CUTTING CHAI - Reshma Majithia

Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai, has always been a potpourri of cultures. It has also been an El Dorado for many, who consider it a place where the plethora of opportunities is sure to obviate financial insecurity sooner or later. Mumbai’s spirit is contagious and the city is always abuzz with activity.
Local Trains are considered to be the leitmotif of Mumbai and do indeed provide its lifeline by ensuring sweeping connectivity. You may have to jostle, shove, and prod to get into these trains but their benefits are enough reason to condone all the inconvenience caused. The trains are indeed a microcosm of a different universe. You may come across groups of motley singing aficionados who regale commuters with renditions of popular numbers all day hoping that their penchant for singing will be recognized one day, and some Bollywood producer will rope them in for his next venture.
If train services are disrupted even for a few hours, the city comes to a halt. It also saps the enjoyment from a regular commuter’s life, whose only source of relaxation in a life of excruciating struggle may be the tittle-tattle that he indulges in with his fellow travellers. The hoi polloi of Mumbai city are its real protagonists, the opulent mere embellishments to the true representation. It is the fervour of the common man on the street that characterizes the spirit of Mumbai.