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Published: January 10th 2008
Downtown Bombay
Typical street scene in Bombay. Hard to choose one that was better than others. There were so many photo opportunities in the city. FIRST A WORD ABOUT CONFUSING CITY NAMES HERE IN INDIA. AS YOU ALL KNOW BOMBAY HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CHANGED TO MUMBAI; CALCUTTA IS KOLKATA AND MADRAS IS CHENAI. NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE MADRAS/CHENAI THING. BUT, IN 3 1/2 MONTHS IN INDIA I HAVE MET ONLY ONE INDIAN WHO CALLED BOMBAY, MUMBAI AND NONE THAT USED THE NAME KOLKATA. THE ONLY ONES WHO USE IT ARE WE PC FOREIGNERS AND TRAVELERS. SO, FROM NOW ON, AS LONG AS I AM HERE, IT IS BOMBAY, CALCUTTA AND MADRAS!!
How to begin! The only reason I even stopped in Bombay is because I had to travel through it to get to Goa. Several months ago I decided that part of my Indian travel strategy (and probably my China travel policy) would be to avoid big cities. I didn't particularly like Calcutta, avoided Delhi like the plague after all the horror stories I heard from travelers and didn't even enjoy Jaipur, a medium-big city with more charm than others.
It isn't just the cities in India that I find totally 'missable.' There really hasn't been one city in all of Asia that I find physically attractive - until Bombay. Tokyo
Dhobi Wallahs at work
This is an upclose picture of them working. Remember, almost all the laundry in the city is done here. I give my dirty clothes to the hotel and this is where it ends up is visually interesting in a somewhat futuristic way and Singapore isn't bad - has great food, interesting cultural mix and so clean you could eat off the sidewalks. But, really, other than the fact that they have a whole lot more Asians on the sidewalks (and you can't read the signs), they aren't that different from any nice North American city. Some might be saying right about now, 'But, how about Kyoto?' Well, many may (and do) disagree with me; but, I describe Kyoto as an ugly city with some incredibly, unfogetably beautiful world treasures. But, the city itself I found utterly 'uncharming'.
But, Bombay grabbed my heart and imagination. I love it. I spent 3 1/2 days walking all over old Bombay, mosly around the areas they call the The Fort, Churchgate and Colaba. It honestly was like walking through a beautifully maintained European city with almost all of it's buildings built in the Victorian era....(except, of course, there are a whole lot of Indians - and the normal sidewalk shops that go into overdrive every night!!). As you all know, I have traveled all my adult life and even lived outside the US for a considerable number
Bombay Laundromat
Overview of the dhobi wallah operation in Bombay. It covers a huge area. of years. And, I like cities. I have been in dozens of cities I have enjoyed (even if they weren't particularly esthetically pleasing to me - as I said above). I tried to figure out why this city just overwhelmed me. I thought about other cities and came to the conclusion that, while they are miles apart in so many ways, the only place I can compare it to is New York City (one of my two most favorites - until I now add Bombay - the other being Venice). As I say, it doesn't look like NYC, the climate certainly is nothing like it (well, that's not quite right, NYC can be miserably hot in the summer). But, it has that energy that hutzpa (I love that word and can't spell it. But, boldness might substitute) that excitement that I have ever only experienced in NYC. I ran into these guys today. I couldn't figure out why they were different than other people from Goa. But, had I been 40 years younger, they would have been the ones I would have been after. Turned out they were from Bombay, just down here in Goa to swim and snorkel. But, they were happening kinds of guys, young, gorgeous, fun and totally different from other Indians. We were talking about Bombay and they said that, if I really wanted to experience it, I needed to get out and enjoy the nightlife scene. (While that is probably true, there isn't a 'nightlife scene' on planet Earth that I would find enjoyable at my age). But, it shows that, while I love what I saw, there are other wonderful things I missed.
If, after finishing reading this, you want to read a terrific fun novel, read 'Shantaram'. It was written by an Australian who excaped from a maximum security prison there and made his way to Bombay. The movie rights have been bought by Johnny Depp. While this is a novel, before you even begin, go to the author's site (google Shantaram for that) and look at his history. All the things in the novel, he actually did...and more. And, while he may have made it more exciting, his real life experiences are nothing but incredible. And, the book, I guarantee, you won't be able to put down. Last I heard, he is now living in Bombay. Now, back to my experiences -which were considerably tamer.
Bombay was the commerical capital of the Raj, while Calcutta was the political capital (which was abandoned for Delhi). And, as we know, in capitalist societies, commercial usally always triumphs over politics (and too often controls them). Calcutta reminds one of a once beautiful lady who has grown old and fallen on very hard times - she is shabby in the extreme. Bombay, on the other hand, is like a grand dame who still has her mansions, her chauffeur, her jewels and her style. She glitters. All of the old buildings that the Raj built have been kept in wonderful condition (at least on the outside) and are a treat to the eye. Even an old church that there is probably little call for nowadays - given the shortage of Christians, is elegant and now houses an American Express bank.
As you probably all know, she faces the sea and most of her area is from land reclamation. Originally there were seven hilly islands. Well, those islands lost their hills, which were pushed into the sea. And, the result is Bombay today. I walked the entire time I was there, starting with a trip down to see The Gateway of India (built for the visit of Queen Victoria. Unfortunately, it wasn't finished until a few years after her visit (but it's the thought that counts). Right there is the Taj Mahal hotel (simply called 'The Taj' by the locals. The grandest in Bombay and, possibly, India). One nice thing about being a foreigner and obviously a traveler, is that, no matter how imposing/exclusive a place may be, if you act like you own the place, you can wonder around almost anywhere. Which, of course, I did (and do). It's lovely and, I can imagine 'in another lifetime' (like when I was younger) I would have just had to stay and have a meal, no matter what the cost. Somehow, at this stage in my life, this sort of thing is not so necessary. Just walking around and knowing I have seen it (and other similar city icons) is enough. And, while it was grand and gorgeous, I have been and stayed in resorts and hotels in Hawaii and other spots around the world that were as nice. Just so much can be done to make a place stunning.
If you look at a map of Bombay, you can see that on the west side, the side facing the Arabian Sea there is Marine Drive that goes from the southern tip all the way up to Chowpatty Beach and some of the ritziest neighborhoods of Bombay. And, there is a wide sidewalk to stroll on all the way. Which I did, stopping along the way to talk with Bombayites about their lovely city. Near the end of the walk - up at Chowpatty Beach, a couple of gentlemen 'picked me up' - sort of. There was one about my age and a younger one. We ended up walking and talking and having tea together. They were Jains and in the diamond business - although, the older one was also a stockbroker, I still felt his heart was in gems. During the visit the older one gave me multiple opportunities to continue the relationship. He asked if I had free time, he talked about his communication with his foreign friend (female) in France and just generally encouraged the opportunities for further meetings. I didn't bite. I am not sure why and could sort of kick myself now as he lived up in that area, was obviously rich and probably well connected. He would be a great contact, if/when I go back. But, I walked away. I do know, though, that, from all my travels here in India, making Indian friends would not be that hard. It might take a little patience, but, they are so hospitable and interested in foreigners; and, that collecting enough friends to make life enjoyable here would not be too difficult. if nothing else, I could walk up to Chowpatty Beach every weekend!
The other fabulous part of Bombay was the food. For the first time since coming to India i had real cheese and beef and some scrumptous American style sweets. The Indians are known for their sweets, but they use a lot of milk in them and they are not to my taste. So, getting to a place where I could get non-Indian food was a huge treat. In 3 1/2 days I had 4 grilled cheese sandwiches, 2 hamburgers and 2 devine desserts. I was in gastronomy heaven.
One thing I was interested in. Hindus mostly are vegitarians and certainly don't eat cows (and I have never seen pork on a Hindu restaurant menu, even if it serves other meat). Muslims don't eat
pork and Jains are 'extreme' hindus in their eating prohibitions and don't even eat eggs (and sometimes garlic, potatoes and onions).
When I was there, I have spent some time in my head, thinking about how they could run a restaurant with all these taboo meats, unless all the employees were Christians (the only ones with no diet restrictions) and this seemed unlikely, given the great number of restaurants offering all these 'polluted' foods. So, I asked. The answer was surprising. While they cringe at the thought of eating unpure foods, they apparently don't have any problem hiring on and working at restaurants that serve them. Given how strongly all these groups feel about these restrictions and even use them as excuses to hate each other I found this enlightening. I guess a decent job wins over religion.
Speaking of food, I have a fascinating tale to tell. Every day in Bombay some million meals are delivered all over Bombay to husbands (particularly civil servants and mid-level manager types). In the morning the wife cooks a meal for her husband. It is picked up by a Tiffin Wallah (a wallah is a man who does work, a tiffin is sort of like a stainless steel bento box). The tiffin wallah marks it so that it is totally identifiable for those carrying it at the other end). He takes it to the train/bus station, where it is transported to the 'other end'. There another tiffin wallah picks it up and delivers it to the husband ---while it is still warm. Can you imagine. Over a million delivered every workday. And, there cannot be mistakes with all these Jain, Hindu, Muslim eating restrictions. That would be a catstrophe. Just goes to show you what can be done when people's wages are next to nothing.
Another unforgettable site in Bombay was where 5,000 dhobi (washer) wallahs wash all the clothes and city laundry, etc. every day. I took a train out and stood on the bridge overlooking this operation. It is all done by hand by beating on stone scrubbing with brushes (zero automatic machines). Even all the hotel and restaurant laundry is cleaned here. Again, can you imagine the identification system that has to be employed to get your proper underwear returned to you. It was an amazing site and it just went on forever. Again, where wages are cheap, man does the work of machines. In India today, this isn't bad. There is still a lot of poverty. Most of the people of Bombay live in slums (which, of course, I only saw a little of from my train seats coming into and leaving) and they need work. It'd kill us, but it puts food on their tables (if they have one).
As you can see, my short stay made me a Bombay Booster. As I said in the beginning, I fell head over heals for this great city and had been thinking about how I want to go back and spend more time there and maybe even live there someday.
That is until I started reading another book. If, after reading 'Shantaram' you want to find out about the real Bombay, the one behind all that glamour, excitement and glitter, read, 'Maximum City: Bombay lost and found', by Suketu Mehta, an Indian who was raisied in Bombay but has lived a lot of his adult life in NYC and other 'ports'. It was a 2004 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, which I find a bit odd, since I thought was reserved for American authors. But, that is what my book cover says.
There are something like 18,000,000 people in Bombay, with the population growing daily with poor Indians leaving the villages, looking for work in the cities. He points out that the luxuries of other places are rather common place here. People living in the slums have refrigerators and sometimes colored TVS, motorcycles and cell phones. And the ordinary services we take for granted, become luxuries in Bombay. The sewage leaks into the drinking water of the rich as well as the poor. The slums have maybe two hours a day when they stand in line to fill their two allowed pails of water, electrity is erratic, trains are unimaginably crammed during rush hours, traffic is terrible, getting a place to live, with all the hook-ups one needs (phones, tv, electricity, gas for cooking) takes months and months, buildings are not maintained and repairmen fix things just enough to last a short time so that you will have to call them (and pay them) again to come and fix them again and again.
Rent control, which was established right after WWII has not allowed building owners to change the rent since (and heirs have the right to inherit these premises at the same price) so the owners do nothing in the way of maintenance The entry to business buildings warn that the building is condemned and the common areas are in shambles. But, you get past that and big companies occupy splendid looking offices that they have built out themselves.
The list of problems in Bombay just doesn't end. One of those urbane young men I met today said you can describe Bombay in two words: Organized Chaos....and maybe that first word is wishful thinking. The problems won't be solved until some of the major problems, such as some measure of prosperity starts to exist in other parts of the country. Then, people can work where they come from and not keep migrating to Bombay. And, of course, stupid things like 1940s rent prices are allowed to change. But, like the author says, one of the problems of a democracy is that the majority rules. And, there are a lot more renter voters in Bombay than there are Building owner voters.
I haven't finished this book, but I have changed my mind about ever seriously contemplating living there. I may go back. It is a marvelous place to me. One of the great cities of the world for a casual visitor. But, deeply in trouble for its citizens. I hope, because it's possibilities are so great, that its future is bright. It deserves to be a true Diamond of a city....not merely the outward sparkle that I saw and loved.
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Sanjay R
non-member comment
I was born in Bombay and have lived all my life here. Reading your blog I couldn't help but appreciate the fact that someone had understood real 'pulse' of the city so fast. You have hit the nail of head with all you observations about good and bad aspect of the city. It is a city of extreme contrast. Its not only the place where all parts of India meet each other also plus where India meets the west. Upon that an uneasy but symbiotic existence but the rich and the poor. Its a very very fluid city. Good n bad , ugly n beautiful. Its all here.