This is Mumbai my dear, but don't fear; Just cheer, come to Mumbai every year!

Close to 7 months and I am still exploring Mumbai. The city has made me more observant of my surroundings. Initially, when I came here, I found fault in everything that belonged to Mumbai...its constant, unrelenting humid weather...the crowded places...the narrow, teetering-tattering roads. Everywhere I saw, I could find negativity. But the perspective is changing, slowly, but surely. I have began to start liking the city.

It's a unique city, unlike others. I am totally awed by the number of people residing. It's maddening. Mumbai is crowded to extreme. It's the most densely populated city in the world and in some parts of Mumbai, especially the western and central Mumbai, almost a million people are jostling for space in a square kilometre area. The city resembles like an insect colony. There is no personal space for an individual in Mumbai. The moment you come out of your 2-room flat - the only space that you can call personal in the whole of Mumbai - you just can't avoid getting touched here and there. there are a million people touching you, brushing past you, rubbing shoulder to shoulder, legs to legs, hands to hands, and bums to bums in local trains. There are so many people on the roads, on railway station, in local trains, in buses, even in the lift - the swarm of crowd is intimidating, to say the least. This is a city where you can reach your destination riding a cycle earlier than a car. Car makers in bbay never advertise the 160- or 180-km ph speeds that their car can reach. Because the speed is of no use here on Bbay's roads. So while you can admire the plush interiors of your newly bought Merc or BMW, it will not take you to your office on time. It is no better than a Maruti 800, which is crawling adjacent to you in the huge traffic on narrow roads, which look like a galli in your mohalla. Buying a car is a sin in Bbay..and the bigger sin is driving one. So even if you can afford one, drop the idea. Better travel in a local.

Talking of locals, Mumbai local ka 'suffer' bhi chakha hai maine. I find the crowd at Dadar station very intimidating. This is one station in the whole of Mumbai, where getting into and off the train is close to a life changing experience.

When you walk on the platform, you must be careful. Always keep your eyes straight. The moment you look sideways, you will get bumped into someone coming in front of you. And you are highly prone to such accidents if a pretty girl is passing just beside you and decide to have glimpse of her, admire her beauty. The crowd punishes you for bird watching. Someone might trample over your foot, bump hard his shoulders onto yours. And you will be just left cursing them under your breath. So people never indulge in extracurricular activities of your eyes when on Dadar station.

Riding here is not for weaklings. You need a heart of steel and the body too, coz you hv to be prepared to get bruised and battered once you take the ride. There are such a huge swarm of commuters around you, if you are not used to it, you get a heart-attack. Deluged in a torrent of people, the damned commuter just flows with the crowd. During peak hours in Mumbai, 15 pairs of legs vie for a 1 sq. metre space inside the locals. A carriage made for 200 people carries more than 600 commuters at one go. I just find it strange how locals have become a lifeline for people here who are used to riding on their tows, hanging from the doors. And I wonder how would they react, if something like Delhi metro is started here. One thing is for sure, logon ko train ke gates per latakne ka mauka nahi milega, coz in metros gates close automatically naa.

Taking a cue from an e-mail forward:
This is Mumbai my dear, but don't fear,
just cheer, come to Mumbai every year!