Bom… er, Mumbai.
I’ve finally made my peace with the name Mumbai. For a LONG time, I vowed to never ever call it Mumbai. Mostly in protest of the politics that caused the name change, and also because of the coolness factor associated with the name Bombay (don’t raise your eyebrows, I was a kid when the name-change happened!). Russell Peters once said in a show that if we really wanted to change the name of the city, we should’ve done it in 1947 the minute the British left. Of course, the way he said it was cruder and funnier.
Maybe the name Mumbai has grown on me, maybe talking about Sachin’s team has got me used to it, I’m not sure. There’s that spark in me when I go to Mumbai. I love the feeling the morning when I board the prestigious Deccan Queen. I love the feeling when I look across Marine Drive to the Mumbai skyline. I can just sit and watch. Something about the place is very, very special. People from all over the country simply make the chaos work. About 125 people packed in a local train carriage suited for 20 people squeeze together and make it work. You hop off a train at Churchgate station in the wee hours of the morning and you’re engulfed in a mass of people, not unlike the mass of rats in Ratatouille. When in other big cities you could end up feeling lost, there’s a sense in the mass that you’re not alone.
Make no mistake, I would never want to live in Mumbai. It’s too crowded, too big, and too corporate for my liking. But there’s something about the place that compels me to call it my own. It’s not home, but it sure feels like home : )
Differ on this as well. Not surprisingly! :P I always liked the sound of Mumbai better than Bombay, now I really like the sound of Bombay as well. I think my only problem with Bombay is ‘bomb’-ay, but I still like it. I remember when they changed it, but never knew why they changed it?
Btw you make Mumbai sound really nice!
Mia
June 22, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Haha, I never thought of it as ‘bomb’-ay! Interesting take on that. I always pronounce it as ‘BOM’-bay (the caps indicating stress).
They changed it because Bombay was too British a name. One fine day, they come up to us and say: “from now on, this place will be called by this new name”. And we’re like, waiit whaat?!
No historically, it was always called Mumbai, but the Brits couldn’t pronounce it, so they changed it to Bombay!
It is really nice. It is biiiig, and it is crowded, but it is amazing. I love the place, the culture, the people, everything about Mumbai makes me proud : )
Fez
June 23, 2010 at 12:20 am
Oh okay. I heard that it was called Mumbai before, but didn’t realize Bombay was too British.
It must be more crowded than before now and I finally get to see it on Sat!
Mia
June 23, 2010 at 1:07 am
Yay! I think your reaction might be *shock*, why did Fez say it was so awesome? :D Let me know what you think!
Fez
June 23, 2010 at 10:01 am
Haha! No, I have always liked Mumbai, so I know why you say it is awesome! :) It is extremely crowded there, and that’s my only problem with Mumbai (not a major complain or anything). But yeah these past few days I haven’t been so sure of leaving, and now thanks to this post I’m back to being ‘OMG-India’ freak! :)
Mia
June 23, 2010 at 10:39 am
Glad I helped you get excited about India again! Yeah, and the airport no longer has that overwhelming blast of foul smell when your airplane lands, so yeah, it’s a lot better these days!
Fez
June 23, 2010 at 12:57 pm
@Fez agree wid u one hundred percent ! :)
entangled
June 23, 2010 at 11:38 pm
@ entangled: Aamchi Mumbai : )
Fez
June 24, 2010 at 11:59 am
Mumbai- the name came from Mumba Devi, the deity of the people originally staying on the group backward islands of what is now Mumbai.
Mumbai—-> Bumbai —-> Bombay
That’s how the Bombay thing happened.
Yes the name change was political, but there was nothing wrong with it. It was renamed to what it was supposed to be- to what the Kolis and the Agris, which are really the original inhabitants, called it.
LOL- from the talk about BOM above, just realized, the 3 letter code for Mumbai airport is still ‘BOM’.
Well the thing about Mumbai for me is, it somehow seems like one creature. It always seems like that to me- one whole thing- maybe its the blanket of heavy, thick humid air that connect all human-bodies together and acts like a fabric- maybe its a media hype.
piscianemperor
June 26, 2010 at 8:44 am
I had a question and I didn’t know who to ask. I forgot to bring a converter and I needed it for my laptop (since it is North American). In last minute packing I completely forgot and couldn’t charge on London Airport either. I am pretty sure I should find it in India. Do you by any chance know where I can get it from? In Mumbai or Pune? If you don’t know then that’s fine :-) I can ask my uncle once I reach. Thank you!! Sorry for typing this on here.
P.S Using a public computer and I can’t type properly.
mia
June 26, 2010 at 9:08 am
@ piscianemperor:
Oh yeah, nothing wrong with it at all! I was a kid when the name changed, and I did NOT like the sound of Mumbai. Now, suddenly, I do! :D
According to me, the airport code is still BOM because airport codes can’t change. Like Chennai is still MAA. I’m not sure about this though.
@ Mia:
Oh, you could pick one up at any electrical shop. A universal one (one that converts all kinds of plugs to all other kinds of plugs) should cost you around Rs. 150 – 200. They’re pretty good. A simple flat pin to round pin converter is very cheap (around Rs. 30 – 40), and usually not very good, but it works well enough. If you can’t find a shop, drop me an email at the email address that appears when I comment on your blog, I’ll help you out : )
Fez
June 26, 2010 at 9:28 am
Thanks a lot!!!!!! :-) I figured but for a second I got unnecessarily worried actually I am a little tired and sleep deprived, so everything seems ten times worse than it should be. I will get the universal one.
BTW I am going to take your word for no foul smell on Mumbai airport :-) They still have security check until you get out though right? I really don’t like those at all! I have been on three airports so far in the past 28 hours (or wait more?) and the best airport is the one where I am right now since it smells really nice. I like London Airport, because it huge and beautiful, but this time didn’t get to walk around on the airport.
I didn’t get to watch FIFA on flight since they didn’t have it, but just saw the score for Brazil vs Portugal. Did you see the match? How was it? I was really looking forward to it, since I like both teams.
mia
June 26, 2010 at 10:42 am
Haha, no problem! Yeah, these ridiculously long flights really wear you out, don’t they?
I didn’t say no foul smell; I said no BLAST of foul smell :D :D. No I’m kidding, it’s much better now, as long as there’s an available jetway to get you from your plane to the terminal. Sometimes, they leave you to walk your way back to the terminal, and then I can give you absolutely no guarantee on the armoas that might greet you :D They have a security check, but it’s optional in the sense that you can walk straight through the green channel. In any case, if you can converse in Marathi, they’ll totally let you free at the Mumbai airport! Haha, this is India!
28 hours and you’re still in London? Did you fly out of Canada, forget your laptop, fly back, and fly back out again?! London airport smells nice? (You’re talking about Heathrow, right?) I didn’t like it much the last time I was there, but maybe that was because I had gotten so late for my next flight that I had to run and make it in Bollywood movie-esque style!
Oh, and the match didn’t live up to expectations. Portugal simply turned up and parked a bus in front of goal. Brazil started well but faded away the second half. Quite disappointing actually. Tomorrow’s Germany-England match should be a thriller though!
Fez
June 26, 2010 at 3:03 pm
@Fez and Mia
Yeah hehe…9 Portuguese players were always in their own half.
Not that Brazil played too well.
I’m all for England for tomorrow’s match. Rooney should stop being stupid and get more shots on target at least.
And my Argentina is doing well of course \m/
piscianemperor
June 26, 2010 at 5:52 pm
YOUR Argentina?! Somehow, I think though that they’ll falter. Somewhere, I actually WANT them to falter because I find Maradona to be quite obnoxious. Quite unlike that magician No. 10 he manages.
Fez
June 26, 2010 at 10:18 pm
I would say there is still a smell, but there is more ventilation hence it is a lot better compared to before. I really liked the outside portion of the airport and that was definitely surprising to me & my Mom. When did they change it?
No, I wasn’t in London. I was in Bahrain when I wrote earlier at the 28 hours point and the airport there smells REALLY nice. I got in Pune last night around 10:30 pm.
“Did you fly out of Canada, forget your laptop, fly back, and fly back out again?” – I really like this sentence! :P :D
London Airport doesn’t smell nice, and I can’t remember actually, which means definitely not so appealing to me, but it is HUGE that’s why I like it.
We do get ESPN here, so I get to watch FIFA! :-) True. I am looking forward to the England vs Germany match tonight.
P.S – It feels so NICE to be back in India!! =) =) =)
P.P.S – I do not know where Kaaaaanaada is. Where is it exactly???? :S *grins*
Mia
June 27, 2010 at 11:35 am
In PUNE? What are you doing here?!
Outside portion of the airport? Which portion? When you get out of the airport, it’s pretty much as it always was. Except that they’ve separated the arrivals and departures on different floors of the building.
Oh, I’ve been to Bahrain airport on a Gulf Air flight that stopped like a million times on the way to the US. I don’t remember its smell though! Isn’t it like very jazzy in appearance?
You came at the right time. Today is the first drop of rain we’ve had in like more than a week! You don’t know where Kaanaada is? Ask any Sardar you meet on the road, and you’ll get an elaborate set of directions!
PS: Go England :D
Fez
June 27, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I second Fez..Don’t wanna see Maradona run naked on the streets !!!!
Go the Samba Boys :D
visionary
June 27, 2010 at 9:53 pm
I was headed to another city, but I got LOST (forgot the directions this time, not so surprising considering I’m the same person that did fly out of Canada, forgot the laptop and went back to get it! :D) and that is how I am in Pune. Nothing really to do with family (:
Arrivals area. They changed it like before when you would walk out of the airport around fifty people would be looking in your direction anxiously waiting for someone (it was a little weird to see all those people exactly in front of you) now everyone is standing along the side, plus they have built these huge structures, which are really nice.
Sort of jazzy like in appearance.
They lost. I didn’t watch it, but I checked the score halfway in the game.
Argentina vs. Mexico – Mexico is going to win!
Mia
June 27, 2010 at 11:14 pm
*wishes I could go back to erase the last sentence* I was a little too hasty in predicting that!
Mia
June 27, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Argentina is winning!
I overestimated Mexico, and I was terrified Argentina was going to lose. Mexico was VERY, VERY, VERY foolish today. Hopefully no one here is a fan of Mexico. Germany vs. Argentina is going to be one interesting match.
Mia
June 28, 2010 at 1:18 am
First half: Mexico was quite foolish. Argentina: AWESOME!
Second half: Mexico played a lot better here.
I guess the reason Mexico lost today was they were bad in the first half. If they had played the way they did in the second half throughout, then they had chances of winning. The team was really slow during the first half, and they weren’t very skilled at scoring overall either. I mean they had so many repeated shots, and the guys sort of slowed down didn’t even look like they were exactly looking properly, because so many times the ball went off the goal post. Honestly it didn’t seem that HARD and I thought the fault was that they never looked. They were always in a rush to score. This is easier to say and judge as a viewer, and it is much harder for them, but Mexico really needs to work on trying to aim better to have greater chances at scoring.
I wasn’t very impressed with Argentina in the second half. They were good, but certainly not on the same level, as they were during the first half.
Mia
June 28, 2010 at 2:04 am
I still hate to call it Mumbai… British people changed it so what? keep it as is… you have million cities in India to change names… for me name change from Bombay to Mumbai is just waste of money and time.
TG
June 28, 2010 at 9:41 pm
@ visionary:
Oranje! Oranje!
@ Mia:
Is it okay that I find it absolutely hilarious that you lost your way while heading for another city and found yourself in Pune? :D
Haha, the old arrivals area made you feel like a celebrity when you arrived at the airport! It’s like everyone was WAITING to get a shot of each and every person arriving at the international airport!
I missed the Argentina-Mexico match, but thanks to your review, I don’t feel like I missed it at all! :D They’re too good going forward. Messi creates WAY too much. But Germany’s passing is very good too, and it could undo Argentina’s defense.
PS: In hindsight, your prediction sounds funnY!
@ TG:
Yeah, I agree with your view too. I mean, so many words get distorted over time due to cultural and linguistic localization. But I think over time, I’ve got accustomed to the name change. I’m now even okay calling VT as CST.
Fez
June 28, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Why wouldn’t it be okay? I was joking :)
Argentina is really good, but not that good to last against Germany.
Mia
June 29, 2010 at 5:02 am
Okay, I REALLY should’ve figured that out?! Now I feel like the one who flew back a continent to reclaim a forgotten laptop!
Fez
June 29, 2010 at 8:11 am
LOL! This is amusing! You believed me? :D Really? Does that mean even piscianemperor took it seriously as well? :P No one gets my lame jokes? He thought it was funny as well.
Er – I didn’t fly back and forth for the laptop either.
Mia
June 29, 2010 at 9:47 am
I knew you didn’t fly back! That was a metaphor I used, to say that I feel dumb. This is communication gap number what again?!
No I really should’ve got the other one! I wasn’t at my alert best when I read that comment :D
Fez
June 29, 2010 at 11:01 am
I know. I was being silly, because you didn’t get the other one! :D Communication gap? With you ALWAYS! Alright! :) I think it’s cus you think (approach everything) a lot differently compared to me.
Mia
June 29, 2010 at 11:22 am
Please elucidate : ). I will appreciate an ‘understanding people expert’s’ analysis!
Fez
June 29, 2010 at 1:46 pm
For example: Say there was a scenario given, then you would approach the scenario a lot differently than I would. This is actually a little hard to explain, but you remind me of my best friend. She is a Scorpio as well, and not to go on zodiac, but we are completely opposite in terms of the way we think. She approaches things much differently than I do, and that’s the case with you as well, I have noticed. There is nothing wrong in this, in fact helps me consider another point of view/perspective :) I think in general different approaches do result in communication gap though, because it is hard to understand the front person’s thoughts or what the person is trying to say, unless you know that person very well.
Understanding people expert? Are you joking? :D I talk complete rubbish!
Mia
June 29, 2010 at 5:13 pm
SEE? Expert! :D
Yeah, maybe. Actually, I haven’t noticed the difference yet. You see, I’m quite absent-minded!
Fez
June 30, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Absent-minded and you? RIGHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! Sure, if you say so! :D I don’t believe you at all. LIES. You claim to be absent-minded when you obviously are NOT. I can’t say that with certainty, but it’s REALLY hard to believe you are. Why weren’t you absent-minded when you were picking on bhendi?!
Mia
July 1, 2010 at 5:29 pm
YES! So, finally you agree that I picked on the vegetable and not on you :D
I also have this remarkable capability of being absentminded at times! And I really like the surprised, no wait, BEWILDERED comment you posted : ) It’s true though, I’m an absentminded professor’s absentminded son!
Fez
July 1, 2010 at 8:21 pm
“True, WHOever in the world likes ‘bhendi’?!”
Mia
July 2, 2010 at 11:34 am
Uh oh! Okay I didn’t realize I said that. Maybe an indiction of the absentmindedness I talked about? I think so!
Fez
July 2, 2010 at 2:08 pm
“Yay! I think your reaction might be *shock*, why did Fez say it was so awesome? :D Let me know what you think!”
So Mumbai is AWESOME! I went there twice and it was amazinggg! Second time I took the local on my own for the first time ever, and took a rickshaw to a place, where I had no idea where it was, but I pretended to be a local and like I knew everything so that I wouldn’t be cheated! :D Mumbai rickshaw drivers are better compared to Pune though. Don’t try to cheat a whole lot or maybe I just got lucky.
P.S – WOAH @ all the messages I wrote above. Can you please delete them? :)
Mia
August 27, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Hahaha, it’s nice to be able to pretend to be a local when you look like one! True, Mumbai rickshaw drivers are way better than the Pune ones. I’ve never been tricked in Mumbai, but I’ve been tricked in Pune for god-knows-how-many-times, inSPITE of being a local!
So, like, what places did you visit?
PS: Lol, they sounded fine when you actually wrote them!
Fez
August 27, 2010 at 4:22 pm
I didn’t leave Maharashtra at all and I was in Pune almost the entire time with the exception of 10 days. We had planned a trip to Jaipur, Goa, Bangalore and Konkan Maharashtra, but it didn’t work out.
Mia
August 28, 2010 at 1:14 am
PS: But they are OFF topic!
Mia
August 28, 2010 at 1:19 am