7 Reasons Why I Love Mumbai

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As a travel blogger, I have visited different cities across India. However, so far I haven’t come across any Indian city that matches the spirit of Mumbai. Of course, you can say I’m biased. I was born and brought up in this city that fuels the economy of India. However, even those who are not from Mumbai would agree with me. Often Mumbai is compared with New York City and London as both these cities are economic powerhouses in their own countries. However, I believe every city has its soul and character which is quite unique in its own way. Now, I can go on and on bragging about what Mumbai has to offer. However, I will stick to top 7 reasons why I love Mumbai and why it is the best city in the country.

If You Have a Dream Come Here

No dream is big enough if you have the balls. That’s the motto of the city. Mumbai is the city of dreamers and doers. You can turn the pages of history and you will find stories of how people from different walks of life and from the heartland of India came to Mumbai. They had few pennies jingling in their pocket and Mumbai offered them the opportunity that turned them into industrialists, celebrities, and cricketers. I love Mumbai for the variety of job opportunities you get here to showcase your skills and talent.

Dhirubhai Ambani, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Javed Akhtar, and many others came to Mumbai with dreams and the city embraced these legends with open arms and enormous success. Millions across India come to Mumbai with unwavering aspirations because this city is the land of opportunities. Of course, you will need loads of patience, determination, hard work, talent, and skills to prove your mettle before you taste success.

Sharing is Caring

Well, you could say that the city is overcrowded, filthy and has less space, but it has a giant heart that shares and cares. I love Mumbai for its generosity. You can walk into the suburbs and chawls of Mumbai and you will see how people share their belongings, real estate space and food and even culture and traditions. I don’t mean to say that people in other cities don’t care much, but you have to visit Mumbai to understand the level of sharing and understanding that people in Mumbai have for each other. It’s quite ironic that a city where people come in to fulfill their dreams, they are not quite obsessed with material possessions.

A Cultural Mash Up

The city is a cultural melting pot. Hence, you become an integral part of it the moment you step in. Mumbai is home to people from all over India. The city celebrates almost every festival and I love Mumbai for that. I have never seen a city like Mumbai where people from different religions celebrate Holi, Eid, Easter, Christmas, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Pongal, Navroze, Gudi Padwa, Gokul Ashtami and various other festivals like their own. The unique thing about Mumbai is that the people are traditional and rooted to the Indian way of life. However, they are modern and open to global concepts. Plus, they know how to blend these global concepts in an Indian lifestyle.

A Train Network Like No Other

I believe no suburban train network in the world can beat Mumbai’s suburban railway, ever. The local train, as we Mumbaikars call it is the lifeline of the city. It carries more than 7.5 million commuters every day. No city in India has anything that even comes closer to benchmarks set by Mumbai suburban railway. These trains are infamous for its Super Crush Dense Load. However, even in such extreme conditions, people make space for each other. Probably, this is something only a Mumbai resident can understand.

It’s Female Friendly

Mumbai like any other city has its share of crime and issues related to women. However, I still firmly believe that it is better than any other city for women. In Mumbai, females don’t have to worry and watch their backs all the time. The Mumbai Railways run a special ‘Ladies Special’ trains for women. These trains are only for female commuters allowing them to travel safely. Do you know Mumbai’s ladies special train started in 1992 was the first ever train in the world exclusively for women?

Women and girls stay out for hours after sunset and have a great time. They often get the help they need to reach home safely. Mumbai is a commercial city and has a long history of working women. Here, it is common to see a woman working late hours and taking the public transport just like men do. Here women flow with the city’s tide of the working people.

No Need for Food Apps

Get rid of all those food apps because when you are in Mumbai you don’t need those. Hence, if you’re hungry all you need is to walk down the street. From vada pav to idlis and from masala dosas to pav bhaji you’ll find everything here. I love Mumbai for the variety of food it offers. In Mumbai, you practically can get your hands on every cuisine you can imagine. From Bengali, South Indian, Punjabi, Mughlai, Gujarati, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Italian – you name it, Mumbai has it.

It’s Aamchi Mumbai

While you can see a shade of diversity on every street in Mumbai, it stands united like one big family. We are busy, but we unite for a bigger cause. We have seen that during the 1993 bomb blasts, 2006 train bombings, and the recent 2008 terror attack. People of Mumbai wear their hearts on their sleeves and I love Mumbai for that. They come out in support of each other to safeguard and protect the communal harmony of the city.

I am a Mumbaikar all my life and the city has transform rapidly. However, that hasn’t changed the essence of the city. Yes, overpopulation is an issue, but we know how ‘ to adjust’. While a majority of the residents are not from Mumbai, they feel they are the part of this metropolis. The city has provided them with the jobs they need, the home they desired, the lifestyle they dreamt of and above all the love that makes them say Aamchi Mumbai, it’s Our Mumbai.