Isha in Mumbai is not a statement it’s a feeling. I am sure Isha in Paris edition will also come soon, but Roy T Bennett said true “if you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future focus on living in the present” and yes, I am doing the same not ruining my today and hearing my inner voice writing this piece of my emotion to let it out to the world, to all the isha’s out there who are planning to come far from its family.
yes it is not the first time I was moving out of my home, just that this city Mumbai was different…therefore want to pen down my journey.We all were in love with Aisha from the wake-up Sid and her “New girl in the city” article, which developed an unknowing love for Bombay.Frankly speaking, I never had the plan to come to this city of dreams. But somehow last August just after the harsh days of the pandemic, when the whole world was mourning the effects of Covid 19, I was standing in the crowded Mumbai central station with my bags and lots of anxiety for my new beginning.
A small-town girl with big dream…cliche but reality. Yes, it was hard to see a city which never sleeps, it felt overwhelming too, as you can move out to the street even at 2 am unlikely to my hometown. An advertising enthu who plan the best to sell anything to the TG not able to sell sapno ki nagri to herself. The reason might be anything. But deep down in my heart, I wanted to accept this city, it is a perfect combination of Dreams, Love and Nature, who doesn’t want to belong to it?
For a long time I was trying to find peace in the city and one day the reel scene from wake up Sid got amalgamated with my real life, when I went to the Versova beach for the first time, believe me or not sitting near the seashore with my diary, with the sound of gushing water, it felt like medicine to my soul. The scared Isha got her comfort zone, where she was alone yet ready to discover herself. Samundar was special, and why not Is sheher mein jahan har waqt sab kuchh badalta rehta hai, bas ek samundar hi hai jo nahi badalta. YEH Humesha Yahin rehta hai.Human beings are weird characters they always notice half glass empty and ignore the half-filled part… I was the same.
I hated Mumbai for its over-competitive nature, its dirt, its climate, its crowd, its Chaka Chound and was ignoring the real Mumbai which had opportunities, exposures, chance, stairs to growth and a lot more. The song of Farhan Saeed was repetitive running in my mind – Tu Logon mein rah kar akela rahe ga Akela rahe ga, Dekh tera kya rang kar diya hai, here also I was concentrating on the word akela but what about the rang isha????? the colour of your personality which wanted to be experimental and try some blue, burgundy and rose pink. I was hustling with myself. Then I decided to see the city over its crowd and dirt and just like Alisha from Kolkata I started walking…yes, this city makes you walk…lol Mumbaikar doesn’t mind walking for 5 km in a stretch. Their math says 3 km = 5 mins of walk… oh lord from where they learnt that. Never mind I started doing all the Mumbaikar things eating vada pav in all the meals. going to Marine drive at 7 am with friends and having a perfect breakfast at Pizza by the Bay after waiting for 30 mins, yes Mumbai has lines for everything. Whether it be food, train, auto, ATM etc, and these lines teach you a lot of patience. Patience to a level that you feel you are ready for marriage too, just kidding…Slowly I started being busy with my work and weekend strolls to new places, and the never-say-die attitude of the city sparked amazing energy in me.
My daily routine was running just with the local train routine yes if you don’t coordinate yourself with Mumbai local you will be out of the focal man…The city not only teaches you to live life independently but makes you understand the importance of time, every second is precious. 9.30 ka local from Kurla to Lower Parel is my life, Hehe. Central line bitches if you know then you know.
Mumbai is like a melting pot of lifestyle it soaks everything and everyone in its fabric and makes it its own. Living in this city made me witness stories of human existence whether it be Bollywood stars, big industrialist slum dwellers to tribes of fishermen everyone is vibing in their way. I was doing the same. None of my weekends were unplanned. I had one or another thing to do whether it be attending drama’s at Prithvi theatre or shopping at Colaba Causeway. Mumbai provides you with whole new cultural exposure. It’s 12-month festival calendar is a different world in itself like kala Ghoda fest in Feb and Urban art fest etc.
The highlight of my Mumbai experience is the month of September my birthday month when I was planning to go home and spend some quality time with my homies. I heard the Dhol Taashe of Ganesh Chaturthi. Mumbaites celebrate the 10-day Ganesh festival with great zeal and enthusiasm, over 6000 idols are commissioned in Mumbai, this alone is enough to explain the spirit of the Mumbai celebration of the fest. The tradition of Shivaji is very preserved by Mumbaikars, I just loved the vibe of the city and went for all the darshan with my friends from Ganesha Gully in Lalbhag to Girgaum keshavji Naik Chawl festival, despite standing in queue for hours I enjoyed the overall experience.
Now, I am part of the city and accepted it with open arms. I am living its iconic old-world charm, architecture, strikingly modern high rises, culture, traditions and whatnot. Now just waiting for the Magic of Monsoons in Mumbai so that even I can feel Ranbir Kapoor lines to Alisha –
Actually, A -Isha (Separating A from it 😜) tumhe Bombay baarish mein dekhna chahiye. main ghanto tal samundar ko dekh sakta hoon.
So, this was ISHA IN MUMBAI Edition.
🤞for Paris one…
