Bombay
That’s where I pitch my tent, in yet another career and city move. I came here a couple of weeks back, and since then, I am caught in an immense whirlpool, where time is suddenly so short and distances so long. Yet, somehow somewhere I connect to this place. Perhaps, the dreamy layer is still to peel from my eyes, till then I am thoroughly enjoying, even if it means getting stuck in traffic jams that are longer than the entire journey that I would ever have made while in Agra!
It probably started off in June. It was simply a chance and off-the-cuff remark to a friend, over a cup of coffee, when I had come here for a visit: “Someday I wish to unravel the mystery behind what makes Bombay tick”. And also, finally comprehend the seemingly complicated criss-cross of trains and their impeccable schedule which everyone swears by. Looking back, it seems right then some machinery up there in the heavens started to heave into motion to hurlte me into – what Priyangini called – the ‘melting pot’. I landed here on an early morning flight on the 5th of September.
The start was anything but auspicious – my baggage went off on another flight, my pant ripped rather embarassingly getting entangled in a metal side-strip of one of those old Padmini Premier taxis and the guest house booking wasn’t confirmed.
The past two weeks I am absorbing a lot – at my work place and of the city as well. Whenever I get time, I grab the opportunity to roam about and learn my way through (which I realized is not a very easy task). I have done the touristy thing of visiting Gateway of India, strolling on Colaba Causeway and having a leisurely evening at Bandra Bandstand, watching the sun set into the deep grey sea.
My immediate concern is getting a house. And a decent one, at that. More importantly, without it pinching my pocket too much. Though the last seems to be a near-impossible task to achieve. The going deposit rate is anything above Rs 1 Lac, for a decent 1BHK accomodation in the far off suburbs.
“Rs 1 Lac??” I had stared incredulously, my eyes popping out, my tongue sticking in disbelief and the piece of a sumptuous sizzler choking my throat, when Priyangini had informed me of the same. “Are you serious?”
Apparantly, she was. And very correct as well. I had heard of ridiculous deposits, but this was way beyond my imagination. Strangely, anyone that I speak to makes me feel like a stupid little idiot who has just woken up to some given and expected fact of life. In Bombay (or Mumbai, to be politically very correct), no one bats an eyelid in talking about these huge deposits or even asking for it.
That’s why perhaps all my Mumbaiya friends, to whom I had informed of my imminent shift, had conveniently forgotten to mention about this crucial piece of information.
Welcome to reality, buddy, I told myself. Had I known this earlier, I would have reconsidered my decision to shift here. Err…would I have? Well, as of now that question lies in the realms of a hypothetical stratosphere, hence why get into it!
Anyways, the dice has been rolled. And I might as well play the game to my best possible manner. Which I am very serious about. I have to win!
Ganpati Festival is on – and the entire city wears a lovely colorful look. Here’s wishing all readers a very happy and prosperous Ganesh Utsav.
(My apologies for being erratic here, and not replying to comments. But rest assured, I read them all voraciously.)
Monday, 17. September 2007 22:01
Hey DJ
So eventually u have landed in my great city-Mumbai….believe me there is no place like Mumbai. U may take a little time to get a suitable aptitude and may have to pay everywhere thru yr nose, but when u start to feel a good likings, u will never want to leave, so be patient, develope some perceiverance, move around, try some places to live and thats it…….
All the best and rgds.
Harshad Jangla
Atlanta, USA
September 17 2007
Monday, 17. September 2007 22:07
Good luck, buddy. Hope your apartment hunting goes well. M’bai is quite the place! And i hope the job is turning out to be everything you wanted it to be. Waiting for updates.
Tuesday, 18. September 2007 9:30
Finallly, the ball has started rolling.
That’s great.
Tuesday, 18. September 2007 9:48
Yes thats truth is many cities now, even in Bangalore one requires 10months of rent as deposit. Well, I think most of the companies do give money as an advance to its employees to pay for the deposit. That money is subtracted on monthly basis. BTW, you could try Navi Mumbai, the rents are lesser compared to town or western suburbs.
Tuesday, 18. September 2007 9:53
Ha ha, so sorry to have forgotten this little detail while discussing housing in Mumbai, actually the deposit is not much of a deal. Like Moonie says above, most companies give you an advance for it. Also, the more the deposit the less the rent because the owner will earn interest out of the deposit as well. And don’t worry, your deposit will be vasool once you get adjusted to Mumbai and even you won’t bat an eyelid over the amount.
Tuesday, 18. September 2007 19:15
Harshadji and Priyangini have already said what all I wanted to.
I didnt pay much importance to deposit part because that is just a ‘deposit’ which U are going to get back when U leave the place. [And U dont eat 'paan' so no question of spitting on the walls!
As per my knowledge, U are quiet and decent person so again there is no question of having fights inside the flat and braking owner's furniture ,right? 
So flat owner's refusal to pay Ur deposit money back doesnt arise, isnt it?:D].
Btw, Ur friends including me are very well aware of Ur ‘dream’. Suppose if we would have told U that hey DJ, here the land rates are very high, also travelling is very tiring and blah blah blah, dont U think that these kind of talks could have demotivated the person? At least I didnt want to do that. This is Ur ‘karmabhoomi’ Deepak, so dont ever say that ‘I could have reconsidered my decision”. Yesss, U are going to win! Dont worry!
Thursday, 20. September 2007 11:40
Hi,
Welcome to the city!!!
Thursday, 20. September 2007 15:48
Made it finally! good luck finding a place and enjoy the bittersweet wonderfulness that is Mumbai!
Thursday, 20. September 2007 17:34
hmmmmm toh aap,
Chalte-chalte sapnon ki dagari
pahunch gaye ho Maya-Nagari
kahetein thein pahel Bombay
yeh hai pyare Aamchi Mumbai
Great!
Here I recalled the song…..
“e dil hai musil jeena yanha
jara hatke jara bachke yeh bombay hai meri jaan……………”
Wish you all the best! Hope your dreams will come true.
Friday, 21. September 2007 7:06
To aap paunch gaye hai mahanagari!
Even I am tempted to come there..let see kab paunchate hai!
Zindagi jeene ke liye hai pyare,
Mumbai to ghumane ke liye hai pyare..aish kar..maje maar!
lol!
Saturday, 22. September 2007 9:40
Hey Deepak,
Welcome to the Big City !
Second or third most populous metro on the planet….. generates at least a third of India’s GDP, has over 90% of India’s corporate headquarters, as I understand. No other city like it in many respects, both good and awful.
Hopefully your housing search is over but to keep a light mood, think of all the Hindi films that dealt with your specific challenge.
I can recall at least three and one of them had a song picturized precisely around the new couple’s travails in settling down in the teeming metropolis.
Bakshi-saab’s pen wrote:
Ye jeevan hai, is jeevan ka
Yahi hai, yahi hai, yahi hai rang roop
Thode gham hain, thodi khushiyaan
Yahi hai, yahi hai, yahi hai chhaon dhoop
Best for the future!
Robin
Monday, 24. September 2007 18:17
All – Just a quick note to say that I have read all the comments and thanks a ton for it. Yet not solved the house problem, but with wishes as this, I am sure I will tide through it happily…
Robinbhai- The song would be ‘Do deewane shahar mein’ from Gharaunda …the movies, other than this, can’t off hand recall …
And since its the first official comment here – a very very warm welcome to my space here…
Sunday, 10. October 2010 21:42
[...] If reader’s recall one strong reason for opting for Bombay (I still cannot get over calling it by its old name) was to understand what makes the city tick; to comprehend & appreciate its pulsating energy; to feel that radiance which seems to make a Bombayiite so uncomfortable elsewhere; to unravel its various layers that compel writers & lyricists to pen novels & songs on it. [...]