I have been itching to blog for a long time now and had a lot of topics like MDI, Marketing, Kashmir, India-Pakistan, etc (which shall obviously follow in due time now that I have loads of it :P) in mind, but than I read my testimonial in the marvelous Yearbook 2010 and the first line was I sleep, live, walk, talk Mumbai. Hence, it becomes imperative for me to blog on the two cities where I have lived for a considerably long enough time to write about them confidently. Also, both these cities have been very close to my heart (contrary to many other beliefs) and I am writing this blog post as an unbiased Indian.
Delhi - Easily the oldest city in India with records stating habitation dating back 2600 years ago. I remember having read about its existence in the Mahabharata with the city referred to as IndraPrastha - the capital of the Pandavas and than the Kauravas. And that status of it as a capital has been nurtured and preserved even today. Delhi epitomizes polity and power. Just a visit to Janpath will make you smell the power and security in the air. My dad always jokingly says when he sees the Parliament near Rashtrapati Bhavan "This is from where one of the largest economies of the world functions and to make it function better, just blow up the place when it is in session" :P.
Delhi (referring to NCR as a whole) is the largest city in terms of area and size in India and from what I have experienced in the past 2 years, it has really started using this large area to build superb infrastructure, infra of the caliber you would have only dreamt 5 years ago anywhere in India. And the best part of this infrastructure is that it is not scattered in some parts, it is consistently very good in most parts of NCR. Huge good quality roads (6 by 6 lanes in many parts), cleanliness in most areas, a concerted effort to reduce pollution, sparkling CNG buses, crisscrossing flyovers and of course the Delhi Metro are highlights of Delhi which would make any Indian proud including me. The old UNESCO heritage monuments in Old Dilli like Red Fort and Jama Masjid with Chandni Chowk as the common link, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, etc reflect the Mughal regime and grandeur of Delhi. Personally, my favorite place in Delhi is Dilli Haat where you can see a mesmerizing blend of all cultures of India, food of the best kind. This place can be really called mini India which is not made by a Delhi or a Bombay but by all the various cultures amalgamating in the melting pot.
But there are things which I do not like about Delhi too - things like the treatment meted out by a majority of autowallas, bus conductors, shopkeepers,etc (I call these people the face of a city); things like the negative pride and ego associated with the power and polity; things like an utter disrespect amongst the common Delhiite (most North Indians) for South Indians; things like the lack of cheap comfortable public transport apart from the Metro; things like the insult of such awesome infra and roads by a huge chunk of bus and car drivers; things like the fear in a woman's mind to step out of the house alone even at 9 PM. Hence, I would say Delhi is a cosmopolitan but far away from being a metropolis as of now.
Bombay/Mumbai - Historically, Bombay is a very young city. Bombay was built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands, about 250 years ago by the British. Bombay was developed extensively by the British as they realized its logistical advantage of having a deep natural harbour which served as a crucial port in the trade activities. The 32 km railway line (first in India) laid between Thane and VT in 1853 (yes, 1853!!) was the inflection point which had laid the roots for what Bombay is today. This railway line laid by the British is still the lifeline of the city. And it was this local railway line which attracted a huge number of migrants to Bombay from when it was made. Personally, I have had few of the best moments of my life travelling in these local trains since my childhood days. Where else in the world will you be able to travel on a stretch of 32 km, unlimited number of times in a month paying just Rs. 125 today ??? And yes, it is very comfortable if you leave out the 7 AM - 10 AM North to South and 5 PM - 8 PM South to North peak hours.
Let me talk about the infra and the face of Bombay now. Bombay has by far the BEST bus service in India, the best and most trustworthy autowallas, taxi drivers, shopkeepers (a majority of them), the best variety of food at the cheapest of prices, the most helpful and spirited people (common Mumbaikars). Bombay is a city of options - it has options in everything for every kind of person. It can cater to the needs of a beggar surviving on alms, the needs of a middle class family earning 10-15 k per month and also to the needs of a Mukesh Ambani - one of the richest people on earth. I can personally recollect numerous times having filled my stomach eating a Rs.5 lip smacking Vada pav and also paying Rs. 1200 for a lobster dish once!!! Also, Bombay does not belong to any religion, caste, background or region. I have grown up, played and studied in school with a Gujarati, a Punjabi, a Jew, a Tamil, a Muslim and a Bengali. I doubt any other city in the world depicts this kind of secularism and unity. Talk about freedom and fear, few of my friends (yes, am talking about women too) interning at Bombay have unabashedly roamed on the roads at Marine Drive at 2 AM and returned home alone at 4 AM!!! Bombay has places like Marine Drive, Worli seaface, Bandstand, Malabar Hill and loads of them which makes it enchanting and welcoming to one and all. The entertainment capital of India and house to the biggest film industry in the world i.e. Bollywood, you are very likely to bump into a celebrity if you live here for even a month. Also, Bombay is the most romantic city where you shall find hordes of couples lined up everywhere without the fear of anyone (except for a few idiots being blown out of proportion by the media).
Now, the things which I do not like about Bombay - First and foremost, the wrong message that is being sent out by few @$$es who are maligning the true image of Bombay. I can say with full guarantee having taken birth and lived in the city for more than 22 years that at least 90% of Mumbaikars do not believe or feel one bit of the shit that is being doled out by these so called Marathi manoos'. They openly welcome all Indians, help them, take help from them, celebrate their festivals, laugh in their happiness and stand up with them in times of sorrow. Bombay dos not feel what a particular Raj Thackeray or Bal Thackeray says, Bombay feels what true Mumbaikars like Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and many more say. Second, the role media has played in blowing so many things related to Bombay out of proportions. Live in Bombay and form an opinion on what you see and not on what the media shows you while you sit at your home. Third, the amount of poverty and filth present in Bombay (which is in fact an asset in many ways) but needs to be upgraded and given a better standard of living. Fourth, Bombay contributes to 5% of the Indian GDP and approx 40% of the income tax revenue of the Central Govt and also is home to 2% of India's population. But I have never seen even a considerable fraction (leave alone a proportionate amount) of money and effort being directed towards the development and well being of the city. Fifth, the amount of anti-social activities which are on the rise in Bombay leading to terrorism. The Mumbai Crime Police (regarded second best after Scotland Yard) has done a great amount of work in cleaning this dirt but it still has a long way to go. And there are many other smaller problems too like any other city in India. But still, I feel Bombay is a true metropolis and a true cosmopolitan which deserves better treatment from the Central and State Govt.
Comparison - I believe comparing these 2 greatest cities and pillars of India would be a crime, a sin that I would not want to perform in this post. This is something left alone to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) which has rated Mumbai as an Alpha World City and Delhi as a Beta World City +. For me, each city has its own beauty, its own problems, its own lifestyle, its own pace, its own demeanor and I love them both as they are (of course both can be much much better). I want to conclude this post by saying what I have experienced about these 2 Kohinoors of India : Delhi - A role model for Indian cities in terms of infrastructure, roads & flyovers, cleanliness, less pollution, maintenance of heritage monuments, Delhi Metro & politics.....Bombay: A role model for Indian cities for everything else.....love both cities....Delhi - Meri Shaan, Bombay - Meri Jaan :)
- Straight from the heart of an Indian !!!
Delhi - Easily the oldest city in India with records stating habitation dating back 2600 years ago. I remember having read about its existence in the Mahabharata with the city referred to as IndraPrastha - the capital of the Pandavas and than the Kauravas. And that status of it as a capital has been nurtured and preserved even today. Delhi epitomizes polity and power. Just a visit to Janpath will make you smell the power and security in the air. My dad always jokingly says when he sees the Parliament near Rashtrapati Bhavan "This is from where one of the largest economies of the world functions and to make it function better, just blow up the place when it is in session" :P.
Delhi (referring to NCR as a whole) is the largest city in terms of area and size in India and from what I have experienced in the past 2 years, it has really started using this large area to build superb infrastructure, infra of the caliber you would have only dreamt 5 years ago anywhere in India. And the best part of this infrastructure is that it is not scattered in some parts, it is consistently very good in most parts of NCR. Huge good quality roads (6 by 6 lanes in many parts), cleanliness in most areas, a concerted effort to reduce pollution, sparkling CNG buses, crisscrossing flyovers and of course the Delhi Metro are highlights of Delhi which would make any Indian proud including me. The old UNESCO heritage monuments in Old Dilli like Red Fort and Jama Masjid with Chandni Chowk as the common link, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, etc reflect the Mughal regime and grandeur of Delhi. Personally, my favorite place in Delhi is Dilli Haat where you can see a mesmerizing blend of all cultures of India, food of the best kind. This place can be really called mini India which is not made by a Delhi or a Bombay but by all the various cultures amalgamating in the melting pot.
But there are things which I do not like about Delhi too - things like the treatment meted out by a majority of autowallas, bus conductors, shopkeepers,etc (I call these people the face of a city); things like the negative pride and ego associated with the power and polity; things like an utter disrespect amongst the common Delhiite (most North Indians) for South Indians; things like the lack of cheap comfortable public transport apart from the Metro; things like the insult of such awesome infra and roads by a huge chunk of bus and car drivers; things like the fear in a woman's mind to step out of the house alone even at 9 PM. Hence, I would say Delhi is a cosmopolitan but far away from being a metropolis as of now.
Bombay/Mumbai - Historically, Bombay is a very young city. Bombay was built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands, about 250 years ago by the British. Bombay was developed extensively by the British as they realized its logistical advantage of having a deep natural harbour which served as a crucial port in the trade activities. The 32 km railway line (first in India) laid between Thane and VT in 1853 (yes, 1853!!) was the inflection point which had laid the roots for what Bombay is today. This railway line laid by the British is still the lifeline of the city. And it was this local railway line which attracted a huge number of migrants to Bombay from when it was made. Personally, I have had few of the best moments of my life travelling in these local trains since my childhood days. Where else in the world will you be able to travel on a stretch of 32 km, unlimited number of times in a month paying just Rs. 125 today ??? And yes, it is very comfortable if you leave out the 7 AM - 10 AM North to South and 5 PM - 8 PM South to North peak hours.
Let me talk about the infra and the face of Bombay now. Bombay has by far the BEST bus service in India, the best and most trustworthy autowallas, taxi drivers, shopkeepers (a majority of them), the best variety of food at the cheapest of prices, the most helpful and spirited people (common Mumbaikars). Bombay is a city of options - it has options in everything for every kind of person. It can cater to the needs of a beggar surviving on alms, the needs of a middle class family earning 10-15 k per month and also to the needs of a Mukesh Ambani - one of the richest people on earth. I can personally recollect numerous times having filled my stomach eating a Rs.5 lip smacking Vada pav and also paying Rs. 1200 for a lobster dish once!!! Also, Bombay does not belong to any religion, caste, background or region. I have grown up, played and studied in school with a Gujarati, a Punjabi, a Jew, a Tamil, a Muslim and a Bengali. I doubt any other city in the world depicts this kind of secularism and unity. Talk about freedom and fear, few of my friends (yes, am talking about women too) interning at Bombay have unabashedly roamed on the roads at Marine Drive at 2 AM and returned home alone at 4 AM!!! Bombay has places like Marine Drive, Worli seaface, Bandstand, Malabar Hill and loads of them which makes it enchanting and welcoming to one and all. The entertainment capital of India and house to the biggest film industry in the world i.e. Bollywood, you are very likely to bump into a celebrity if you live here for even a month. Also, Bombay is the most romantic city where you shall find hordes of couples lined up everywhere without the fear of anyone (except for a few idiots being blown out of proportion by the media).
Now, the things which I do not like about Bombay - First and foremost, the wrong message that is being sent out by few @$$es who are maligning the true image of Bombay. I can say with full guarantee having taken birth and lived in the city for more than 22 years that at least 90% of Mumbaikars do not believe or feel one bit of the shit that is being doled out by these so called Marathi manoos'. They openly welcome all Indians, help them, take help from them, celebrate their festivals, laugh in their happiness and stand up with them in times of sorrow. Bombay dos not feel what a particular Raj Thackeray or Bal Thackeray says, Bombay feels what true Mumbaikars like Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and many more say. Second, the role media has played in blowing so many things related to Bombay out of proportions. Live in Bombay and form an opinion on what you see and not on what the media shows you while you sit at your home. Third, the amount of poverty and filth present in Bombay (which is in fact an asset in many ways) but needs to be upgraded and given a better standard of living. Fourth, Bombay contributes to 5% of the Indian GDP and approx 40% of the income tax revenue of the Central Govt and also is home to 2% of India's population. But I have never seen even a considerable fraction (leave alone a proportionate amount) of money and effort being directed towards the development and well being of the city. Fifth, the amount of anti-social activities which are on the rise in Bombay leading to terrorism. The Mumbai Crime Police (regarded second best after Scotland Yard) has done a great amount of work in cleaning this dirt but it still has a long way to go. And there are many other smaller problems too like any other city in India. But still, I feel Bombay is a true metropolis and a true cosmopolitan which deserves better treatment from the Central and State Govt.
Comparison - I believe comparing these 2 greatest cities and pillars of India would be a crime, a sin that I would not want to perform in this post. This is something left alone to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) which has rated Mumbai as an Alpha World City and Delhi as a Beta World City +. For me, each city has its own beauty, its own problems, its own lifestyle, its own pace, its own demeanor and I love them both as they are (of course both can be much much better). I want to conclude this post by saying what I have experienced about these 2 Kohinoors of India : Delhi - A role model for Indian cities in terms of infrastructure, roads & flyovers, cleanliness, less pollution, maintenance of heritage monuments, Delhi Metro & politics.....Bombay: A role model for Indian cities for everything else.....love both cities....Delhi - Meri Shaan, Bombay - Meri Jaan :)
- Straight from the heart of an Indian !!!
Was this inspired by the long talk that we had a few days back?? :) ...anyways nice thoughts!!
ReplyDelete@Namita: This is inspired by the 2 years I have spent here at MDI and my observations....but yes there is always a trigger to everything and the long talk surely was the trigger....Thank You :)
ReplyDeleteNicely written
ReplyDeleteNice one :) I myself wanted to write on Delhi and Mumbai, not a blog though..anyway..my thoughts: I think a city is never defined by its infrastructure/buildings etc etc, but by its people, culture, warmth, places that are made good or bad by people in those places. We sometimes talk about a 'feel' of a place. Thats what delivers the feel, not the amount of concrete. Mumbai is far far ahead of Delhi when it comes to all these intangibles which make up a 'city'. Just like a house cannot be a home until nurtured by a family, Delhi will always remain a mass of concrete, a showpiece to me. A showpiece without relevance. A place can only be relevant, if it indulges the onlooker into it and delivers memorable experiences, something which Delhi will never be able to do. The city is nothing but a collection of structures, flyovers, 'hangout' places which look good from the outside...just like its people and culture :) And don't even get me started on NCR :p
ReplyDeleteDisclaimer - The thoughts are my personal opinion on the city, and are not generalizable onto every Delhite :)
I feel the same Parag...Thanks for your comments :)
ReplyDelete