Once a Mumbaikar always a Mumbaikar!!!

Unexpected do happen to all of us sometime in our lives. Perhaps that’s why it’s rightly said: “Life is a bunch of surprises”.

For me, coming to Mumbai was something that happened unexpectedly. There were few relatives who used to stay here and like all they used to ask us to visit the place during vacations but it never really materialized. 

Never in my dreams had I thought that this lovely city won’t be just my vacation spot but it will be home for me. Home is somewhere you feel secure and warm and this is what Mumbai has to offer to you!!

2009 was my introduction to Mumbai. Prior leaving Delhi, the most I had heard about Mumbai was Bollywood. I really can’t explain the picture I had in my mind about Mumbai but it was definitely not what I had seen on day one. The journey from Mumbai Central to Chembur did not showcase Bollywood glamor by any chance. You move your eyes and the one thing that you could see was houses. To correct it, buildings or skyscrapers right on the main road. The only visible thing on them was the match box sized windows and clothes peeping out of them. It was really difficult for me to understand at that point of time as to what they were doing on those tiny bunch of windows. Probably, a North Indian will understand as to what I was wanting to check.

Till the time someone has not stayed a substantial period of time in Mumbai it is difficult for them to understand certain things like despite the vacant place inside most of the people could be seen hanging out from the local train, voice of dholak and people singing loudly from the adjacent passing train, local train friendship stories, importance of vada pav, monsoons, eating on car’s bonnet at 12 am in Bade Miyan, Drinking tea at 4:00 am in Nariman point, winding up the desserts with Bachelor’s ice-cream and catching the first local from CST at 4:30 am . One has to live all these things to actually realize them.

For few months, the only thing I knew in Mumbai was my workplace, my aunt’s house, and bus no. 382. As the time went by I got introduced to Mumbai and it was then I realized that Mumbai has so much of art, culture and history to offer.

Victoria Terminal that boasts its blend of both Indian and Gothic architecture followed by Crawford Market having similar architecture and which can cater to any need of yours or can also provide you with multiple new offerings. The huge structure of Gateway of India compels you to praise its Indo-Saracenic beauty.

A late evening walk at Marine Drive will take away all the tiredness. Don’t forget to sit there and dangle your feet over the Arabian Sea. Nariman Point which caters to best of the Five Star hotels in the city literally gives you the feeling of coming to a dead end point.

Haji Ali: A beautiful building right inside the sea. A bit scary during high tides but caters immense population from all the religions. Don’t forget to energize yourself at famous Haji Ali Juice Center. It’s a luxury to sit on the steps of Asiatic Library and watch events during Kala Ghoda fest.

Back and forth ferry ride to Elephanta Caves is a great way to experience the Arabian Sea. Highlights of Elephanta Caves is the 120 steps trek to the plateau where the caves are located. Multiple stalls selling guidebooks, t-shirts, souvenirs, food make the trek interesting.

Do visit Worli Sea Link and get amazed with this engineering beauty on Mumbai Coastline.

Mumbai is home to Asia’s largest slum. Contrary to the notion, it’s home to Mumbai’s largest small scale industry. Leather and farsaan (Namkeen, buns or any other bakery items) are among the most important production of this industry. It has become so famous that there are guides who are providing tours to this place.

Mumbai offers the best festive period between September – November showcasing Dahi Handi, Ganesh Mahotsav, Navratra, Dussherra, Diwali one after the other. To visit Lal Bagh ka Raaja and participate in immersion is an experience of its own kind.

It will be a crime to forget Kala Ghoda Fest, Bandra Fair and Wine Tasting Season. They are festivals in their own way lasting up to a week's time.

Ohh all this becomes very usual once you are in Mumbai….

Mumbai is one of those places in India which gives you freedom to breathe. Despite the dynamic life, you can enjoy best of the night lives here. It keeps your heart young and dynamic.

Correctly said: Once you lived in Mumbai and made it your home, no place else is good enough!!

Why are our online identities so different from our real ones?

“Most of us are consumed with our own thoughts and desires and are not always thinking of what other people may want. This is not necessarily being egocentric; it is just being human.”

Saying goes absolutely correct!! Despite our back breaking schedules; commitments; responsibilities or whatever to be named, we need sometime for ourselves. We need our space to breathe; our thoughts to be shared, to be understood and responded. The fact that humans need pampering can not be denied.

This is one of the reasons wherein at times we find our inclination more towards our virtual self rather than to our real me. It has its inception ages back. Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne is the farthest I could think of. I don’t know how many of us still remember it but, it was one of the light hearted example on human desires.

Internet has always been a blessing. Right from sharing the boundary less knowledge; to continuous knowledge expansion; peer assists; game zones;social networking, it has an unrestricted space for one & all and for all age groups. Among all,Social Networking has always held its special place. Rediff bol from Rediff.com, Yahoo Messenger chat rooms, G-talk have been favorites for all. 

I remember during my childhood days when all these formats were popular. Availability of a laptop mostly a desktop in those days at every individual’s place was not so common and affording one was a luxury. That time Cafe’s cherished!! I can’t connect neither can recollect as to what made these things so catchy. Rediff bol had this “What’s your Avatar” concept. What was it that brought the thrill to actually create an Avatar? Why the hidden me? What was wrong in it? Why was it considered a crime to step into a chat room? Why that hawwww factor!!! 

Is that the reason why our online identities got separated from our real ones? Might be yes one of the reasons.

However; with changing times mindset has changed & technology has advanced by leaps and bounds.With the onset of smart phones; I-pads & other gadgets and the unending popularity of various social networking sites we stand on a global platform. People have become vocal and use these platforms not just as sheer friendship sites but also for expressing views on economy; politics; markets etc depending on taste. Damini case has been a protagonist example of how strong public has become and how efficiently the online identities are being utilized. It has become a part and parcel of our daily lives and is almost un-separable. 

Though we boast of the aforesaid incidents, advancements but, deep within ourselves, there still lies a hitch, a fear. Fear of our society; fear of our own family members and most importantly fear from our own self. Yes, it is true that, most of the times, it is because of our own fear we intend to move towards these fake identities. We find them as a protective shield to voice out our words without being identified. We find them as an easy way to get into the mind of others & observe the views. We can’t deny that the factor “Mindset" is un-separable. 

We claim India to be a developing country but the fact is we are ages behind. We consider ourselves as modern but the truth lies that our modernity has advanced its root in external appearance but the internal framework has yet not changed to the core. Till the time our mindset doesn't change we will have the same scenario. We would still have dual identities. And our online identities would always be separable from our real ones. 

However; the way Indian youth has emerged out in the recent past brings hope to all of us. The power; awareness and the efficiency that has been shown off late, un-masks our Emerging India. A ray appears wherein in our coming future we would not be requiring separable identities anymore.

Astha on Bloggers

The hustle&bustle of Mumbai city revolves the needle of your wrist watch proportinately along with it. People don't have time to see their wrist watches as they are obessed with mobiles. They are more of luxury stuff and less of human need.This is irony but is correctly said Mumbai Local is the lifeline,half the life of a Mumbaikar is spent in it to balance their lives between work and home. May be different locals,but same timings and same faces makes the journey a bit comfortable.
Recollecting the first year in Mumbai brings shivers to me. The shiver of being lonely.I question myself is it the fear of losing the pamperdness, care and attention that i receive or is it the fear of losing the relations I have made over a period of time? M i ready to move with the fast pace local, wind on my face & a book in my hand? M stunned. Just dont wanna think about it.
M thankful to this local for gifting me the bunch of budding roses mounted with dew. So relaxing and welcoming. Each day they get more mature and beautiful. They go all out of the way keeping apart all their tiredness and hectic schedules
and smiles on their facesjust to bring a smile on your face and to make your day a special one .M so proud to look upon them and say they are my friends.
We have lived and cherished the moments together. You talk about the gigglings, gossips, leg pullings, bakra makings which is a vital part of our life and we do it punctually. To miss a moment is a pain.I somehow feel it has become a reason for a daily routine.
And then we have birthday celebrations ,anniversaries , hair doings
,shoppings, monsoon wears, pasta cookings and discussing the delicacies we have had made and the pathetic situation our husbands were into.
Oh how can I forget the freshers party & most importantly our kitty party
Its so nostalgic to even think of losing some one. To adieu is worst
. It's hard to accept that sooner or later we would be moving ahead in our lives.It bring tears to my eyes but still m complacent.This is what we have been in the past and m sure there are many more moments yet to come in future.

Luv u gals!!!

The hustle&bustle of Mumbai city revolves the needle of your wrist watch proportinately along with it. People don't have time to see their wrist watches as they are obessed with mobiles. They are more of luxury stuff and less of human need.This is irony but is correctly said Mumbai Local is the lifeline,half the life of a Mumbaikar is spent in it to balance their lives between work and home. May be different locals,but same timings and same faces makes the journey a bit comfortable.
Recollecting the first year in Mumbai brings shivers to me. The shiver of being lonely.I question myself is it the fear of losing the pamperdness, care and attention that i receive or is it the fear of losing the relations I have made over a period of time? M i ready to move with the fast pace local, wind on my face & a book in my hand? M stunned. Just dont wanna think about it.
M thankful to this local for gifting me the bunch of budding roses mounted with dew. So relaxing and welcoming. Each day they get more mature and beautiful. They go all out of the way keeping apart all their tiredness and hectic schedules
and smiles on their facesjust to bring a smile on your face and to make your day a special one .M so proud to look upon them and say they are my friends.
We have lived and cherished the moments together. You talk about the gigglings, gossips, leg pullings, bakra makings which is a vital part of our life and we do it punctually. To miss a moment is a pain.I somehow feel it has become a reason for a daily routine.
And then we have birthday celebrations ,anniversaries , hair doings
,shoppings, monsoon wears, pasta cookings and discussing the delicacies we have had made and the pathetic situation our husbands were into.
Oh how can I forget the freshers party & most importantly our kitty party
Its so nostalgic to even think of losing some one. To adieu is worst
. It's hard to accept that sooner or later we would be moving ahead in our lives.It bring tears to my eyes but still m complacent.This is what we have been in the past and m sure there are many more moments yet to come in future.

Luv u gals!!!

To my beloved !!!

Every step has been a new one.Though the walk has not been too long, but has made me see the hide n seek game of whims, fancies, happiness, sorrows building their blocks around.This is irony but is true I was not able to identify the budding love between us. Was I naive or was kiddie? Despite knowing that a coin has two sides, I was constantly looking to one side.Just passing a phase with tears and tatters & considering it as a gray one.

Its almost been an year now, just 10 days to go more for the same and life has started showing the brighter side of it. The fall of the season has started blowing its fragrance.The fragrance of oneness, the feel of love and to be loved by someone selflessly and seamlessly.Its like the west wind soothing and warm.M elated to express it.Somehow the monsoons have been the motivating factor to it :) Its childlike I agree but just wanna enjoy dis. No other thought, no useless burden just the innocence of the moment. And truly wanna express the cherishness that I have felt being with u.

Pardon me for all the ill things that have happened between us. No tears or words can express how guilty i feel for the same. Just wanna one thing "me with u n u with me".
I love the way u r n I would love to cherish u in the same fashion all lifelong.

What is your say to it??

At times there are evenings, which enables one to think towards a particular direction. And as the saying goes, an empty head is the devil's place and there i found myself fitting to it's best.
Yesterday evening i & my cousin were talking amongst ourselves & were discussing various incidents of each other's. Somehow we moved to the topic of almighty & the conclusion drawn out in the nutshell was that, though, we haven't seen him, still it is something we even can't comment upon. Itis not because of any scardness or so, itz simply because that though it didnot happen to us, but we do have several incidents of others to follow in a line.
The same crept moving in my mind & there were certain odd questions popping out. Just like the presence of almighty, following the queue was the behavior of an individual.

I was wondering as to what is that, which actually defines the behavior of an individual. External or the internal factors or both. To describe in brief is it the environment he/she is currently living in or is it the background of the family he/she comes from? Are the experiences he faced in life responsible for the same or the inner self we talk about?

there is one more point, I would like to discuss upon. just consider a person in a misery. What is it that he is looking for. "A Solution". Not just to his miseries, but also, for the reason as to why such happened to him. now the third party who is sought after for the solution finishes it up in a single liner" Dekh bhai agar to tu kissi internal factor ki wajah se pareshaan hai tab to sochte hain lekin agar external factors ne tereko itna pareshaan kar dia hai ki woh teri perimeter ki diwaar to todkar tereko hilla sakta hai tab to bhai mushkil hai. Fir to tereko sochna padega. Tab to kuch nahin ho sakta".

Now, i would like to ask as to how would you define to yourself as to what is an external factor & what is an internal factor. And following the same who decides as to what is the duo. Is it you or again is it the third party factor deciding for you?

Taking a small example of a job being considered as an external factor. You are single with no responsibilities it's just like a teenage crush which can either be cherished for a period of time or can be crushed at any moment without any reason or explanation.. It may be easy in this regard, but let's consider a different example. A person who's entire family is banking upon his month2month salary & suddenly for no reasons the job is gone. Now what would you say to it external or internal.

As per any third person it's external as the second can be grabbed upon. But, what about the concerned person & his family. Let's talk in terms of him. What is it external or internal. he is hurt not because he lost a job or for his own sake, but, because he would not be able to sustain the needs and demands of the family for a period of month and various other necessities banking upon the last day of the month which they used to look forward towards to.

In recent times,we have several writers, writing upon personal motivation, growth, learning etc. but would like to simply ask them as to what solution would they provide to such an individual. Which motivational theory would do to them at the hour of the need because everybody on the earthknows what is right and what is wrong, but, even then, works as per the situation in demand.

I would like to ask that at the time when things were in proper place the person is witty, vivacious, outspoken, but with the sudden change what should be the behavior one would like to see? How much is it relevant to expect the same from him when he himself is not in good mental health & also the story goes into the fashion that because he has been hurt of external factors, so nobody can help him too. But would expect or rather desire to see him as to what he was previously.

Now what is your say to it....He is guilty because he is not able to compromise as per the new situation or the fault lies in his brains that he is not able to cope up as quickly as the third person???

I M Hunting 4 patience 2 step in my Life

Today when i was sitting i was wondering when was it the last time i laughed to my fullest. I tried to figure out as to what is that which is hurting me so badly. why is it that i am not able to find my ownself. This is not me. i was never like this. All sad and worn out. There was a time when i was filled in with wittiness. I could make not just myself but also people laugh with me. and i used to cherish those moments. we used to giggle around, have fun and even make fun of others. But it appears as if it has been years since i am thinking about.

is it that i have started taking myself so seriously or is that i have stated taking life so seriously. M not sure as to whether either of the cases is true and has taken away my liveliness from me.

in this sudden years of recession God has blessed me with a cherished job. I have a darling fiance who loves me truly and so do I. But still somewhere i m pained. I have even realised that.

things even worsened up past two days. I joined herein as a Management trainee and was with a department for two months wherein i was into shifts. They gave me an option of switching to other department to which i got agreed. For another 5 months i was in different department, the one with which i am still continuing with. The sad story being we were 6 wen we stepped in out of those they confirmed 3 and for 3 they extended it for further 4 months.
Saddest part being that i am the one who are extended. the worst part of the same being that it was because of a bad remark by sm1 that i didnot get confirmed. The higher authorities didnot consult my current senior officals and made the decision based on the one with whon i have worked for 14 morning days. I am hurt and pained.

The story went even more sad when my senoior most current official of my department said that he would be helping me in the same, but the official in lower position than him need proper confirmation as to whether i am meant for his department or not.
If yes, he would help me in different fashion and if no, then in different. His words to me were i should decide as to whether live in the organization or to resign from the organization.


I dont understand as to why he is behind me in leaving the organization. It just been 8 moths of my carrer life and i am facing all these stuff. My heart is pained. i did whatever was required and still i am hearing all these words.

I dont know what to do. How to go about the things. My brains are not working properly. The rest two are calm and quiet.

Should thios me my fashion too to proceed ahead?