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Quintessential Mumbai

         Mumbai – one word, a million experiences. Mumbai is a beautiful paradox, an alluring mystery, an incredible spirit and an unexplained phenomenon. This city is the lifeline of the country – one that untiringly runs 24x7. It is the maximum city that never sleeps.

         Having lived in Mumbai all my life, I seemed to have begun taking my city for granted. It took an amazing collaboration with Creatyst for CreatystLabs to freshen up my memories of not only what all Mumbai quintessentially stands for but also of everything that is quintessentially Mumbai. We were privileged enough to rediscover Mumbai and find new experiences from among things that have become an inseparable part of this city. We decided to focus on 4 major aspects of our city that are #QuintessentialMumbai.

1. Railways


              The lifelines of the city, its trains are a famously bitter-sweet affair for Mumbaikars. The crowd, the fights, the delays and the smells are readily overlooked for the convenience, the frequency and the safety they provide. 


Having recently completed 150 years, Western Railways has had a rich heritage of serving the city with a silent smile. Some of the stations like Churchgate, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (previously Victoria Terminus), Bandra, Matunga, Goregaon, Sion and many others have their own individual histories attached to their conception and names. The history of Western Railways in Mumbai would definitely make for an amazing read some day.



2.  Monuments



         Mumbai’s love affair with its innumerable historical monuments is an undeniable irony. On the one hand, we have our activists and historians who are not only proud of our heritage but also fight incessantly to protect it and on the other, we hear stories of swanky malls and corporate buildings replacing heritage structures every day. 


         But certain heritage structures of Mumbai are its identity and are an inseparable part of the city’s existence. Each of these structures has volumes of stories to narrate, if only we stopped to listen. They uphold centuries of experience within their many corridors and windows, waiting to serenade new comers to the city into falling in love with it.


 

3. Streets


            The streets of Mumbai are an ever-changing mystery. They are so many things to so many people. Home to some, workplace to others.  Named after someone, a source of inspiration to others. And to everyone, they are the most painful yet interesting means to travel from one point to another in this wonder city. 


        Here, it’s possible to see a Jaguar or a Porsche stuck in traffic, right next to a cycle or a rickshaw. It’s possible to see a chana-seller stationed a few metres away from an upscale brunch house and café. Nothing’s a surprise here anymore.





4. Sea


        The sea is this city’s most prized possession. In a place where everything is ever-changing and everyone is always on the move, the sea is the only constant. 


      It is the sea that gives this city a sense of calm, a welcome relief from a world of deadlines, submissions, meetings and the rush that has become a part of its everyday life. The sea and its different shades hold a special place in everyone’s personal stories here.



Mumbai is an enigma. It doesn’t have to be understood to be loved. With just a little effort, anyone can fall irreversibly in love with this city of dreams. It has its share of problems, but who doesn’t? It’s all about resiliently loving and tirelessly working towards improving it. Mumbai isn’t just a city. It is the spirit of its people, the culture of its communities, the heritage of its past and the optimism of its future. Mumbai – one word, a million experiences.

Photos by Anam Ladha and Vrutti Karia.
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