Magical Monsoon Of Mumbai

Scorching heat, sweaty and smelly shirt I loaded in the crowded train as I tagged along the pole to gasp for air which was followed by a rowdy voice which yelled at me “ Oye thoda Hawa aane de” forcing me to take a step back as I grinned and cursed the raging sun. On my way towards an interview, I was left with a tanned face and sweaty body, still struggling for fresh air in that crunched compartment. Somehow I clambered on the Railway Bridge to call for an auto, the bumpy ride on Mumbai’s traffic jam + potholed roads left me = with a backache which miffed me further. I presented myself to the interviewer but I think I dint click off well, I was expecting for his positive response though it didn’t work out and I was left with sheer disappointment.

The very next day I was back to work in a disappointed state, with the feeling of disastrous and embarrassing failure, still wandering for yesterday’s debacle, left with no answers but bewilderment. As I was trying to gain control on my bizarre thoughts, the sky was filled with dark clouds, Birds hurriedly flying to their nests, vehicles started moving swiftly, I could see children running to the terraces of their buildings, folks scrambling to get the clothes drying on the window’s cloth-line inside, and It left a smile on my face... It was time. Mumbai monsoon had arrived.

And within no time, it began raining... Heavily...! I ran straight to the terrace... The feeling when the first drops of rain trickled down my face, played maze through my hair, and wet my clothes, was... Amazing..!!. It was ecstatic, euphoric, happy, joyous and what not! Still, these words can't completely describe that feeling. You have to feel it, to know it.

Couldn't stop gazing at the orange sky... Wondering how it rained from within the sunny sky! Mist surrounded the far-ends of the city... The railway headlight was visible dizzying away...

Through the water, memories, moments, people, situations and events seemed to have a flash back in my mind... The gushing winds hitting the face... The striking of the raindrops with force against the eye-lids... Blissful..! Often, the pain you get when the raindrops hit your face with amazing force seems like a punishment that you don't want to get through. At others, it's sheer pleasure.

Suddenly, the sun set and I could see the colors of the sky change swiftly from orange to silver to dark gray... And that's when I returned back to home...

It was about everything else, too. It always is. It's about happiness. It's about love. It's about washing away the sadness. It's about a celebration.

It's something much more than just a rain... It's a way of life...

It never ends with the rain... It's a feeling that you take with yourself, for the rest of your life... It's the magic of it which surrounds your life...

It's the realms and dreams of a beautiful day, the way hope refills in us, the way we feel happy that's so magical about it... Yes, most of us love the monsoon. Beyond the wet clothes, wrong timed rains, wet footwear, puddles of water, cold, cough and fever that usually follows, we all love it... 

Rising From The Ashes..!!

BANDRA SLUM FIRE

5th March 2011

Flames gutted in the Gareeb Nagar slums leading to destruction of more than 1000 huts in Gareeb Nagar adjoining Behram Pada areas. As people were still trying to collect their belongings especially their ration cards and documents which could prove that they are residents of Mumbai. Authorities were seen facing the wrath of the slum dwellers because their response was tardy. Buckets of water and sand were poured successively. To calm down the blazing fire.
Kids were seen wailing as their mother was trying to collect belongings as much as she could. The memories were burnt to ashes and only hopes were their last resort.



                                                                  
                                           5th March 2012

Oh!! here it is again. Should i appreciate their courage as they are brave to overcome a life threatening tragedy. OR i should call them foolish as they have reformed their bastis again where the same incident could strike again risking their lives. 

Rising of new Era!!

WELL!! the people living here basically are from different parts.Some are Bangladeshis, some from Nepal and some from nowhere.. I mean its still unknown to them!! They settle here for limited period, paying rents and enjoying Mumbai life.These people have low income but high spirits. Some proprietors of the shanty stay off in some remote areas and just collect the rents which are way higher then the rents in remote areas.The owners have regenerated their shanties in such a way that it could anytime crash down, endangering their lives. But their willingness to continue to survive at the place where their memories of both happy and sad moments flourish. One plus two cement roof, unauthorized constructions has thereby increased the slums in these area. 
                                                

               And now it is almost 3-4 floors above ground

God forbid.. another tragedy awaits as these slums have dangerously overshot the limited space for them which has thereby risen to 3-4 floors above ground level. These developments often go unnoticed by the officials and when a catastrophic event occurs they are seen nowhere, leading to delays and more damage. If they keep monitoring these developments they would rectify serious issues in these slums thus preventing major destruction. Just imagine, if a fire breaks out or the temporary structure built crashes down... How could a fire brigade engine reach to the spot?? The lackadaisical approach of slum dwellers and authorities could lead to another BANDRA SLUM FIRE EPISODE!!

Mumbai Threatened

Rickshaw.. wait bloody.. , hey ruko, stop...!! i yelled. But not even a single rick turned back. It was 9 pm, peak hour where Mumbaikars rush towards train, bus and cab stations. I was at one of the secluded place in town where rickshaws were ample but they were really not interested in me I suppose!! I decided to give a shot in walking towards the train station but my mind replied back negatively as during this point of time travelling in trains is just like a battle to be fought. I said lets try once to stop a rick, i glanced on the road, an empty rick was approaching, bhaiya station jaana hai i pleaded..he nodded in return and now i was prepared for a jumpy, back aching ride on mumbai's potholed roads. In the meantime i was ready for  a journey of approx 20-25mins to my destination. I recently heard of Mumbai's Auto Union strike so i just gave a common man's piece of mind by poking him about the bandh fiasco. He replied in a vague manner that he only knew that he has to earn a living for his family. "We never declare strikes its just netas who create trouble in our lives" now in tone to show his protest aginst these strikes. I asked him if he knew leader of the rickshaw union? he said i have been driving in Mumbai for past five years and have never seen or heard about him but i know his name... its Sharad Pawar...!! i was astonished as i heard him.. Kya bola aapne?? Sharad Pawar he quickly replied. I made a quick correction there, and said its Sharad Rao..There was quietness in the air.. He started again on the very next signal, spitting off his paan, he said Saheb, we are just slaves, we slog on these roads, then pack off home only to realize nothing is gonna change. Regional differences,potholed roads, strikes, corrupt hawaldars are our added woes, atleast i am not the one who demands strikes, strikes leads to our losses. But these leaders don't understand and we are just their puppets who give them political mileage.
 I said then why the heck you go off roads?? drive and earn your living, why trouble common man? Now i was in a mood to give a tough fight. Common man V/s Rickshawalla. He said, we are forced to go off roads either they smash us or our ricks. You tamper your meters and avoid short distance trips.. fuming like he was the sole culprit. Saheb, we slog for long day facing several risks everyday, the rent of the vehicle, repairs, petrol, CNG, etc... we hardly earn a good amount after daily struggle. I reached my destination paying him the fare, i moved into railway station for another fight.
I Realized how handfull of goons sabotage life of Mumbaikars. Leaders just gain their political mileage through agendas like region, religion, demands. In a recent headline i read Sharad Rao Gives Ultimatum To The Government. That means another strike and to hinder lives of Mumbaikar.Who the Fu#* Is he?? The bloody neta who don't give a fuck if an autowallah dies hungry on roads. Strikes just fumes Mumbaikar and one day we would go on strike and YOU bloody asshole will remain off road. I mean why does Mumbaikar never comes forward like he did during every crisis.. Give Sharad Rao his shit and throw him out. Ultimatum!! huh.. The person who owns a bungalow, enjoying his rich life why would he give a damn to what an autowallah is facing.
Its high time that we allow our lives to be controlled by these handfull of morons.

Ban Ekta Kapoor.

 It was a usual morning but unusual beginning of the day as my anger which was building up since 5-6years ago crashed on my mom. My anger was all about Ekta Kapoor serials and crying shit which is making my life sucking and i feel like loser because my mom gets glued to this bloody Rona-Dhona and i suffer as i don't get lunch, dinner and even a cup of tea on time. Now you would say i am blithering and just dragging a small stupid situation like a chewing gum but seriously its making my life hell. Morning fights ruins your whole day and yes it did happen! It RUINED my day. As i saw my mom glued to one of the program showing some courtroom drama, i just went up to her and said let me watch some news channel as its my daily routine but she just snatched away the remote and started screaming. How rude!! Why was that for just to see a courtroom buff which she knows is reel??
Now i just got pissed as i switched the main button off to show my ire and sneaked into bathroom. She was still screaming that i turned the mains off. After a prolonged silence i came out , Brush in hand, remote on the other, i again switched the TV on and sat to listen some hindi songs. After some time i went to take bath as i came out i just balled over as i saw her again glued to that Ekta stuff. Now it was getting off my hand Ekta was sabotaging my family. I was supposed to hurry down at office as i was already late and Mom was supposed to pack my Lunch box. I asked her twice.. No RESPONSE.... i just fumed and picked up the remote and BANG!Pieces scattered, battery under the bed and damage beyond repair!! She shouted.. Dad intervened, pushed me aside.. it looked like Kushti ka akhada. Finally TV off... I took my bag, wore my shoes and i just walked off. So now i had no lunch box and i was planning for Anna ka Anshan against Ekta Kapoor for making crap serials, mood was arrghh..!!to bang someone like a remote.
Controlling my anger just reached the office, My colleagues sensed something was wrong and preferred to stay away from angry young man, Silence was kind of unknown thing until i fumed like angry bull. Signal sent Imran ko kuch hua hai!! I could feel that, still gave a blind eye.
I decided to stay off lunch and to not even eat a morcel...
"Imran just come have lunch" said one of my colleague
No yaar i am not hungry will eat later.. felt proud to say that.
Lunch over, me hungry, everyone settled, but i wasn't now i am hungry, searching for some good junk food to fill my stomach i just went out searched the vicinity nothing impressed me so i decided to go to one of the Dosa center nearby, "Dosa nahi hai", said Anna in his south Indian accent.
"Medu vada dedo,"
The outlet was famous for its yummy sambhar and i was still mesmerising the taste while in the backdrop banging of the remote flashed in my mind... i finally ended my Anshan...!!
Aha!! my stomach rejoiced within as i gulped my bottled water. During my starvation period this was my moment of joy and this is for Anna- My Savior.
But one thing i know i would really not forgive EKTA KAPOOR for ruining my day!!