Sunday, February 04, 2007

Heartless Mumbai

A recent incident in the Local train has left me speechless about the heart of the city.
I was traveling in a local train in the morning.Although it was peak hour, since it was a Saturday, there wasn't much rush.I boarded at the starting station i.e Borivali and sat down.At Kandivali, some people got in.Just as the train was about to start, someone noticed a pickpocket trying to flick a purse.he was caught, although he tried to get down before the train started.The people started abusing him and then started hitting him like he was some punching bag.Thy hit him without any mercy.I was totally stunned by this misbehavior.The crowd then stripped him of his garments ad threw him out of the train at Malad, the next station.
I think that even if someone would have tried to stop the crowd, they would have hit that person too.It seemed as if the crowd was just channeling their everyday life frustration on that pickpocket, be it their boss, wife or someone else.I know the pickpocket was in the wrong, but did he deserve all this? when one old gentleman told the mob to stop and hand the person to the police ,he was asked to shut up, and told that the police is hand in glove with such guys.

Is it that Mumbai has lost its heart?

Dry day blues

Last Friday got a call from Nandan...We thought of meeting up fr dinner and daroo...we thought of sitting at on of these sidey places in central Mumbai and catch up with each other.

Well what we weren't aware of , was that since it was the day for counting for the civic elections, it was a "dry day", which means that bars and wine shops will be closed!

Nandan thought that only the central suburbs being a sensitive area had this problem, so we went to another suburb of Mumbai, but again we were left disappointed.

Ok, here is the fun part.When we were looking tor open bars in Dadar, we met a Havaldar patrolling traffic on the street.Hence is the gist of the conversation, translated in English.

Nandan : Hellos Sir, is there a dry day today?

Cop : Arey boys, see today is counting day.Now actually we don't need a dry day today, but the powers above think that people might drink today, and may cause a law and order problem.

Nandan : oh, OK

Cop : See actually the wine shops and the bars would love to remain open today.The victors in the election, would love to drink and celebrate, and the losers would probably like to drown their sorrows in booze.But the authorities think otherwise.
now everyday drinkers know when are the dry days, so they have stocked up the booze already.Its just people like you who drink once in a while who are caught unawares.

Nandan : so what do you suggest now?

Cop : well most of teh shops here in this area are closed. a wine shop down the 1st left from here may be open, just try your luck.

Nandan : but then we can only bu the booze there, where should we drink?

Cop : well just head for the beach

Nandan : but then you guys(cops) will come there and drive us away...

Cop : No no my friend, we visit teh beach to drive people away only at 12. now its only 10 pm, so you guys can enjy for 2 hours

Nandan : Thanks, nice talking to you, bye

Well we didn't find that elusive , "open" wine shop and had to settle only for a nice non veg dinner, without booze, but the conversation with teh cop did lift up our moods for a while!