I am born and bred in Mumbai so I cannot visualise myself living anywhere else. Mumbai is congested, overcrowded, overrun with vehicles, dirty, polluted and exceedingly noisy but I’ve never wished to be living anywhere but here.
I always feel though that if the climate of Mumbai would be different, then all the above things would become bearable. The noise pollution and over population would be tolerable, if you weren’t sweating and dirty all the time. Yet, I never think of moving away from Mumbai.
The recent terrorist attacks left me frustrated, sad, shocked; so many emotions passed through me but the resilience of Mumbai remains amazing. So do the garbage, the noise and pollution.
What can one say about Mumbai? I take my bike and cycle around and enjoy my freedom here without feeling awkward. I’ve seen tough life and luxury in Mumbai. It’s my city and it has given me everything.
I see several cities in the world which are beautiful, clean with great infrastructure but it doesn’t occur to me to be there. Mumbai is home. I grew up in Chembur, studied in St Xaviers and now live in Juhu. It has just been change of suburbs but it’s all Mumbai and it has made me what I am.
As told to Lata Khubchandani
