Snapshot: मुंबई
Mumbai, India is an extraordinary city. It is a bustling beehive of activity. As India’s financial center, it is cosmopolitan and very modern. Long gone are the days of “Far off Bombay.” Its tempo is frenetic. John Eric Home has sat down with Naushad Contractor, a denizen of the city, to discuss the essence of Mumbai.
JEH: How would you describe living in Mumbai?
NC: Living in Mumbai is like living in a video game where you get only one chance. I think that is why videogaming is not that popular in India because we live the video game.
JEH: Intriguing response. What do you mean by that?
It means that, like in a video game, it is so uncertain as to whether the blockage or the villain will come from the left or the right or the top or the bottom. Driving in Mumbai – you don’t know whether it is going to be a human being or a dog or a cow that you will need to negotiate. Will the car in front of me stay in its lane or break and come into mine? Will a train suddenly be there? Will there be a roadblock due to some religious festival? That kind of stuff is so unpredictable, and that’s why it’s like a videogame. And there is only one chance, because in the video game you normally get at least 3 chances.
JEH: What is your favorite aspect of living in this city?
NC: No one really cares who you are – while there are those more celebrity focused, they are a minority. In Mumbai, everyone is so busy with doing their own thing and minding their own business that they stay out of your business. And you mind your own.
JEH: What is a special site or activity that a visitor must not miss?
NC: Mumbai has a very nice Jewish synagogue. It has many celebrated beaches and many not so celebrated ones. The lesser-known beaches are cleaner and less crowded.
The thing about Mumbai is that there is something for everyone. Whether you are culturally inclined and want to watch a play, or you’re architecturally inclined and want to just admire the city’s buildings, you can find your own space. The architecture is something to see as it seamlessly combines modernity and the Victorian era. I would definitely recommend that a visitor take in the Victorian buildings. They are unique and beautiful. Even London doesn’t have these types. For example, the Victoria Terminus – now called the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus – is the largest railway station in the world and quite amazing in and of itself.
JEH: Would you recommend seeing Dharavi?
NC: I would. Dharavi is the world’s largest slum. It is a city within a city. Over a million people live there stretching back generations. It has its own leather industry and other small industries. It really is an amazing living organism in the heart of Mumbai. It’s usually possible to shy away from slums but this is a slum a.) on a different scale and b.) with so many intricacies that it is something to see.
JEH: Let’s talk a bit about cuisine in Mumbai. The city is international and has diversity in foreign fare, but what about its Indian food. More specifically, its street food. What would you recommend?
NC: I would encourage people to eat the street food but not of the streets. It may not be conducive to foreign palettes and stomachs. You can find the same foods in restaurants throughout the city.
JEH: And what about shopping?
NC: When shopping, go for leathers. Jackets, handbags, belts, shoes. But I encourage street shopping for trinkets. Even if you don’t buy anything, the experience is fun. Of course, bargaining is part of that experience. But it is important to understand that the 50 rupees that you pay them less doesn’t really impact you – it’s less than a dollar – but it greatly impacts them. So don’t bargain that hard. I call it a small donation.
JEH: How would you capture the essence – the spirit – of Mumbai?
NC: Mumbai, with all its busyness, has a heart, and it will always help people who need help. It also has a “never die” spirit. This spirit is visible in, say, the monsoon season. Even if there is waist high water, people are trying to get to their work. And, when the attacks on Mumbai occurred, the next day people were right back to work.
