Everytime I visit this city, Mumbai, it feels the same, looks like the same queen albeit adorned with a new necklace or a pretty darn makeover. It doesnot seem to age at all. Its as if time never passed by. All the memories of childhood and the beeming teens, return with the same charm that i cherished during the times when that time was present and when those events happened.
The nostalgia attached to these trivial events has always been a mystery to me and more mysterious is the feeling of this attachment staying strong with each passing year, and not aging with time.
Mumbai, no matter how much i complain of the polluted air, the traffucked highways, the trash on the streets and the growing poverty, you are still my bestest!
Some petty but pretty nostalgic unforgettable memories are -
I) The corner book-store that sold magazines and kadambaris and diwali ankas (pardon my marathi usage, friends, the essence of vileparle, the town where i live, doesnt mean the same if i translate the local lingo to english terms). These not-so-well bound and not so glossy paper magazines just gave enough meat to the times i was growing up, to know what was around, what was deemed to be dignified and what was not.
II) The corner cobbler shop that i frequented often to repair the heels of my favorite sandals or the eye of my favorite slide. The BATA shoe shop was the only popular shop then and everlasting shoes housed in there. Needless to say, they were never my taste but there was little say i could exercise since i wasnt the penny-earner. In addition, those were the times when I could envision maximum one or two pair of shoes. Of course, these needed to last for as long as time immemorial or until the time they didnt serve the purpose of being shoes or i outgrew them, and that is how BATA had grown to be the household name. Now back to the cobbler shop. I do not remember how and why i was friends with that cobbler and now when i pass his shop and peek out from the auto rickshaw, trying to spot him, I see the same shop, perched at the corner alley or rather the covered gutter but not surprisingly, the owner has changed. Maybe he passed on his skill to his clan? I am just glad the shop still exists, for my memory to stay fresh and linger on.
III) The thatched roofed vada pav stall and its mouthwatering aroma is something i will never forget. The stall was always crowded, surrounded by people waiting their turn to dig into those mouth watering burgers. I remember overlooking the cleanliness of the pot that housed the over-boiled oil for its umpteenth time, the batter smeared hands never washed or wiped with a not so clean wash-cloth ever so often, most of all, the delicious yellow potato dumplings full to the brim in that pot.
IV) The sweet mart that always was successful in alluring me with its verkha covered multi-colored sweet balls, mithai, kaju katli and well-lit glass shelves. These deep-fried foodies, then, didnt tickle any of my “weight-watchers” conscience i have grown to embrace today.
V) The “ladies” tailor shop that indicated a NO-GO sign during Diwali season. I still have no clue how the poor tailor perched on his chair, taking down the measurements of those 20-30 odd clamoring women, stayed calm through the bickering, ranting and just the presence of 20 women talking at the same time! He still had the best kaarigar, the best designs and the best service and no wonder even now when i visit my mom’s house, i prefer to spend time at his shop waiting my turn, than, find someone new!
VI) The nook where the boys used to hang a.k.a. the adda! Nothing more i could say then, i was bashful, the batting of eyes and the glow on the cheeks as we girls based that nook, had its own story to tell. Till today, the adda is the same,the faces have changed.
VII) The ice-cream shopee selling chickoo milkshake and sitaphal icecream, no other place have i tasted those flavors. Everytime i visit mumbai, i make a trip to this shopee.
VIII) The road-side jeera goli seller cart, that helped me fill up my pinafore pockets during school recess time. My all-time favorite savory, sweet munchies that i still buy jars full of. Thankfully, they are available everywhere.
IX) The shaven ice truck a.k.a GOLAA! Yumm!!!! An all year round completely inexpensive, tasty icey, the vendor used to shout GOLAAA trucking his cart in our lane. That was just enough for us to run down, paying 50 paisa – 75 paisa, asking for a new or favorite flavor everyday and spending 10-15 minutes sipping and stroking the ice, until none was left, and then feeling proud as to who got the most-colored lips and tongue.
X) The favorite hangout in front of the Ram Temple! To pray, to say thankyou every evening to ganpati bappa and the other idols in the temple was a mere reason to get channa-mungfali from the shop across the road, and to sit in the verandah of the temple and engage in bird-watching!
XI) Finally, the charm of the auto-rickshaw, this open-sided 3 wheeler, is like a partially covered, 3 seater scooter that could play your favorite bollywood songs, sometimes blasting JHANKAR beats and Bappi-da tunes while driving you to your destination! The young romantics prefer the coziness of this mean of public transport while enjoying their favorite mithun-da and govinda and shahrukh numbers.
Mumbai .. I live you, one day at a time. I wish to continue to drink you through my memories, and through my frequent visits to my mother-land.
To my favorite city, I sing, “Woh kal bhi saath saathi thi, woh aaj bhi kareeb hai.”
You will always stay close to my heart.
