5 experiences that proves you are a Mumbaikar.

“Mumbai, a city springing with life, is the wosrt place on earth for tourists”, observes a TripAdvisor Survey. To the locals taking pride in being a Mumbaikar, I’d say, jump off cloud 9!
Are you confident enough to say that you know this city well? Well, it’s time to put your wisdom at test!
If you haven’t been through these excruciating and enchanting experiences, you haven’t known Mumbai at all.

1)  Rain Rain go away, never come again another day!

Source: ibnlive.com

  Needless to say, the monsoon of Mumbai is one of the most popular which has left the city crippled. With water logging, water shedding, leaks in drainage and so much more have kept us struggling with problems too many. For some, it seems pleasing but for most of us it tops the ” getting rid of” list. The place is most unhygenic during this period with stinking garbage consuming more areas of the roads than vehicles can! The streets are so commonly loaded with trash that without it Mumbai would look anything but Mumbai. And if you haven’t waded through the knee deep water of Mumbai, you haven’t known the miraculous city all together!!

2) Vada Pav

Source: tarladalal.com

          
The spicy deep fried mashed potato balls bathed in flour and clothed in a soft bun called pav is the city’s favourite recipe. This typical blend of spices which is cheap, hygienic as well as fulfilling is found in every corner of every street of Mumbai. Seems to be a local version of McDonald’s Aloo Tikki burger! Mumbaiyaa Style!

3) Beep! Beep! Beep!

Source: midday.com

      
Here, the traffic jams are an astonishing phenomenon. Vehicles never seem to budge in any time of the year. Summers are torturing while monsoons are  even more! Drivers spend a hectic day cursing and abusing whoever comes their way. The speedometer hits 10-30km/hr on an average day.
No less.
No more.
This massive traffic and continual honking has tormented each one of us and will continue to do so.
(A piece of advice would be to carry your knitting set while travelling long distance.)

4) Rail, making me wail!

Source:rediff.com

         
Mumbai local trains are yet another disaster. You are a very fortunate person if you have the privilege of being seated in the local trains. The rush hours of morning and evening does not even permit to step on board. Mumbaikars possess superhuman qualities of jumping in and out of the train while foreigners beat the brow to figure out the whole local train system. A live example of unity in diversity is displayed in the snapshot above. And while you are travelling in Mumbai local trains, just go with the flow!

5) Beggars (3 din se khaya nahi Sahab!)

Source: schoopwhoop.com

         
There is not a single traffic signal deprived of beggars. You will certainly find them on each pavement changing shifts from time to time. Their working hours are from 9am-9pm and if they are on a night shift the time changes from 9pm-3am. These panhandlers are seen everywhere with a severed hand or a blind eye or a faked limp. Although their income generation in a day is sufficient to feed them for two long days, they are hungry as ever! It becomes difficult to unmask their identity. It has been revealed that luxurious beggars earn 1000-1500 rupees per day accounting to 30,000-45,000 per year. So if you haven’t encountered and pitied a beggar you haven’t known Mumbai all along!

(Note: No content of this article is meant to hurt/degrade/offend  anyone. It is purely on the basis of personal observation.)