A City retaliates

Malthus prophesied that "Every phase of unchecked exponential growth... will be followed by a catastrophe or misery, and thus unlimited growth may even directly cause misery and vice."

An ominous thought, but one can't help wondering whether his words held much weight.

Specially when it comes to the city of Mumbai.

Bombay was the city of my vacations. Holidays, sunshine, beaches, laughter, Essel World and loads of fun. It was my getaway during the scorching months of Delhi. It was this 'cool' place where girls could wear anything without the 'sadak-chhaaps' checking them out.

When my vacation would get over, I would go back to Delhi wistfully thinking about this free-spirited city.

Cut to 2006, the city of my vacations becomes the city of my work. Maybe this fact has something to do with my changing perceptions. Not entirely though, my professional life could not change my outlook of the city in such a dramatic manner.

Since I've come to Mumbai, a considerable number of things have happened in the city.

From rain-caused deluges, to bomb blasts to tension caused by certain factions, psychopaths on the prowl, Mumbai has seen just about everything. And the relatively apathetic way in which the people regard all these speaks volumes about how innured they have become. Quite astounding to an outsider, hailing from a city where even a relatively small event can get one a very welcome holiday. In the span of just a year, I have seen more 'happenings' than I have in the rest of my life.

I have started wondering whether the spirit of the city, tired of the claims being made on it by the teeming millions, has begun to get back.

This thought struck me when on a certain 'late day' to office, I happened to pause and look around me, rather than be pushed inexorably in the flow of things. On an average, a person spends about 2 minutes at any railway station, but is too caught up with 'things' to take stock of life around him. Ditto for me - but that day as I was descending the steps, I stopped for an infinitesimal second (I stopped perforce because the stairs were like a jammed, overloaded conveyor belt).

And I shrank in revulsion. I could only see heads around me, and from that height they look like tiny ants crawling about, and ...I was one of them!

Was it any surprise to me, then, that the city was behaving so churlishly? I shudder to think what else this spirit has in store. When I come back late from work, I already find myself glancing over my shoulder just to reassure myself.

I want the city of my childhood fun. I want to roam the streets at night without fear in my heart. I want the free spirit of yore.