The City of Hope

For those who haven't yet been to Mumbai, have definitely seen this long shot of Victoria Terminus Station (VT Station previously now Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus) in most movies that have the protagonist first steps in this city he/she will soon call home. A city that they come in search of hope to making a living, to be successful and to live in this never say die spirit of this city.

There is something about this city that its residents will never go hungry if they have the will to do something with their lives. This is a city that rewards the entrepreneurial spirit of the individual without the bias of race, religion, caste, creed and sex.

Just today on my way to work, I saw the guy who supplies newspapers and magazines to the office pass by my rickshaw on his bike. He saw me and raised his hand in acknowledgement. Having recognized him I reciprocated as well. He passed by again and asked me if I remembered him. I remembered him as someone who had started selling newspapers when we had just moved into our new office three years back. No prior experience but with a will to do something with his life, he has requested to supply newspapers to our office. He was a migrant from one of the northern states in India then, today he seems more like a Mumbaikar (citizen of Mumbai). I’m a sucker for the underdogs so I was obviously pleased with his success.

I’m sure he too had come to this city in search of hope and he found it. Maybe this story will not make it to the movies but there are many others who do. And then there are the cynics who complain about this city.

This is for me the city of hope like it is for the millions in this city. Thank you Mumbai for giving us hope; Me Mumbaikar!