I am a Bombaywallah..born when my city was known the world over as Bombay ( it still is..to some!)
Bombay of the song.."Come fly with me".. immortalised in the words.."if you can use some exotic booze there's a bar in far Bombay" sung by "Old Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra himself and other greats.
Bombay..of the internationally famous "Bombay" gin.
Of a bar in New Jersey called the Bombay Bar.
And of course..the ever popular Johnny Walker song..Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan.
A city that was cosmopolitan in it's ways and tolerant in it's attitude..a vibrant city that never slept (still doesn't).
Jazz bars abounded..restaurants aplenty. Strip shows..if that was your flavour!
No silly self-serving immoral moral-policeman telling us how to live our lives!!
A safe fun loving city that let you do your own thing.
Mumbai..sorry..it just ain't the same.
why isnt it the same? was is the change in name from Bombay to Mumbai? her soul changed over the years and although the city has the positive vibes but in few and far in between niches only and if one creates an awareness to improve and make a difference, it will. am sure you will start the change and make people like minded to look within the soul of the city and make it a better place to live in.... Good Going, Tunni..
ReplyDeleteYou said it. Just like Kolkata is just not Calcutta. And Bengaluru????
ReplyDeleteBut you know, even Burma's become Myanmar and sad as some people may feel, the Sun has set on the Empire (something reinforced by the streak of draws Gerrard's boys are managing to cling to).
Point is, change is inevitable. We can't change it back to Bombay, but we can infuse fresh layers of meaning into Mumbai - better we do it, than leave it to the immoral moral-policemen!
With the energy this city possesses the layers have already been added to Mumbai..both negative and positive.
ReplyDeleteA city should and does evolve..but an imposition!!
30 odd years on.. Hutatma chowk is still Flora Fountain.. Mahatma Phule market ..is still Crawford market..and many other places and streets are still known by their older names..names that are in the psyche of Bombay.
One presumes that if Mumbai had not been imposed..then Bombay it would still be!!
Alas....
Tunni Cha,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations & Super. Bombay Zindabad!
A change is inevitable only if we give in. All it takes is enough will to reverse the earlier decision.
Or a numerologist stating on national TV that mumbai has proved unlucky for the city & that Bombay is a safer more prosperous name.
Aman..if I am not mistaken..soon after 26/11 there was an article in the Bombay Times wherein an astrologer had claimed that the name Mumbai was unlucky!!
ReplyDeleteThat's the kind of stuff people should be talking about!
ReplyDeleteTo me too it will remain Bombay .. when ever I go to India and some one asks via? of course BOMBAY if not via DILLI ...
ReplyDelete