Act 1 contd - Mumbai Beckons

Stranger to a new city. A woman at that. Time 9 PM on a Sunday eve - I decide to go out and get some grocery and other items - the guards in the apartment seemed sure that I could go out at this hour - I decide to believe them and trust them.

The autodriver that the guards get for me just downs the meter - no questions asked - he takes me to a nearby Mart and I do my shopping - from bedcovers to soaps and towels and bread and jam - everything that I could think of - I shopped and was back at the Guest House - safe and sound by 10: 30 PM. And he only chnarged me Rs. 25/- for the round trip. He missed seeing my jaws drop!
Fresh fruits and bread down my gullet, I slept like a log amongst the logs!

Woke up to a blissful morning with birds chirping and stuff. My guest house was atleast located in a good place. I had the view of trees and not of concrete.

My experience after arrival in Mumbai had not been good. In fact, it had almost made me turn on my heels and head straight back to Delhi. And so, I did not know what to expect from the city.

Having lived in Delhi, travelling alone at night after 8 PM was not adviceable. Infact, this is ill advised for all women across India. However, Mumbai was different. I had heard so and had also experienced it on my first day alone in Mumbai.

Travel in Mumbai was so very convenient. There were buses, cabs, cool cabs, autos and the famous trains. No questions, no haggling. Hop into the hired vehicle, state your destination. Meters are downed and you pay the bill per the meter reading. This is also he only city perhaps in the entire India where the auto guys give you back the exact change. I couldnt but draw comparisons between Delhi and Mumbai - the two cities were poles apart. True, Delhi had beautiful wide roads, was comparatively neater but what the heck - a woman could just not travel by public transport in Delhi.

I never felt the pinch on my pockets when I was moving around the city looking for a decent rental acomodation.

When I did find a place to move into, I was plasantly surprised by people's attitudes too.
People were quite cosmo - they couldnt be bothered about other people - they minded their own business and let you mind yours. Not to say that they were indifferent when you needed help. Atleast my neighbors were ever ready to help. I was told by friends and colleagues that it could have been a case of "mallu" bonding - but I would have liked to believe that it was more a case of "human" bonding.

Days and months past by. Work was not exactly what I had envisaged it to be. Moreover, most of the nights too were spent in office. I had to look for another alternative. And look fast. That was how my stint at Mumabi lasted for a little over 6 months. Not withstanding the short stint at Mumbai - I must say that the city is truly cosmopolitan and safe, especially for women. I just hope that it continues this tradition in the days to come.

Act 1 - Mumbai Beckons

July 4, 2005 -

I came to Mumbai on Jul 4, 2005 when I made a career move from Delhi.

"It is an MNC - a very large corporate company - please do not worry about me - I am sure things will be very fine" - I had said gallantly when I had decided to take up the job offer in Mumbai.

And I landed in Mumbai. Brushing aside my assertion that I could manage on my own, my SIL's brother gallantly offered to drop me off to my guest house. I had gone to his house to drop off my nephew who was travelling to Mumbai to meet his maternal grandparents.

Scene 1 -

The office guards are taken aback when I ask for the keys to the guest house.
I am shaken.

Guards - What do you want?
Me - The keys to the guest-house.
Guards - Who are you?
Me - I am a new employee.
Guards - What’s your name?
Me - Xyz.
Guards - No one's expecting you.
Me - No, they are - here’s my employee joining letter and here’s the letter with the details for my accomodation.
Guards - What do we do?
Me - I don’t know.
Guards - Here’s the number, please talk to HR.
Me - Sure.
Me - Hey, they are sure that I am expected.

Several calls and embarassing moments later, I landed up at the door to my guest house - two and a half hours after I landed up at the office.

Scene 2 -

Action - Insert key
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit

Action - Insert key a second time
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit a second time

Action - Insert key a third time
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit a third time
Reaction from SIL's bro - Here, let me try

Action - Insert key yet again
Reaction - The key wouldnt fit yet again.
Reaction from SIL's bro - These are not the right keys

More calls and even more embarassing moments later, a property dealer comes with the key to the door.
Lo and behold!! The door opens.

My SIL's brother was now even more determined to see me settled and I was getting awfully embarassed that I had a witness to such shoddy treatment from an MNC.
It is now dark and I am fleetingly glad that I have with me someone known.

Scene 3 -

The dining table in one corner of the room doubled up as the sofa set, the TV stand and the newspaper stand. Not to speak of the dust on it.
A refrigerator that had rotting bread and loads of fungus was standing not-so- tall in the kitchen.

There was logs of wood piled in one of the rooms - that is the one I decide to occupy. The other one had a stinky loo attached to it.

Someone had tried to be innovatibe - had used the last vista of a bedcover to drape the windows.

I tried to be calm and composed - profusely thanked my SIL's brother for having been around - convinced him that I would make myself comfortable in the room.

And my sojourn started - I welcomed my self to Mumbai.
I was on my own at 9 PM, Sunday eve ... - to be contd

Creating my blog

How the blog bug bit.

View my blog – said Arjun - I viewed
View my blog - said John – I viewed
View my blog - said Sridhar – I viewed
View my blog – said Leela – I viewed

I didnt know. It didnt hurt. But the bug had bit.