The Mumbai Factor

Panoramic view from an apartment in Andheri West

"Do you like prawns?  You should come over for dinner; just knock any time." These were the words of a virtual stranger who I met just five minutes earlier. This was not surprising to me at all. It's my second time in Mumbai, and such interactions have proven to be the norm.

I really like this city, although it took some time to get over certain aspects of it. The first time I came here it was culture shock in its most intense form. The sights, sounds, and smells initially felt like an aggressive assault on the senses. It wasn't until I came home that I began to appreciate it.

Westerners tend to see mostly the not-so-desirable aspects of Mumbai, and this place not typically high on their travel bucket list. Here are some of the reasons: sanitation in public spaces is usually questionable at best, food poisoning is a constant possibility for any newcomer, the working poor are the largest social class, and the traffic situation will make you question reality. 

Still, there's something beautiful about it all. 

One Mumbai resident told me that although she's tired of the dense population and constant risk of illness, there is something about being here that overrides those concerns. Another told me that the beauty of this city is that it pierces your senses so much that you feel more alive than you would elsewhere. It's as if it induces a heightened sense of vitality. 

Man showing showing us a manual washer and dryer in an open-air laundry facility.

I'm not sure if the feeling (or the "Mumbai factor") is inherent in the city's culture or if there's something more to it. Regardless, it's one of experiencing life in its most intense, raw, and concentrated form.

To the average western visitor, Mumbai appears to be a mess of garbage and poverty (I'll avoid elaborating on the poverty because it's too complex and political to even begin here). There is no choice but to become acclimatized, if not desensitized. 

Those who move to this city tend to do so for a few reasons: the seemingly limitless opportunities in many career fields, the around-the-clock energy, and the resourcefulness of the citizens. There is a very distinct and worthwhile sense of presence in being here.It's my second time here, and I feel it more than during the previous visit. Something here gets in your blood and gradually intensifies. 

Social events tend to unfold organically and spontaneously.  I've been to several, and they can be planned as late as a couple of hours before the start time. It's also not unusual for a neighbour or friend to ask you over for dinner a few minutes before food is on the table. You can also knock on doors to visit people unexpectedly. 

Spend some time here, and you'll be able to understand the feeling that separates Mumbai from other cities --- regardless of continent.  You'll find that it's a place where people of all social classes live in the same space, eat the same food, and often take the same public transportation. It's a place where a wealthy person with excess food can walk outside and give it to someone less fortunate. Nothing is wasted here, and people co-exist in both shared space and shared resources.

This can be a very humbling place. 

Most of Mumbai's population is here simply for survival; it's often a live or die situation, with little room for regret. Roughly twelve million people seem to be functioning together as a collective, regardless of personal circumstances or objectives.  It's difficult to articulate in words, but if you ever have the chance to spend some time here and experience it for yourself, do it. 

I was in the traffic most of the time, so I had to get this from Google images. This is exactly the type of traffic you can find yourself in regularly in Mumbai. 

It's not all chaos here. 

There is something very calm in the air, despite the absurdly high population density.  People don't seem to be in a rush. Walk down nearly any street and you will see people simply hanging out, looking around, and taking things as they come. Oh, and the driving ----- it's a superb mix of risk and talent (the only comparable place I've been is Ho Chi Minh city), but still the drivers are calm overall. If the experience of driving Mumbai were transplanted to the GTA, there would be an inevitable epidemic of road rage and hostility. I'm still not sure what's behind the hostility in drivers at home, but there is an undeniable contrast in attitude towards traffic and communication on the roads. 

Fortunately the consensus is that people like it. One resident had previously lived in Toronto and said that people were "just so disconnected there" (nothing against Toronto, but it's a fair observation, and it's probably true of other North American cities too). Perhaps people in these cities feel connected to others based on career field, industry, identity, religion or social stratum, but that's as far is it tends to go. The difference in Mumbai is that the energy, pride, and interconnectedness of people here is natural, unlimited, and all-encompassing. It's a city with an identity that does not need to be manufactured or promoted in any way. I can't fully do justice in explaining it, but hopefully I scratched the surface. Either way, I'm grateful to have been able to come back here. 

Two Goats and Two Guys on a small Motorbike  (left)  /  two Goats hijacking a Rickshaw (right)

Every place has its positive and negative aspects, and the best way to get to know them is to ask the people who live there. In doing this, I've also found out the the people who live in this city have the city living within them to an extent that I've never witnessed before. 

Also, there are goats everywhere. Goats are great. 


Stay tuned....