Sea And Me – Part III

This post is the last in the series and should have come much earlier. But  I held back  because meeting the sea was not a great experience the third time. 

It was Mumbai stretched on the Arabian Sea. I had been there more than three times  and every time I disliked it more. It’s a busy city. Mumbaikars  are rather brusque. Time does not stand still here.

Twice I visited Mumbai for official training. Once to reunite with school buddies. Twice for presentations – very short trips.  With office colleagues it was fun the first time as we explored the city together post training session. It was a mixed group – male and female of different age group. We experienced the local train, the citylights from the sea on steamer, the temples on foot. The only beach ( never seen a dirtier one!)  we visited was Chaupati.  Still we walked quite a distance by the shore avoiding the trash strewn around. The food at the sea side kiosks were unimpressive compared to Delhi’s yummilicious street food.

I liked Marine Drive more. It was cleaner and orderly. The sea lapping around  Mahalaxmi Temple was frolicsome. The temple was a bit intimidating. Sea at Bandra was shocking. Deep brown in colour the waters were absolutely polluted. My nephew gave me a morning ride the day I was to leave Mumbai on my third visit. The Worli Sea Link was interesting which connected two parts of the city. However, I loved Pawai the most as it gave me some sense of the city.

I have always felt nice about the organized chaos of Airports except Mumbai’s. I once got stuck there due to torrential downpour. The Airport was closed  down for quite sometime. The flights were inordinately delayed. Even after boarding it would not take off as the pilot on duty was stuck in a massive traffic snarl because of the incessant rains. He apologized profusely upon arrival.  The whole episode was exhausting to say the least. 

If I have to define a city – sea side or otherwise – it will be by its people, culture and food. People of Mumbai  seem to be all the time running against time. I am told it’s  work culture is very professional. Many of my colleagues say that the city grows on you. I am afraid the way they cook the food never appealed to me. I have more of a North Indian taste buds.

I do not know why I could not connect with the Mumbai sea. Whether it was the city pulling me back or the sea failing to draw me closer ? A true traveler may have unraveled the mystery by revisiting but I am not the one for it.

Pics from Pexel