City I love Contest: Mumbai

This is my submission for the '3 Things in the City I Love" contest by Velvet Escape, Traveldudes and Wimdu.co.uk

Update: This piece was one of ten finalists for the "3 Things in the City I Love Contest"

It’s the city that one either loves or loathes, because it evokes a passionate response. It’s where a traveler can find every type of person imaginable: the lost, the spiritual, the devastatingly poor, the lavishly rich, the miserable yearning to leave, and the elated setting up a new home. Mumbai is chaos and beauty and the pair is inextricable. So many of the tourists I met there were parting with this wild metropolis only hours after their arrival—overwhelmed, exhausted, and with a bitter taste in their mouths. But Mumbai only offers it’s magic to the patient and resilient. Once you overcome the city’s challenges and idiosyncrasies, you will realize that Mumbai is one of greatest cities in the world.

While Mumbai is known for its relentless salespeople who know no boundaries, it’s also home to some of the kindest people I’ve ever met. People want to show you how incredible their city of 18 million is--let them. Once you make it through the labyrinth of tuk-tuks, taxis, elaborate or makeshift market places, find solace in the city's gorgeous temples and their traditions.

I love Mumbai because it provided me with so many exhilarating, hilarious, and interesting experiences I could never have had anywhere else. In no other city in the world could I expect to be asked to act in a movie while on my way to work or class. Never will I forget dancing on a Bollywood movie set for 10 hours, in a ridiculous costume, at the pay of a dollar an hour, laughing hysterically with new friends, and blowing our earnings in an hour later that night.

Only in Mumbai did I grow accustomed to buying books from street vendors who somehow photocopied every book I had ever hear of, and sold them at a small fraction of the usual cost. Like with many things in Mumbai, there is no system to how these books are organized. The dizzying piles of novels and their copyright infringements line the busy sidewalks. Some of the books may have had a page or two missing, which always made me laugh. Mumbai’s beauty can also be found in its charming mistakes.

While Mumbai has so much to offer, there are three incredible experiences that cannot be overlooked:

Spend the evening on Marine Drive

This main street is home to hectic daytime traffic, but it begins to quiet down later in the evening, making it the perfect time to enjoy the waterfront. Also known as the “Queen’s Necklace” for the way the city’s buildings light up the edge of the Arabian Sea, you’ll find locals relaxing with friends or family, enjoying the crash of the waves and the view. Until the early hours of the morning, chaiwallas will walk up and down the water selling hot cups of tea for only 5 rupees each, the perfect company to the breathtaking view and a cool summer night’s breeze.

A late night on Marine Drive

Join the Festivals

India’s festivals are stunning and plentiful, and even worth planning your trip around. Whether it’s Makar Sankranti, the kite festival that rings in the harvesting season; Holi, the famous festival of colours; Diwali, the festival of lights; Republic day, marking the country’s independence; or, more recently, the Gay Pride parade, Mumbai knows how to celebrate more impressively than anywhere I have ever been. Fly your kites from the terrace in competition with other buildings’ residents trying to cut down your kites, throw colourful powder at smiling strangers, watch puja performances and bursting firecrackers, dance, and enjoy yourself. 

The Gay Pride festival

Take the Train

A city’s public transportation is an important facet of its character, and in Mumbai it’s no different. The smells, the colours, the crowds, the characters—its like the city’s spirit was packed into a single compartment. It’s extremely rare to see a traveler on the local trains. If you can’t brave the train for your regular transportation, take it for an unforgettable experience. Once on the train you have a front row view to the city and colourful life by the tracks, and all the smells, good and bad, that accompany it. Salespeople on the train will sell you everything from the expected, fruit, scarves, and jewellery; to the completely random, plastic containers, earmuffs, and stationary. If you're in for a longer trip, you don't have to worry about going hungry. Mumbai's trains have table service--well, without the tables. You can expect to find men and woman boarding the train to sell snacks, such as samosas and sandwiches, while their repertoire of sales pitches fill the air in the compartment. It's the greatest street food you will ever have for the change you might find in your pocket.

On the train, the locals won’t hesitate to let you know, though in Hindi, how you should proceed. Don’t be surprised by the pushing and yelling. In Mumbai, one of the biggest cities in the world, you have to claim your spot. Once you do, there’s no greater place to be.

Waiting for the train at Churchgate Station