Quote Unquote

I have always heard that-" A mother gives birth to a child." Had never given a thought to it until I read somewhere on my way home from office that-"A child gives birth to a mother."

Seems so true.

WR vs CR females

Local trains in Mumbai may be a pain to travel by, but, they give one an immense opportunity to carry on some activity during that long travel time….Before coming here, I had heard of some of the activities carried on by Women-cutting vegetables, making woolen sweaters, reading holy/story books, sleeping, etc. Though as per my experience, the last two seem to be the most common ones. And, ofcourse, how can I forget? Quarreling ……..for getting in, standing in a queue for the next/last station, and finally getting out.

I find it a pain to travel in locals, especially after shifting from the Western to the Central lines. I find the crowd in the latter case a lot more insensitive than the former one. Irrespective of whether a pregnant lady gets on to the trains or a small kid, they do not care to budge to enable people to get in/out comfortably. I have experiences of waiting for3-4 to trains to pass by, before I can find one where I do not have to hurt someone while finding my way in. Ofcourse, while getting down that option is not there. So, I have to remind myself every morning-“BE SELFISH IN LOCAL TRAINS”, and have even taught my friend the same thing.

There is a prominent difference in the level of sophistication, mannerism, dressing sense, hygiene, and willingness to help among females in WR and CR. WR females scores in most of the above parameters except the last one. Ask a 1st class compartment lady to make a place for the fourth lady or for helping you out to keep your bag on the shelf above, and notice the difference.

But one positive on WR ---females generally queued in front of the door a couple of stations beforehand, but, on central lines, right from CST, women would queue for GHATKOPAR AND EVEN THANE. (I am talking about the women compartments only and a mixed experience of 1st and 2nd class coaches). 90% of the overcrowding in trains on central lines is because of unnecessarily forming a queue even when they do not have to get down in the next 5-10 min. Inspite of being more crowded than central lines, western lines seem to be self-regulated by women commuters, which, surprising is not the case with Central lines.

What results in this stark difference in the attitude of women, inspite of being from the same city? Is it because of difference in level of sophistication, or is it something else?

(I chanced upon this link ...For more insights on WR and CR girls/women

http://www.thevoiceinmyhead.com/2007/02/01/western-railway-girls-make-better-nri-wives/)

Hello Mumbai!

I have always wondered what comes first-Destiny or Decisions??

Whether “Our destiny is shaped in the decisions we take” or “We take decisions because we are destined to be there”

Coming to Mumbai to start my work –life has been one such incident that has forced me to ponder over the above two phrases once again. Professionally, I feel that it has been one of the best decision of my life, but personally, it has been the most difficult decision till date. Leaving your family and coming to new city has to be a tough choice. I call it choice, because inspite of working in an Investment Bank, it was not by chance that I landed here. But, even after almost four months of stay here, I have not been able to figure out whether I am happy with this city or still like my City of Joy, Kolkata.

One of my friends, with prior experience of staying in the city had told me that Mumbai is a very fast city. One has to keep pace with it to keep going, else one would perish. I still wonder what he means by a fast city. He meant it in a being a party (social) animal. He seems to be hinting towards the three “W’s” (wine, Wealth and Women!)

Last day, I heard a conversation among two females while coming down from the elevator. One of these two females who seems to be new to the city was narrating her experience of staying here (which I seemed to have missed) to which the other remarked-“If you stay here for a couple of months, you would not wish to go back.”

Barely two months in the city, my friend remarked-“I am love with this city.”

Another friend, who has been staying here for almost a year, feels that it is the spirit of people in the city that makes it so different.

“How is life in Mumbai?” Is a very common question which I seem to answer almost every day. But, I answer it without even knowing what I feel, because I am yet to get an answer to this question. I, for sure, do not hate this place, for one very strong reason…”My amazing work life”, but not hating is not equivalent to liking, for me. At best, it would be Indifference.

Being born and brought up in Kolkata, it’s a home for me. Liking the city has been a natural choice. I have stayed in Bhubaneswar for two years during my masters, and its close proximity to my hometown, never ever had brought a thought in my mind as to whether I like the city or not, or what other feel about the city. And the two years had passed by. Given a choice, I am not sure, whether I would be inquisitive enough to go back to Bhubaneswar.

What is it that makes one fall in love for this city? Is it the lifestyle in the city or the people around? Is it one's ambitions for growing bigger in career (It is the financial hub, afterall!) that people fall in love with this city?