More on rains!

Well well........after having spoken so much about the chaos that rains caused in Mumbai, I felt sort of guilty about having spoken only about their disastrous side.....because, try as I might, I could never bring myself to say that I have had enough of the rains...........I didn't even feel that animosity towards the rains after 26/7. I am a total fan of the monsoons....

Probably a part of my affinity to the monsoons comes from the fact that I always spent my school summer vacations here in Mumbai and that coincides with the monsoons....so my stay in Mumbai has always been during this season and hence I've never seen any other facet of this place............

Also, Dubai is more or less devoid of rains.......if we're lucky, we'd have about 3 showers in a year.....heavy yes, but extremely infrequent, fun yes, but far too less to write home about. So, I've always been drawn to the rains......

And I'm yet to see someone who doesn't like the rains per se........there are people who may not like getting wet in the rains or who may be averse to the muddy slush that runs all over the place, but I don't think there could be anyone who would look out of the window in the rains and say, "How Gross!" or someone who doesn't enjoy a cup of piping hot "chai" with equally steaming hot pakodas. or someone who doesn't like to cosy up with family for a fun game of cards while it's pouring like crazy outside. Rains are always a delight......for everyone.....

The first rains when the skies open their heart out and soak the parched land and soil with the first drops of heavenly water............that intoxicating aroma of the earth taking it in greedily and gleefully.......the young and the old all looking up at the sky in excitement and welcoming the first shower......old people welcome it with a broad, all-knowing smile on their wrinkled faces, the young welcome it a little more boisterously, sometimes with a little clumsy jig while the little ones are already out on the roads throwing up their arms to the skies in uncontrollable glee! The whole atmosphere of the first shower of the year is one of happiness and joy!

And then, slowly, people get accustomed to carrying their umbrellas and windcheaters..........the first week, its not at all unusual to find people on the road running for cover the moment it starts raining because they forget to carry their "monsoon accessories" along with them......and then, the numbers dwindle until only those persons get wet in the rain who couldn't be bothered about their health and throw caution to the winds only to enjoy in the rain. I must say I always wish I could be one of them but............no chance! As the weather stabilises, people learn to gauge when its safe to leave home and when its time to say the byes at work and get back into the safety of the four walls of their house........they learn to identify when the heavens are going to get furious and lash out at the earth and when the skies are going to be calm and give them an all clear day!

The monsoons create the perfect aura for a romantic holiday and many couples take full advantage of it....it's the ambience it creates that really turns most people on!! Monsoons exemplify moods......it has romance on its best days, good cheer and mischief on the days it rains off and on, depression and gloom on an exceptionally dull cloudy day, exhilaration, anxiety and excitement when its cloudy one moment and sunny the next.....if you really take a close look, the monsoons have it all!!!!!!

But for me, the monsoons are God's way of reminding people of the beauty of nature. Its his way of making us notice all the wonderful artwork he's created for us. For me, on any given day, the best pastime is to stare out of the window and take in all the sights......be it the tall trees outseide, the Mumbai traffic, the distant Ghats, the tall buildings or anything.....this hobby is further indulged in the monsoons and I guess if I'm not stopped, I could spend the whole day just staring out of the same window.....looking at the same things.....but things that looks different every moment.......like the raindrops falling on the tree-leaves, taking a different shape every moment creating that mesmerising glazed effect; like the leaves falling to the ground creating a collage of sorts; like the clouds drifting aimlessly through the sky wondering where to explode next; like the sun trying its level best to peep out from between the clouds at the first opportunity it gets; like the birds huddling in the trees for shelter and taking occasional peek upwards to check if the coast is clear for them to take flight to a safer spot; like the rainwater dripping from the walls and glass exterior of the buildings and falling to the ground forming puddles in different shapes and sizes......just goes to show the top-grade artist nature is......these are common everyday things that most people don't care to notice or worse still, choose to ignore........for me, they are the little pleasures in life.....and like I had mentioned in one my earlier posts, some of the greatest joys in life come from the littlest things!

The monsoons come and go year after year but each year when they come, they are given the same excited welcome and they signal hope.....hope in all its various forms.....hope for a better crop for farmers, hope for sufficient water all through the year for civilians and hope for more fun-filled days for the youth! And soon enough, just as people have got fully accustomed to the weather conditions, the season changes and the rain-gods decide that its time to bid goodbye and find other places in the world to water!!!!! The monsoons recede leaving people craving for more and looking forward to the next monsoons with bated breath!!!!

That's the monsoon in Mumbai for you..............my favourite season, the uncertainties notwithstanding!!!!!!!!! I guess that was a fitting tribute to the best season of this bustling city!!!!!

Later now.......Till next time, Tally-ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mumbai Mayhem!

Hello friends, How are all of you doing??? All's fine at my end.....except the weather, that is! I'd be a total nut if I were to not write about the chaos here in the past week.......What better topic to blog about?!!!!!! So as you all know, its been pouring cats and dogs here for the past 5 days and we've had the constant pitter patter of raindrops falling incessantly on the same roads that were starved and parched for the rains just a few days ago! That's life for you..............when it’s hot, you want it to rain and when there's a downpour, you wish it away! Well, so, its been a wet week here so far and from the looks of it, things are not going to end very soon.......of course there has been some welcome respite from the rains since today evening but I have no idea how long the "dry" spell is going to continue! The rains started on Saturday evening and everyone welcomed it with glee but when it continued well into Sunday evening, everyone started getting anxious about the forthcoming week...and as feared, the rains poured nonstop on Monday too with mighty winds lashing out and umbrellas being rendered useless. Me being the ever-adventurous, over-ambitious creature and the "extremely sincere student” that I am, braved the rains to pay a visit to my esteemed college early in the morning on both Monday and Tuesday expecting the rains to be just a part of the regular Mumbai monsoon but seeing sense soon after, returned home immediately on both days......College was obviously closed on both days!!!!!! And today being declared holiday well in advance, I didn't have to prove my "smartness" yet again!!!!!

So, roads were water-logged and water had accumulated at many places in the city and news channels were, rather still are, continuously showcasing the mess that they claim Mumbai is in.........Seasoned Mumbaikars however seem pretty unperturbed and say that these are the sort of showers that they are used to and the regular showers that paralyse Mumbai for a couple of days every year! All the focus and tension is mainly because of the "Terrible Tuesday" 26/7 that totally crippled Mumbai last year and yesterday, also being a Tuesday was for many people an omen for a repeat of the same.......However, while last year, Mumbai recorded over 900mm of rainfall in just a day, this year, its "just" over 250 mm......a meek contrast!

I'm not trying to be brave or superwoman or anything but I do think that last year's havoc has made people paranoid about the rains and the slightest increase in rainfall seems to make them believe we are going to have chaos all over again.....even news channels are proving themselves to exaggeration kings and queens.....Let me quote a few instances.....

We had this reporter standing in the middle of a road somewhere in Kurla.....supposedly one of the worst hit areas....screaming her lungs out that the place was in utter chaos.....I do hope she knows what the word chaos means because all we could see was her and miles and miles of water all around....there was not even an insect to be seen anywhere in the vicinity....where's the chaos, madam?? She was upto her thighs in water but just a few metres away, we saw the water level just reaching the bottom of the wheel of an autorickshaw.....

And in an attempt to show how cars were stopping midway, we were shown a car moving slowly, navigating its way through the "sea" of water (why in God's name do people take their vehicles out in such forbearing weather, I have no clue......particularly when they can expect trouble and even see it right in front of their eyes??) And then all of a sudden, the car stopped and all the people got out of the car pretty gleefully to flash their Colgate smiles at the camera!!!!!!

And then there was this lady who was screeching on the mike about wading in knee-deep water and I think she must have mistaken her ankles for her knees!!! Of what they were showing us, all we could see was water submerging the toes at most! I mean, excuse me.... but people watching TV are not exactly blind or brainless!!!!!!!

And I found it sadly unfair that people were lashing out at the BMC and complaining that in spite of last year's mishap, the BMC has not learnt from its mistake and has not done anything to improve the situation.......but this is not true.....It seems from various reports and interviews, that a lot has been done to improve the situation this year. And I definitely feel that what is called for is not a minor change but a serious alteration in the infrastructure of the city.....I don't think it is humanly possible to achieve a change of such great magnitude in such a short span of time........Things have improved as compared to last year but it is too much by any standard to expect a total makeover so soon.......from the looks of it, the change is going to take nothing less than 3 years.......considering the size of the city and the work at hand, 3 years seems to be a reasonable amount of time to ask for....and its not as if they've been sleeping over the job......things have been better......

I was on the roads myself last night and saw that water had receded astonishingly in the very places that news channels had reported to be flooded barely a couple of hours ago.....the most susceptible regions were minimally flooded and as Mumbaikars say, that is something they've lived with since time immemorial. There were constables and rescue persons stationed at various spots to guide motorists on the roads......Railway lines were very well managed and the Harbour line railway which is the first to be hit and the last to recover was closed only for half a day.....so was the Central line and amazingly, the Western railway line was not closed and was continuously plying all through the day, albeit with major delays and at snail's pace but plying nevertheless........

Why is it that we are always first to complain and we always fail to see the beauty in every situation......probably because the persons who were really stuck had no choice. But I definitely say that the BMC has done a commendable job of averting a possible disaster this time, unlike last year........on the other hand, as I said earlier, maybe we never had a disaster in the first place and we were just anxious and paranoid after last year's fearful episode!!!!!!!

So I'd just say that while we're cursing the weather, let's not curse the people who've truly made an attempt to bring about a visible change in the disaster management systems here..........true, the change is far from satisfactory, but its there, only if you look hard enough! And I truly believe that fear is in the mind.....of course, prevention is better than cure and we've better off within the safe walls of our home rather than the roads, but the rains are no reason to panic beyond reason!!!!

If life in Mumbai halts as a result of these rains, it would be an insult to the indomitable and undying spirit of this ever-bustling city and its daring people!!!!! And mind you, true Mumbaikars would never let that happen! Come rain, come storm.......NEVER SAY DIE!!!!! What say my mumbaikar pals?????

So that was a detailed account of the mayhem here in Mumbai.....let's hope the weather and people's attitudes stabilise soon so life comes back on the fast gear and the superfast pace of life here is not disrupted!!!!!!!

That's from me for now............Till next time, from slo, this is...........TALLY-HO!!!!!!

Mumbai - the city of dreams..that come true!

Hey....back for more. Thanks pal Shravan for that lovely comment....made my day!

Picking up the threads from where I left them yesterday.......life in Mumbai is every bit more exciting and challenging than that in Dubai! Be it the transport or the roads or the level of independence or the people you come across.....Mumbai teaches you to live. I've always believed that a person who can survive in Mumbai can live anywhere in the world! Following are a few pecularities about Mumbai!

• The fastest way of reaching anywhere is to take the local train....it could be packed to the point of explosion, it could make you look haggardly by the time you reach your destination, it could be actually be a theatre for all the wonderful scenes that you encounter in there.....but the bottom line is that at least you'll reach your destination somewhere around the stipulated time! If you are thinking of taking the bus or car, you better plan to leave atleast a couple of hours in advance or banish all hopes of making it in time!!
• Roadside food may be unhygienic but it is a means of subsistence and sustenance for many!!!! The sandwich-walas, chaat-walas, chana and sheengdana-walas make roaring business.....some people eat to satisfy their hunger, others eat to pass the time during long journeys and yet others eat simply because the stalls are there!!!!
• Slums and skyscrapers complement each other. In most places in the city, these two exist alongside each other. It is the norm rather than the extraordinary!
• Mumbai is often branded the "most dirty metropolis" yet, you will always find a few BMC (that is Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for those caught unawares!) workers sweeping up the roads and sidewalks - that it makes no perceptible difference is another matter altogether! People are about as indifferent as they could be - they'll be screaming about the lack of cleanliness and that the BMC doesn't do this and doesn't do that and yet,remain blissfully ignorant of their contribution, or lack of it! They'll litter all over the place like it nobody's business and still have the audacity to grumble about the dirt and filth! Silly People!
• "The city that never sleeps" - another name assigned to this vibrant city . How true! At any time of the day or night, it's impossible to find the roads or railway stations or any part of this sprawling city empty. The city is agog with people att all times of the day. People who go out at night always ask themselve the question, "where the heck are all these people off to??" And then, realization dawns on them in that they too are off to to somewhere at this unearthly hour and so may others!!!!!!

So that's Mumbai for you! There are about a zillion lessons that Mumbai teaches its residents: Some of them are as follows:

• If you are lost, never think twice about asking for directions....chances are that the people around you have already noticed that you are lost and are waiting for you to ask! Don't make a fool of yourself and your inflated ego by going aroud in circles too shy to ask!
• If you are at the railway station waiting for the train and the train arrives bustling to the brim with people, don't worry. Just jostle your way in - there are usually more people at the door than inside.....So, even if the compartment looks like it's going to split into two the next moment......its not...there's always enough place for you (its healthy to think so!!), anywhere you go....anytime!
• Jump queues at ticket counters and registration counter and wherever else queues are formed (rather supposed to be formed!) but if someone else does it, raise up such a hue and cry that people around stop to watch and admire your guts!!!!!!
• If you're ever caught by a traffic cop for speeding, all you need to do to get out of the mess is hand him what he demands because he's not going to leave you anyway and chances are that the corruption begins at the top level......so don't stop to argue. You can try to bargain if you're good at it but if you're not, then its better to shut up, pay up and leave the scene!
• Of the many good things about Mumbai is the fact that people here are always willing to help. At first sight, everyone around may look like hooligans - unkempt and without a care in the world - but should something untowardly happen to you, the people are all set to rush to your aid. Appreciate it and be a part of it, too!
• Don't take nonsense from anyone. Gone are the days of Gandhiji's generous philosophy of extending your right cheek when someone slaps your left. The mantra now is to slap on both the cheeks of the other person, should he so much as raise a finger!
• And Most importantly, Mumbai is the city where dreams come true. So never stop dreaming.......dream all you want and go all out to achieve them.......Be sure that this wonderful city will not fail you!!!! So, DREAM ON!!!!!!! Just don't follow the adage that "your life revolves around your dreams...so go to sleep!!!" On the contrary....wake up, buck up and fulfil them......"no pains no gains" formula operates but given the slightest effort from you end, you just can't fail!

Well, well......it doesn't end here but if I had to go on, I'd be at it all day and still have loads and loads to say! So I'll just give it in doses!!!!!!!! At the end of the day, the fact remains that Mumbai ROCKS and if you know to go along with the rhythm, you can really have a blast in this exuberant city!!!!!!

Well...now something about my life........life's going on and about as nondescript as ever! That's not to say I'm studying 24/7 for my upcoming CA exams from May 2nd to 6th but then the thought that the dreaded exams are just around the corner haunts me all day! Just keeping my fingers and toes and whatever else crossed that they go fine!

More later........tally-ho!