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Saturday, October 04, 2008

Bombay vs Delhi

Another Delayed Post (Was supposed to post this in Bombay, but I am not famous for being organized)
As a guy living in Dwarka, travelling in a mini-van to work, shoulders touching the low roof, my neck, back, knees and every other part of my body bent double, and eyes in a perpetual frown, concentrating on not bumping against that low tin roof everytime we hit a bump, I thought I had seen it all. (If you thought that was a long sentence, brace yourself.) The noise of some constant fight in the vehicle, the sweaty shoulder against your chest, the stench of his hair in your nostrils, tells me that this is the most uncomfortable way to travel.
Bombay gave me a new perspective. Watching hoards of people with different goals walking in the same direction at top speed, managing not to bump into anybody though even lifting an arm to scratch your head would mean elbowing the guy next to you. There is an extremely loud silence amidst all this rush (only experience can tell you what that means) at the VT train station. The crowd is bigger than a Delhi one, and could be very uncomfortable if it was a Delhi crowd, where there would have to be someone shouting at the other for some obscure reason.
People in Bombay walk twice as fast and talk at around the same pace. While you are focussing your mind on trying to keep up with what people are saying and what they mean and how you can keep up, someone's hand has already been in your pocket and has left it empty.

A true Mumbaikar can do anything from setting up a shop on the roadside to making friends to bargain with the guys at fashion street without any emotion. He sets a goal for himself and will not let emotion get in the way. Even if he is accidentally pushed by someone in a crowd that he falls on his nose, he would get up, wipe his shirt, maybe hurl a few abuses and move on.
A true Delhiite however, lives on emotion. One cannot drive a car, or get into a crowded bus or haggle with the auto-guy without a display of emotion. (preferably aggression). The emotion itself is a fierce sort. Love is expressed by fighting against the friend's enemies; Jokes are cracked with an angry faces.
While Bombay has evolved into a cut-throat cosmopitan, Delhi is still a giant village, in many ways. There is no sense of anonymity. Sure, some mumbaikars stare (sometimes I think they're actually Delhiites on vacation) but not as much as the Delhiites. My female readers (who've visited Delhi) will agree with me. Forget the usual sexually-frustrated male lechers, numerous as they are. Even a 7th Standard Delhi girl in the bus would stare at you constantly for five minutes (or more) sweeping you from head to toe with her eyes, making you wonder if you have worn your shirt inside out.
In conclusion...
I don't want to draw any conclusion on which is a better city. Each city has its flaws and its strong points. I prefer Mumbai to Delhi (guess it's because I've been there first) but I would love to hear someone with differing opinions.

4 comments:

Senmami said...

hmmm about the staring ... i'm off to Mumbai :D...

Unknown said...

Interesting observations there! I quite agree with the aggression bit. In Delhi people can be nice to you but in a rather rude sort of way whereas in cities like Mumbai or maybe Kolkata people can rob or cheat you politely and with a smile!

I think it's time for those living in delhi to have a sense of belonging and to start giving to the city instead of taking from the city and to work at bringing good values into the city. And perhaps be open to loving Delhi. That might change things- a lot!

sam said...

well, you do have a point there... but i reiterate my perspective in the next post!!!
I really find it difficult to call such a city my own... Guess it's a matter of time

Unknown said...

I do understand very well what you're saying- being a woman,travelling by bus,the endless staring, being eve teased (for being a girl and for not looking like a Punjabi!) certainly made life in delhi tough. Well, it has taken 11 years for me to come to a point of even considering wanting to be a blessing to Delhi and to think of the city as my own. It is supernatural work is all i can say! But it's important to be open to somehow move in the opposite spirit of the city.