Mumbai - City of Greatness

Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is the most dynamic and energetic cities, not in in India, but also in the world. My friends who come to visit, always ask me why Mumbai is #madeofgreat and I tell them the three key features of Mumbai which are:

Drive: Mumbai City is also known as the City of Dreams. At the same time it is also known as the City which Never Sleeps.  It’s true that it’s a rat race here. People run from one place to the other, looking for opportunities. The reason the people of Mumbai hope big is because Mumbai is the city where even a person who starts as a tea-seller or gardener, can make it big. It’s like Abhishek Bachchan says in ‘Bunty aur Babli’ – if Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, and Birla had been in Lucknow/Kanpur they'd be swatting flies in Ambani General Stores, Tata Flour Mills and Birla Tobacco Stall. Bombay... gave them the recognition they deserved.

Cuffe Parade Skyline
(Image taken from here.)

Design: Mumbai s beautiful. If you ever visit, make it a point to see the Cuffe Parade skyline at night. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a heritage structure. A free guided tour is available between 3 to 5 p.m. Let’s not forget that you can’t leave Mumbai without seeing the Gateway of India. Also, take the ferry at Colaba and go see the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, while you are at it. Although it's not a popular tourist destination, I recommend seeing the Bombay High Court as well. The architecture is really first-class. The Bandra–Worli Sea Link, though, comparatively new, has given the city a lot of class too.

(Image taken from here.)

Connect: Despite all the ambition and show, the city has a certain spirit. Everything and everyone in this city is connected. Mumbai is one big well-oiled machine and each person is a nut or a bolt, which helps it run. People say that Mumbai is crowded, and admittedly it is. But what they don’t notice is that the crowd is one force. There is a spirit of oneness which can only be felt, but cannot be explained. When calamity strikes, Mumbaikars come to each other’s aid, without even a second thought. This city has seen its fair share of disasters, but after everyone, the city has come out stronger and wiser. The railways and metros have connected us in terms of travel, but in terms of spirit we have always been connected, and that is what has made us the best city in the world.

It’s for these reasons that Mumbai is considered to be #made of great. In a way you can say what makes Mumbai great, is also what makes the vehicles of Tata Motors great. If you want to understand why, please go to: http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

Comment below and please do share why you find Mumbai to be made of great.

Positivity Unleashed

I had just lost my job for reasons unknown to me. My wife who was pregnant was living at her mother’s house. We were having a bit of a fight. Nothing too serious, but I was all alone. I started applying for a new job, but in this market, it was almost impossible to land in a good firm. I spent 7 years in my last office. It was my first job and I had never worked anywhere else before. Also, without a job I now had to look for a place which had a more reasonable rent.

One day morning I went to the garden for a stroll near my house. I left my phone at home, since I didn't want to be disturbed. I thought a nice walk alone would cheer me up. Unfortunately it didn't. If anything the walk just made me feel worse. I went back home, more depressed than ever, and contemplating just giving up completely. When I reached home I check my phone and was shocked to see I got 37 missed calls and 49 messages. My wife had gone into labour!

I rushed to the hospital. When I reached, I learnt from my mother in law that I had just become a father of a healthy new-born girl. I couldn't be happier. I went in to see my wife. She was holding our new-born girl in her arms. Never had I seen a more beautiful sight. I didn't take a picture, because it wasn't necessary. I can never forget even a single detail of that moment. I kissed both of them on the forehead. I held the baby in my arms. I never knew that a person could be so little and so delicate. That’s when I forgot about all my worries. I was filled with a new hope. I spent the rest of the day with them, and I must say it was the best day of my life. I was no longer angry at my wife. In fact I even forgot what we were fighting about. It all just seemed silly now. No matter what she did, she more than made up for it that day by giving me my little princess. I would be in her debt forever for that.

It was that day that I decided never to give up.  I was going to be everything I could be. I was going to give life my best. I was going to the type of person my daughter would idolize. I wanted her to look up to me. So I decided to work hard and strive towards a better future.

Within that week landed a job in a better firm than my previous one. I found a new place to live by using Housing.com. (Yup, that's https://housing.com/). For the first time in my life, I knew everything was going to be fine.

---------------------

'The Pen' or 'How I Became a Optimist'

People often ask me, "How are you so optimistic all the time?" This is the story from my childhood which I tell them:
On my 8^th birthday I received gifts from my family and friends in many forms, badminton rackets, board games and magic sets. However, I found it very peculiar that my father gave me nothing during the party. After the cake was cut, songs were sung and all the guests left, my father came up to me and told me to close my eyes and stretch out my hands. I did so obediently and with anticipation. Slowly, my father placed in my hands a cold metallic object and asked me to open my eyes. I did not open his eyes immediately but was trying to guess what the strange object was which his father had given him. Was it the controls of the new game he had wanted?

When I could no longer bear the suspense I opened my hands only to find in my hand a blue fountain pen. I felt a sudden emptiness in my stomach, similar to what I felt the time I accidentally broke his uncle’s expensive vase. Confused and disappointed I stood still not knowing what to say or do. I could not understand why my father had made such a big deal regarding a simple pen. I had plenty of pens with me which I did not even use. Not being able to read my emotions my father asked, “Do you like it?”

I did not like it. But I knew that I must be polite to my father and I also knew how the truth would make the man, whose only joy came from thinking that the pen he loved most was loved most by his son, feel. So instead I said, “I love it!” My father smiled as he said, “Take care of it. It’s very important! O.K?”

 I nodded and my father left the room without explaining the importance of the pen. Neither did I ask what it’s significance was nor was it of any immediate concern. What I did know was that I made a promise to his father and that promises, no matter what, must always be kept. What this young protagonist did not know at the time was that promises were not easy to keep and what a big responsibility I now had on his shoulders. I had to learn this in the most unfortunate way.

Two weeks, three days and approximately fourteen hours later, I was sitting in school waiting for the math’s lecture to end. On my father’s suggestion I took the pen to school only to write the very important tests or like my father called them “special occasions”. When the recess bell finally rang I opened my bag to check if the pen had enough ink for the test I had after the break. But when I put my hand in I realized that one of the compartments of my bag had torn from the bottom and that the pen which my father entrusted me with was gone.

I retraced my steps and went to the library where I saw one of my senior science teachers lying on the floor trying to reach for something under the book shelves. Her hands could not fit in the small space. On asking the teacher I found out that she was trying to reach her spectacles. Being only 8 years old, I used his small hands which fit easily, handed it to her and ran off.

I then went to the park where I played that morning but sadly did not find anything. Filled with grief, I started going back to class when suddenly in one of the senior student’s hand I saw it! The pen was one of a kind so there could be no mistake. I went to that senior and asked for the pen back. The senior student admitted that I found the pen in the library but he was not ready to give it back. He laughed and was walking away with the pen. I, who was now begging to get the pen back, had half a mind to hit the senior, knowing very well that it would only lead to trouble. Just then, out of nowhere a lady walked up to us and told the senior to give the pen back. It was the science teacher I helped in the library! The senior returned it quietly and was escorted by the teacher to class where he would be given a minor punishment. While they were going away I shouted ‘Thank you!’  The teacher looked back at him, winked and went along.

A sudden warmth rushed through my heart. I would later compare this feeling to jumping from building to building like a superhero. The lady I had helped on the way, had gone out of her way to return the favour. The incident gave me hope. From that day on I was an optimist. I truly do believe in the basic goodness of people. Now, even in the worst possible situations, I know things will be fine. 
Remember my friends- Always Look Up!

For more hope, go to: https://housing.com/lookup

------------------------