Life in Mumbai — A Memoir

As a kid, I envied my brother. He would return from Mumbai and hog all the attention from my parents. I saw their glimmering eyes and prideful smile. I made up my mind, as a 6-year-old kid, that one day I would get a job in Mumbai and when I returned, they’ll be proud of me and embrace me with the same glimmer in their eyes. 

Fast forward to 2023, I remember the day I decided to join SCoRe. It was a spontaneous decision. I had less than two weeks to move to Mumbai.

I reached Mumbai on June 19th. The chaos in Terminal 1's basement scared me. And then it hit me, "How will I survive here?" My sister-in-law (yes, it's the same brother's wife) was by my side, so I wasn't worried, but what happens once she leaves? After spending 20 minutes in the basement, which felt like a gas chamber, we finally found a cab. 

The first breeze of Mumbai, the tall buildings, and the city still awake at two in the morning calmed me down. I kept reading the names of the places and told my sister-in-law, "Hey! That's the place where most of the Crime Patrol's episodes take place. She wasn't that amused. She had lived in Mumbai before. For me, every little facet of Mumbai was extraordinary.

I went to Colaba with my sister-in-law the next day. We had lunch at the Leopold Cafe. We explored the Colaba market, where she witnessed my terrible bargaining skills. She helped me find a PG and made sure I settled before she left. Once she was gone, the loneliness hit me like a truck. A busy city with so many people, yet it makes you feel so lonely. But thankfully, a senior-turned-best friend lives in Mumbai. I went to her place. Life seemed a bit pleasant once again.

Soon after, the welcome lunch at SCoRe happened. I saw the faces of people I was going to spend my next 10 months with. I was excited. But Mumbai wasn't done testing me. I fell sick and I missed the outing with my batch. When the classes started everyone was already bonding with each other. I was a stranger to them. It was tough to find a friend. And I kept falling sick. Things started getting worse once the monsoon arrived. Mumbai Monsoon makes you realise what a false perception movies have created in our minds. The Mumbai rain should not be romanticised!

After a few months, I started dreading Mumbai. Every place seemed overrated, the chaos of Kurla was too much, I missed my friends, and I couldn't wait to go back home. What makes Mumbai so special? I kept asking myself.

In December, I went to Bhubaneswar. I was happy to be back, but that didn't last long. I had a horrible experience. Harsh words said by my family made me feel like I have no place that I can call home anymore. I left for Mumbai with tears in my eyes.

When I reached Mumbai, I was already in a terrible state. I got a cab and I could tell he was a talker. I already started dreading the journey. He kept talking about his life in Mumbai and his son. He said how he's worried about his future. He then politely asked me what his 19-year-old kid in Commerce could study in the future. I told him about B.Com and then he asked me to write them down on a paper. I couldn't help but smile at this man looking out for his son. I put together every other course his son could apply for and wrote, "Make your parents proud." Soon I was at my destination. I bid my goodbye. 

I realised I am where I belong. Mumbai is my home. It welcomed me with open arms. It did test me a lot, pushed my limits many times, and made me feel alone. But Mumbai always accepted me for who I am. I had a newfound respect for this place and the people here. Just a couple of days back, when I saw the Sea Link, I whispered to myself, "Gosh, I love Mumbai."