Pictures, Quotes and love for Mumbai

I would like to start this post by writing a forward which was recently in everyone’s phone including mine. So, credit is not mine but some anonymous genius who wrote this.

If a Vadapav wala makes more money than an engineer,

YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

If high class people also don’t leave the pani puri stall without asking for Sukhapuri,

YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

If the rickshaw walas and Pan walas are more accurate than Google maps,

YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

Marathis abuse Biharis and Biharis abuse Marathis and still if they fight for each other’s rights,

YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

In a mad rush of locals, if a poor lady always gets a hand to cross the bridge or board a train,

YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

If you shout “Ganpati Bappa”, irrespective of the place or time and you find at least a few people saying “Morya”

You Understood Already that YOU ARE IN MUMBAI

Following is the picture and this is how wonderful Marine Drive looks in the night.

It is fondly called the 'Queen's Necklace' as the street lights seem as pearls of the necklace.

Picture Source: Google

And, following is our great achivement which we achived recently.

The Bandra Worli Sea-Link

Picture Source: Google

Following are some quotes of famous people which truly define Mumbai.

Source: http://www.scoopwhoop.com/news/10-beautifully-poignant-quotes-that-truly-define-mumbai/

Overview of the city

As a Mumbaikar, I have already mentioned that I love my city. I have learnt a lot from the city and its people. I don’t think I can survive in any other city and many Mumbaikars will agree to this line of mine as even they can’t. People here are very hardworking and hence Mumbai is called ‘the city that never sleeps.’ This city taught me to work hard. This city gives way to everyone’s dreams only if you work hard and are passionate towards your work. Then be it Shahrukh Khan or a commoner striving for daily food the city will make you happy and prosperous.

When I went to other cities in India I saw that there the day starts at 10 am in the morning. Of course, those cities were not metros but if you call a taxi driver to pick you up even at 7 am he will feel that it is too early. You will not even find a tea/coffee in such cities before 8 am. Whereas, in Mumbai you will not only get tea but also food at any time of the day or night. This is what I like about Mumbai and this defines the name – the city that never sleeps.

The best thing about Mumbai is the sea. It seems like it’s the solution to all your problems. Whenever you are sad you can always look up to the sea for help. A long walk at the beach alone will make you spend quality time with the best person in the world that is you and yourself. Marine drive is the best place for this and people in Mumbai are blessed because they have such beautiful places.

Thanks to people in Mumbai who are helpful and kind, girls are apparently safe here compared to other cities in India. But, every statement has an exception.

Though this attitude may seem very practical but people here believe in the line that ‘the show must go on.’ So be it terrorist attacks or floods or any kind of disasters the next day you will find people on roads again. This teaches us that we should always carry our responsibilities whatsoever the condition may be.

Every city has a drawback and Mumbai is not an exception. Mumbai also has its list of negatives. Political system, roads full of potholes, illegal slums, and I can go on and on. But it depends on us that we keep cribbing about all this or we can just take the good and leave the rest. So in the end, I will just say that Mumbai is the most wonderful city and will always be. 

Bollywood and Mumbai

Films and Mumbai have a great connection from the past itself. Mumbai, the City of Dreams, houses the prime center of Hindi Film Industry, better known as Bollywood. Acclaimed as one of the biggest film industries of the world, Bollywood produces over 1000 films every year. The first Indian film was released in Mumbai and the journey started from there onwards. Places like film city and different other locations are famous here. The Hindi film industry is majorly known as Bollywood, though this term is many times misunderstood for all Indian cinemas. Bollywood only refers to most of Hindi cinemas.

People in Mumbai are very crazy about Bollywood films. Celebrities are treated as Gods here. The recent development in the mindset of people has changed this attitude a bit. But, still people go crazy when they see even a small non-working celebrity. Now, if this is the thing here it is but obvious that everyone here knows who is Amitabh, Shahrukh, Salman etc. even 4 year children are able to recognize Bollywood stars. People eagerly wait for every Friday for new releases.

Bollywood industry has its origin in Mumbai and many actors tell their fascinating stories about how the city helped them to achieve their dreams during their struggling days. Many people from different cities come here to get into Bollywood and film industry as they are fascinated by the glamour.

The 21st century brought immense popularity to the Bollywood, so much so that its films appeal the audience of all segments. Production-wise, Bollywood is the largest film industry in the world with over 1000 films produced every year. Every year, Bollywood movies are celebrated in no less than 6 award functions.

Thus, Mumbai - India’s Financial Capital is also called as India’s Entertainment Capital. And this is not the end friends, the industry is getting advanced and developed day by day. Hence, Picture Abhi Baki hai Mere Dost, Picture Abhi Baki hai. J J

Street Shopping

Mumbai is very popular for its street shopping. There are various markets in Mumbai which offer fascinating things in very reasonable rates. The most important and interesting thing is that the rates are bargain-able. The uniqueness of these markets is that many of these places offer specialized items only. For eg. For fashion you can visit Bandra link road, Fashion street and Lokhandwala, for jewelry Zaveri bazaar, handicrafts brass items etc. can be bought from Colaba Causeway. You can head to these markets for a nice reasonable deal and shopping of various interesting and beautiful things. These markets are always crowded and you will find more rush especially on Sunday.

1.     Fashion Street, Bandra Link road and Lokhandwala Andheri:

These are the markets in the suburbs that you can always look up to. They are utterly famous for fashion. You can buy trendy clothes and accessories from here. The street stalls here tend to be grouped according to the type of products they sell. You can also buy products of various brands here; of course duplicate products at a very reasonable rate. They mostly sell export rejects which makes which does not make your pocket lighter. But yes these export rejects are also awesome and you can find a nice clothing or accessory if you are a skilled shopper. Just always be careful and look twice for defects in the things you buy here.

2.     Chor Bazaar:

This market is located in the heart of Muslim Mumbai and it lives up to its name as stolen goods are sold here at a low rate. This market is famous for various such stolen goods. You can buy nice antique items and all other types of trash and treasure. The same rule of looking twice for defects is applicable here too as the goods sold are mostly stolen. This market does not work on Friday as it is located in Muslim area so do not visit it on Friday.

3.     Crawford Market:

This has been the center of market life in south Mumbai since it was built in the days of British Raj. Crawford Market is mostly famous for its wholesale fruits, fresh vegetables and poultry market. But, you can find imported chocolates as well and many other things that it is known for. From pets, birds, aquariums to bakery items, you will get everything. The British aura surrounding this market is fascinating and you can also find many imported goods here. The market is between British fort and the local town. Now, it is officially renamed as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market but very rare people know and remember this name. People here still recognize the market by its old name Crawford market.

4.     Colaba Causeway

A walk on the foot paths of Colaba Causeway and one can find all shopping delights. Items of crystals, marbles, clothes to anything one can pick up. All travel guides on Mumbai lists Colaba causeway market as a must visit. This place is targeted more towards tourists and it has everything – great sea views, great shopping, nice restaurants and a mix of British and Indian buildings. And yes, you get great bargains for amazing things you would not find anywhere else, so don’t be in a misunderstanding that it is a posh area and will cost you much.

So, the speciality of street shopping in Mumbai is that you will get almost all particular things between 500-1000 bucks. Yes, this limits for certain things such as clothing, accessories and food, show pieces, handicrafts etc. Sometimes the rates are high. But yes, there is no hard and fast rule that you have to buy in the mentioned rate. You can always bargain. 

Languages

The regional language of Mumbai is Marathi but as it is a multi-cultural society you will find people who speak various languages here. Mumbai is the city who has migrants from all over the nation and they carry their languages with them to Mumbai. Mumbai becomes rich is case of languages because of this as people here know maximum of 3-4 languages.

Mumbai has a very unique tone of all languages. People here have a habit of speaking in Hinglish i.e Hindi and English mix. People often used mixed languages, for example whenever they don’t remember a particular word/thing is called in the language that they are speaking they will just use it in another language (mostly Hindi or English) and convey their messages. They don’t feel hesitant to do that. People here think language is just a means of communication and as long as a person in front understands what we are speaking, then we can speak in any language that we want. Even if the sentences in the language we are using are grammatically wrong, people here are okay with it and no one will correct you. However, this rule does not apply to English as people are very conscious about their own English and some people will also correct you if you are speaking wrong English.

The languages that have been changed in Mumbai are mainly Marathi and Hindi. I can give you examples of only these languages as I have observed only these two. Many people speaking Marathi use Hindi words in between and vice versa. The two languages have many things in common and one being the regional language and another a national one, always get mixed up with each other and people don’t mind it unless you are writing your exam papers in these languages. People who have come here from north  always feel that we have destroyed Hindi language to the core. We have developed a language called ‘Bambaiyya Hindi’ existing in Mumbai. People in north always address each other as ‘tum’ or ‘aap’ for ‘you’ whereas Mumbaikars will say ‘tu’. The word ‘aap’ here is used only for addressing people who are elder and strangers. But this does not mean that we don’t respect other people. Another such example of this is the words ‘tereko’ and ‘mereko’, there are no such words in the whole dictionary of Hindi language but these words do exist in Mumbai’s Hindi. Normally, the substitute ‘Shuddh Hindi’ of these words is ‘tujhe’ and ‘mujhe’ which very rare people know and use in their language. I don’t know where these words came from but they sound really funny. If you have any friend from north India you can just experience the expressions on his/her face when you use such language. They feel you have brutally destroyed the language.

There are misunderstandings among people happening here daily because of different languages used. I can give you one example of my aunt who speaks Marathi with anyone she meets. She met a young boy who used to bring tea to her office and started speaking in Marathi with him. However, the poor boy did not understand Marathi as he was new to Mumbai. He spoke in Gujarati and told her “Mane Marathi nathi aavadtu” (I can’t speak in Marathi). Now, the word ‘aawad’ means liking in Marathi and ‘aawadtu’ is a verb in Gujarati. My aunt thought that the boy said he doesn’t like Marathi language, and she started scolding him saying things like Marathi is the regional language, you should learn how to speak in Marathi, how you cannot like Marathi etc. etc. and the funny part is that she even scolded the boy in Marathi. God knows, what he must have interpreted.

Such incidents are common and people here will continue being entertained because of such goof-ups. About Hindi, we will not change because we have developed our own version of the language which is also popular by the city’s name. And yes, it is said that the type of language changes every 12 miles so we have our versions of languages which are funny and entertaining. 

Specialities of Transport in Mumbai

There are various specialities of public means of transport in Mumbai. Railways, Autos, Taxis, Buses and the new addition to the list is Metro and Mono rail. However, Railways are the heart of Mumbai and the most important means of transport. There are amusing points to enjoy while travelling by these means of transport.

Railways:       

Railways in Mumbai are the major means of transport of millions of people. Railways are one of the means that keep Mumbai alive, and this is not an exaggeration if I say that. You will find crowd in railway trains at anytime of the day, especially at peak hours. It is a big achievement if you get to board a train at peak hours. Actually, railways are most cost-effective means of transport and many people prefer it. People manage to get inside of that jam packed local and even get down at the desired destination. You don’t have to make any effort to get down because people standing behind you will push you and you will get down easily. Churchgate trains in the morning and Virar trains in the evening are full to the extent that people risk their lives and travel on the foot board and roof tops of the trains.

You will find all types of crazy people in local trains. If you want to know Mumbai you just have to take one ride in the local trains and you will get to know at least half of Mumbai and Mumbaikars. The hustle-bustle at the railway stations will keep you wondering as to how the people here don’t even have a single minute to spare. Almost all Mumbaikars will be knowing which station will come on which side in which particular train and you will be impressed by our accuracy. The way people fight over petty issues in local trains is very entertaining. Everyone here has his/her experience to share about their travel in the local trains and you will get to hear a story from each Mumbaikar if you ask about Railway travelling.

I can go on and on about the speciality of railways in Mumbai but I also have to cover other means.

Autos and Taxis

Auto and Taxi drivers are the people who show much of an attitude here. They will not be ready at first to go at your desired location. There are also share autos and taxis running which is another option as they don’t run on normal meter rates but they can charge you any desired amount if the destination is too far. However, this is not the condition always. You will find people standing in long queues for autos and taxis. And yes, if you find an auto to go to your desired location in the monsoons without much of a pleading to the drivers, then it is a great achievement and a moment to celebrate.

Buses:

Buses again equal the local trains as they are cheaper than autos and taxis. Mumbai has one of the largest network of buses which reaches to each part of the city. It connects every nook and corner of the city. The only problem in the bus is that the conductors crib for ‘chutta paisa’ (change or exact money). I will recommend people not to board any bus without change in your pocket especially at morning time, as you will end up in a fight with the conductor.

Metro and Mono Rail

The new development of Mumbai is the Metro and Mono rail. It covers a short distance but is very convenient for most people because traffic is avoided which they get while travelling by buses, autos and taxis. It was a point of attraction for most people when it started and people went to enjoy the metro/mono ride. People even clicked pictures in the trains even when it is not allowed and put it on social networking sites. Yes, it was such a great achievement for us Mumbaikars.

Festivals

Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Sindhis, Zorastrians, Jews etc. people of all religions stay here. People in Mumbai are crazy about festivals. Almost all Indian festivals are celebrated in Mumbai. People here enjoy the festivals of every religion, state, caste etc. as it is multi-cultural society. You will find the same enthusiasm in all Mumbaikars during Diwali as well as Id and same applies for Christmas. There is a mix of religions in Mumbai due to the widespread growth of various communities and migrants. The festivals here are celebrated in a grand way uniting all the people of Mumbai.

Ganesh Chaturthi

The on-going Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most major festivals, celebrated in the city. This festival involves the placing of an idol of Lord Ganesha in the house for either 1½, 3, 5, 7 or 11 days after which it is immersed in the ocean along with a colourful and noisy parade. This is primarily celebrated by Maharashtrians but almost all Mumbaikars participate in one way or another. It is the birthday of Lord Ganesha which is celebrated not only by Mumbai but the whole state. This festival is very famous and it pulls crowds in Millions from various parts of the country. The various themes of different mandaps, Idols of all sizes are of great attraction to people. People stand in long queues for the darshan of their beloved God. Ganpati idols of Lalbaug and Ganesh galli are very famous and attract most of the crowd.

People chant loudly ‘ganpati bappa morya’, ‘ek, don, teen, chaar, Ganpaticha Jaijaikar’ with great enthusiasm. The negative point of this festival is the pollution it creates. The festival is big and creates large amount of pollution. Idols are made of POP and immersed in lakes, rivers and seas harming the marine lives. The noise pollution is at its peak during immersion ceremony and the decoration of thermocol harms the environment even more.

Diwali

Diwali is the most popular festival in India celebrated by almost whole of Hindu community. Mumbai being a place with people from every nook and corner Diwali is also a great celebration time here. Most schools in Mumbai get long holidays for Diwali – the most awaited ‘Diwali Vacations’. People are very much excited for this festival. Shopping is done during all festivals but mostly it is done at this time of the year. People also receive a Diwali bonus from office .

This festival symbolizes the victory of truth over evil. Diyas and Lanterns light up all the houses. Rangolis are made outside the house. People here don’t have big verandas for rangolis but then too we tend to maintain our culture by drawing rangolis in passages of the building, balconies etc. Crackers are lighted and people enjoy this festival to the fullest with family and friends. The negative point is the air pollution and noise pollution created by fire crackers.

Krishna Janmashtami

Now, this is the celebration of Lord Krishna’s birthday. Dahi handi is celebrated all over Mumbai where a pot filled with curd is hung at great height and a group of youngsters climb over each other forming a pyramid to break the pot. This is done because it is said that likes Lord Krishna curd and he used steal curd made by his mother in this way. Cash prizes are kept by politicians and commercialization is done of this festival. Small children are used in pyramids as they can climb easily at the top. Government has put a ban on small children involving in big pyramids. People die because of falling from great heights and many get injured. This festival is a matter of concern for people.

Navratri

The festival of Navratri is more famous in Gujarat but it is celebrated in Mumbai with same devotion. Gujarati folk dance festivals of Garba and Dandia are performed by people for all nine nights and the goddess is worshipped. Mumbai dances to the rhythm of Garba raas. You can also get navratri dresses and jewellery on rent during this festival if you don’t want to buy one as it is heavy material. The band of Falguni Pathak is famous for this festival and people are crazy to get passes of such nice bands. People are mesmerized by the music. Again the negative thing in this festival is the noise pollution created by the bands and even small places in which it is organized.

Other than these Hindu festivals like Holi, Gudhi Padva, Dassera etc are also celebrated in Mumbai.

Eid

Mumbai has a considerable population of Musliums staying in Muslim communities like Bandra, Byculla, Mira road, Mohammed Ali road, Andheri etc. These are the areas where you will see Eid celebration in full swing. Tasty Biryani and sheer kurma are made during Eid. Haji ali, Mahim dargah etc are some of the mosques where you can see Eid celebrated in ethnic and traditional way of Muslim community.

Christmas

Christian community is also present in large number in Mumbai. Areas like Mahim, Colaba, Bandra Vile Parle etc. are some of the Christian Communities in Mumbai. Mount Mary church at Bandra Bandstand and Mahim Causeway church and the Holy  Family church at Andheri are the spots to visit during this festival. Beautiful cribs are made at homes and churches, X-Mas trees are decorated and not to forget Santa Claus delivers gifts for children in Mumbai too. Mumbai is a very cosmopolitan city and Christmas is enjoyed by people of all religion, castes and creed.  The delicacies like plum cakes, pastries etc.  are the tasty parts of the festival.

Other than these traditional and religious festivals there are event festivals in Mumbai which attracts a great crowd not only from various parts of India but all over the world. Some of them are as follows:

1. Kala Ghoda Arts festival - this is the most awaited and most popular art festival of Mumbai.

2. Mumbai Film Festival – Mumbai is the city of largest film industry and this festival is mainly for documentaries and short films.

3. Banganga Festival - this is a music festival especially for music lovers. This festival is organized by Maharashtra Tourism. 

Vada Pav

Vada pav is the favourite snack of Mumbaikars as it is available anywhere easily and a good grad-and go food. It is called the ‘Indian Burger’. People in Mumbai are very busy to actually sit and eat and they prefer such food items. This potato filled snack accompanied with fiery red garlic chutney should be on the top of the list of street food for the visitors of the city. This is the only thing that helps poor people in Mumbai to survive, as you can get this anywhere at a maximum price of 10 to 12 rupees. There is no place in Mumbai where vada pav does not exist. Even if you are hungry at midnight, vada pav will be present for your rescue.

Many actors, who came to Mumbai and struggled, often say that vada pavs kept them on the go during their struggles to make it big. In the U.S. a burger will cost you fifteen cents but a vada pav costs just seven rupees. In Mumbai, at least 100,000 vada pavs are consumed daily.

Normally you can eat tasty vada pav anywhere in Mumbai but there are specific places which people remember only for vada pav. The Parleshwar shop at vile parle east is famous for its vada pav for years. The vada pav stall outside Mithibai college at Vile Parle West serves super tasty vada pav with butter in mere 12-15 Rupees. Changu Mangu vada pav center is famous at Dahisar for its vada pav, but the best vada pav you can have in whole Dahisar is the vada pav of Vidya Mandir School (My school J J). My mouth still starts watering if anyone mentions ‘Vidya Mandir ka vada pav’. I remember students from different schools used to come to our school just for tasting that vadapav.

Vada pav has also played an important role in the politics of Maharashtra. In 1990s Shiv Sena, one of the leading political parties in Maharashtra set up vada pav stalls in Mumbai to give some work to young Maharashtrian people. Two years back, Shiv Sena started a chain of vada pav named “Shiv vada pav”.

There is one stall nearby Dahisar station and they came up with new invention of chinese vada pav which is also nice and you can get it at the cost of normal vadapav. This is something exclusive as I haven’t seen such stalls anywhere else in Mumbai.

Nowadays vada pav is being modernized as you can find different forms like grilled vada pav, cheese schezwan vada pav, paneer vada pav, Chhole masala vada pav etc. at many places. Jumbo King and Goli vada pav are a few of these branded vada pav manufacturers. Vadapav is so famous in Mumbai  that it attracted a marketing idea to generate more money by offering variety of these famous vada pav and targeting hygiene based people. These vadapavs are tasty but expensive and the only vadapav which can satisfy you in just 10 rupees is the traditional one.

According to a poll conducted by Star News these are the top four popular vada pav joints in Mumbai.

1.      Vada pav outside Kirti College, Dadar

2.      Vada pav at the Elphinston station, platform number 2.

3.      Borkar Vada pav , Girgaon

4.      Krishna Vada pav, Dadar -

Vada pav at restaurants and hotels do not taste as good as the street vada pav. If you want to taste the best forget the ‘hygienic keeda’ in you and eat the street vada pav. It is the thing that is hot favourite among elite, middle-class, poor alike.