Tag: mumbai

The Man With a Lost Origin

In India, there's a typical tradition to ask people about their place of origin when we meet. Where's your native place? Everyone has an origin within the country but I'm an odd one out. I don't have an origin in India; all the past glory is lost. Sometimes, I feel like no man's land. My … Continue reading The Man With a Lost Origin

43 Underrated Attractions of Mumbai

Mumbai may be the commercial capital of the country, but it doesn’t just draw business travelers. Hordes of tourists flock to this city to marvel at its skyscrapers and admire its magnificent historic monuments. Mumbai has a lot to offer, beyond the usual tourist attractions, so the next time you are in the city, dig … Continue reading 43 Underrated Attractions of Mumbai

Gift Yourself a Magical Heritage Tour of Mumbai

Alright, so here I'm with my latest blog post and this time I'm going to talk about my city — the city that never sleeps, the city of dreams and the city of magic. Mumbai. People living in the past glory still prefer to call it Bombay. This was the name given by the colonial … Continue reading Gift Yourself a Magical Heritage Tour of Mumbai

Good Marks In a Subject Doesn’t Mean an Interest In It

Recently, I got an opportunity to guide a bright student at our community learning center in Mumbai. A lot of school students get mentored here for various subjects. There was this particular girl who was quite confused on choosing her study field in college. She got 90+ marks in science and mathematics, and everyone is … Continue reading Good Marks In a Subject Doesn’t Mean an Interest In It

In Conversation With — An Old Man

I'd an interesting conversation with an old man who was helping me to find an address. He was keen to find out my caste. कहाँ के रहने वाले हो ?भारत ।भारत के तो नहीं लगते। ये तेज, ये स्टाइल तो भारत का नहीं लगता ।ना जी । यही का हूँ—मुंबई का ।जाति कौनसी है ?इंसान … Continue reading In Conversation With — An Old Man

जाति कौनसी है ?

I'd an interesting conversation with a man who was helping me to find an address. He was keen to find out my caste. कहाँ के रहने वाले हो ?भारत ।भारत के तो नहीं लगते। यह तेज, यह स्टाइल तो भारत का नहीं लगता ।ना जी । यही का हूँ — मुंबई का ।जाति कौनसी है … Continue reading जाति कौनसी है ?

If You’re In Mumbai, You Can’t Miss This Night Tour

Mumbai is a city of dream, opportunity, wealth, glamour, sex, sin, Bollywood, crime, fun, filth and extreme contrast. If you're visiting my city, you can't afford to take THE NIGHT LOVER tour offered by my kaali-peeli-taxi-driver friend Sayyed. He'll show you the city like no one else can. He's a popular dude and there's also one … Continue reading If You’re In Mumbai, You Can’t Miss This Night Tour

It’s Tough to Restart Life at 40 but It’s Possible

It surely is. But not impossible. If a dumb-f***ing-bugger like me can, you can, everyone in this world can. All it needs is a little madness, little fortune, little planning, little determination, little guts, and an understanding soulmate. My 4-year-long sabbatical taught me good lessons. it taught me to open my eyes, heart, and mind and look at … Continue reading It’s Tough to Restart Life at 40 but It’s Possible

The Only Friend I Asked For an Autograph

It was the first day of junior college in 1995. The college was a beautiful one near the Arabian Sea in Mumbai. I was quite anxious as college life was completely a new universe for me. I came from a low-income family from far suburb and the college was filled with children from the elite … Continue reading The Only Friend I Asked For an Autograph

In Conversation With — A Snooty Driver

This auto-rickshaw driver was quite frustrated when I sat in his vehicle. It as night time and I'm sure he must have had a challenging day. But, somehow we managed to have a striking conversation. What’s wrong uncle? Why are you so frustrated tonight?What should I tell you? Let it go.No. Tell me.Maybe, I can … Continue reading In Conversation With — A Snooty Driver

Revisiting Childhood Memories: Mani’s Lunch Home

I love South Indian cuisine since childhood and although there are a thousand places to eat in Mumbai, Mani's Lunch Home still is my favorite place to go. When I was in school, the father used to take me here once every month. I used to love eating at this place. The best part is … Continue reading Revisiting Childhood Memories: Mani’s Lunch Home

The Poem of Contrast

I've seen life for 40 years, read around 1,000 books, met more than a million people and after all of this, I realized a thing — there's the opposite of everything. The world is full of contrast. In Mumbai, there's extreme contrast wherever you see. And this contrast, which is nothing other than the opposite, … Continue reading The Poem of Contrast

Tears Don’t Lie: I Cried a Lot That Night

Hello *****, can I call you that?Agastya, is that you?!Yes.After a long time.Yes. Almost 10 years.How are you *****?I’m fine Agastya, how the hell are you? Where have you been?I’d been to London to look after the queen.What a shitty response, as usual.Yes, I was always full of shit.No. I didn’t mean that. But how come … Continue reading Tears Don’t Lie: I Cried a Lot That Night

This Pillar, Suddenly, Gives Me a Class!

If you’re in Mumbai, you can find many such pillars in all railway stations. To me, it’s not just a pillar but something much beyond. For those who don’t know, this pillar signifies that the first-class compartment of the local train will stop here. And for those who don’t know the class system in the … Continue reading This Pillar, Suddenly, Gives Me a Class!

The Power Medicine Seller From Kabul

As I walked through the streets of Dongri — what I call THE DEN OF DONS — I met a man selling weird power medicines. I was keen and wanted to inquire about the stuff and so, out of the sheer habit of poking my nose in other people's business, I started to question the … Continue reading The Power Medicine Seller From Kabul

Iranian Al Pacino

Welcome to my smoke parlor! I was just peeping into a shop to see the colorful waterpipe-smoke-giving ancient machine, commonly called a hookah. It was an ancient shop full of these hookahs and pipes and the owner was an amazing jolly good Iranian uncle named Ali Yezdi. I was very attracted to his charming persona and then … Continue reading Iranian Al Pacino

Bombay vs. Mumbai

We’re talking about two names of the same city. A city that has gone metamorphoses like none other. From a separate group of seven islands to one of the biggest cities in the world, this city has seen it all, shown it all. In 1782, a colonial project united all the seven islands into one, and in … Continue reading Bombay vs. Mumbai

Colors of Mumbai

The city has become an angry young man. Tired of the way things are, we are ready to stand up against the problems and make a change. We want to bring back what was once a beautiful city. Because it’s our city! Mamhai-Manbai-Mayambu-Mombaim-Mombayn-Mumbai-Boa-Baim-BomVida-BomBahai-Bombaii-Bombayim-Bombeye-Boon Bay–Bambai-Bombay-Mumbai. All of them.