Enjoy it while it lasts before it becomes another burbopolis. It already is showing signs of the same with Burbanites not knowing anything about South Mumbai and of course South Mumbaiites not knowing anything beyond Haji Ali - Morons.

And of course you still catch things which give you hope. Pomegranate Srinivasans daughter thoroughly enjoyed lunch @ Brittania. In a surefire triumph of the Iyer taste and culture genes over the Iyengar ones she completely tucked into the pulav, sali boti and the fried bombil. Rare to see a sub 10 year old enjoying quality food v/s the standard McDonalds crap.

Comments:
Mumbai is mumbai. My wife goes there every year and I went after a gap of three years. What you say maybe true but the spirit of bombay is the same- the hustle and bustle, the crowded places, the safety for women at nights and from the recent bomb blansts, the character os its people. I would only say one thing "Salaam Bombay"
 
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