Mumbai has been called so many names starting from “Mayapuri” to “Bhool Bhullaiya” to “Jadu Nagari” yet it has time and again proven that this place is truly the land of dreams, desires, aspirations, aims and goals.
Every Mumbaikar has his/her own story affiliated to Mumbai in some way or the other. Tourists might not always be able to see the depth of the secrets that the deep ocean carries or the sense of struggle that prevails in the air and streets of this magical land.
It has been rightly said, “Once a Mumbaikar, always a Mumbaikar” and no matter from which part of the world a person has come from, those who have lived in Mumbai would agree to this fact without a doubt and wouldn’t really want to leave this place ever. Here are the top five things every Mumbaikar would miss in Mumbai.
Marine drive: The Queens Necklace
Whenever anyone tries to visualize Mumbai, this is the first picture that pops into the mind. The reason being very obvious as Marine drive is one of the most highlighted, unique and stark feature of Mumbai. At one end, we have the rocks onto which the high tides and waves of the oceans crash and on the other very ironical end, we have huge skyscrapers standing tall.
The difficulties, struggle, poor, rich, success, failure,fame, power,domination; everything depicted in one frame. It gives the true essence of common man. Some come here for morning or evening walk, to watch the sunrise and sunsets, to do photography, to paint, to sing or play instruments, to hang out or to just stare at the huge ocean and introspect life.
It’s a free place. People do what they wish to or simply do nothing. It’s the place to relax, its every Mumbaikar’s escape from reality.
Mumbai Locals:
Mumbai has one of the most efficient railway transports in India. Mumbai locals are almost every local’s ferry. The crowd is terrible and the ones at Kurla station are truly a sight to watch where there isn’t space for a mosquito to fly through and this isn’t even close to exaggerating the whole scenario.
People and professionals coming from work, students to their colleges or coaching classes, vendors to their markets, traders to their places; these local trains carry every possible crowd. Although, it seems like a madhouse; you won’t understand the fun in this pandemonium until you are a regular passenger of the Mumbai locals.
Vada Pav:
When it comes to food, Vada Pav or the “Indian Burger” comes to the rescue of every local lite. One of the most cheapest and affordable snacks, Vada Pav proves to be the staple food of most of the people in Mumbai. Rich or poor, every Mumbaikar seeks for this when he/she is hungry near those small roadside stalls.
The spicy, savory flavor of the chutney and raw green chilies and the steaming hot fried potato cake (aloo vada) just leaves you wanting for more just by tasting one bite.
Roadside shopping:
When it comes to fashion, Mumbai is the best with the malls and the brands. But what separates it from the rest is the cheap, heavily bargained shopping that you do on the roads. Linking road in Bandra and Fashion street in CST have almost everything starting from clothes, accessories, toys, books and what not and the fun that you have bargaining and getting it at the worth you want to pay is just the best feeling of satisfaction that you get out of this experience. And believe me; it gets really contagious after that!
Dancing in the rain:
Who hasn’t heard of the Mumbai rains? People would say, rains happen everywhere and are the same. Yes and no. The feeling of getting wet in the streets of Mumbai, dancing and jumping in the puddles getting hot tea and biscuit from the roadside vendor while listening to the old Kishore Kumar songs playing is truly what I would call food for the soul.
Every Mumbaikar can’t live without getting wet in Mumbai rains once at least. It’s like an enchantment.
Mumbai is very dear to its locals and after leaving such a place, you miss every inch and every moment of it. So I would say, live as much as you can and enjoy to the fullest, because these days don’t come back!
– Anwesha Rath
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