This is me, Moksha Sharma, a Mumbaikar, Signing Off!!

MUMBAI - THE CITY OF DREAMS

This place does wonders for its people by giving them a living. Standing right there with open arms, welcoming anyone and everyone, it definitely acts as a home for varied cultures. This diversity in the population makes it so rich and endearing. 

I remember when I was told we had to move to Mumbai because of my father’s transfer. I was quite young and thus the shift didn’t really matter much and I was indifferent to the same. Little did I know that things were about to take an entire turn! 

November of 2007 it was and we stepped on the lands of this city that claims time never stops. I guess that’s true..13 years and yet it feels like just yesterday! Every little detail, the homes we stayed at, the friends, the schools, the teachers, everything is just as clear as crystal if I come to think of them now. 

I knew little to almost nothing about this maze-like place - it’s local cuisine, language, people, traditions - not a clue! To top that, I am not really good with directions and thus though Mumbai is based on one straight highway, finding my way around seemed like a task - one that even Google Maps couldn’t help me with. 

Years passed by and I got accustomed to the whereabouts. Mind you it took me close to 11 years to memorize my ways in and out only to realize that I have to leave my home here and move. Yes, I am ready and all set to let go of this fast-paced though serene environment. 

It’s always tough to load and unload your entire living but I always thought it’ll be no big deal since I have already been on the move often. However, to be at one place for so long and not even realize when and how time went by so quickly, does throw you off the edge. 

While I write this, the entire journey is reflecting on my screen as though it’s a movie that I am watching with subtitles. I cannot speak enough of what is there on my mind but I want to share the little things that I’ll be taking with me. 

To me, Mumbai is ‘Rains’

Making monsoon feel so fresh and instilling a sense of longing, ‘Mumbai ki Barish’ makes my insides flutter and break a little at the same time for I find it hard to comprehend how something can be so wholesome and beautiful.

To me, Mumbai is ‘Tapri ki Chai’

I was a coffee-person however the trend of ‘cutting chai’ made my preferences change so much that I cannot go through the day without at least one cup of tea. It is the perfect beverage that can pull me out if I catch a cold. Believe me, not, nothing beats a hot steaming cup of water mixed with some tea leaves, clove, fennel seeds, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and milk. Sipping and having bites of ‘maska bun’ (buttered bread) is the best thing you could do to clear up your nasal path and kill some time.

‘You make plans over a drink, I make plans over ‘tapri ki chai’. We aren’t the same bro!’

To me, Mumbai is the ‘Sea’

So captivating that every time I am on the seaside, I feel as if the water is calling out to me. The calmness of the waves and the chill of the breeze takes my breath away each time. 

Even now! 

Honestly, I feel I can’t get enough of it… If it were to me, I would treat myself with an apartment facing the sea. Oh, I wonder what it would be to wake up every day and look out the window only to find myself in contact with the horizon where the sound of waves soothe the tension and the trees wave at me making me think nothing could be better to start my day with.  

To me, Mumbai is ‘Street food’

Imagine walking down the street with the smell of sandwiches, chaat, restaurant food, all hitting your sense of smell at once while your little tummy gurgles as a sign of appreciation and your mind tries to differentiate one smell from the other playing ‘guess the dish’ as you cross the path. My mouth is already watering! 

To me, Mumbai is ‘Local trains’

Hundreds of people all climbing onto one carrier pushing each other to make their way in, risking their as well as others’ lives just to reach their destinations a few minutes early because we all know - leaving one train can definitely make a difference in the schedule. 

Honesty, these are the first few things that immediately strike me when I hear ‘Mumbai’. 

Coming to the wonderful relationships this city has given me! 

Some amazing people for the rest of my life - friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors, everybody has played a significant role in shaping me personally and giving me lessons for life. 

I remember each day of my school and college, waking up early in spite of being a night owl and getting ready for an entire day of gruesome activities. 

                

Last but not the least, ‘My home’

9 years ago, on 24th October, I found the place that was going to be the closest of all. 

The house that had my nuclear family transforming the four walls into a home. It’s tough to find a beautiful yet affordable apartment here with the area somewhat decent and we were lucky to have laid our eyes upon this wonderful apartment in Thakur Village. 

‘Ekta meadows’ has an amazing atmosphere with the national park sharing its compound wall. The perfect community spirit among the residents of the society, celebrating each festival together. I had seen this trend only in ‘Mumbai’ and trust me it is the best!

Though I always imagined Mumbai will be where I stay for as long as time permits, this is when I finally bid my farewell to the city. 

'Once you live here, no other city is good enough!'

I am not really sure of what exactly it is but I completely resonate with the statement above. The vibe here is like no other with the nights being as lively and full of activity as the day. 

To conclude, these 13 years have been the major part of my years since I practically grew up in Mumbai. My teenage was this lifestyle and my twenties began here! 

By the time you’ll be reading this, I will be on the way to my airport, leaving all my experiences behind, entering a whole new world of possibilities and challenges.

‘Ata mi zate, laukar bhetu ya’

(Now I’ll go, see you soon)