Every day, countless dreamers come to Mumbai. In 1997, I was one of them. But everything I knew about the city seemed to be a lie when the PA at the station crackled:
“Churchgate ke liye jalad local platform
#2 par aa rahi hai.”
I swear to God I had never been pushed that hard in my life before. And just like that I found my face in someone's armpit. I was 22—a fresh engineering graduate from NIT Agartala—and by the time the train crossed Andheri, my shirt, my tie, my certificates, my hardcopy resume, and my dreams were crushed beyond repair. And by the time the train crossed Bandra, I fainted. But here’s the thing about Mumbai: Our local trains don’t let us fall. They are just that crowded. So I stayed afloat in a pool of sweaty bodies. Then I heard a sweet motherly voice say:
"Tension mat le. Sabh theek ho jayega. Tu baith idhar."
I was given a window-seat, a modak, and I was told:
"Tera sugar level kam ho gaya hai. Tension mat le. Yeh Ganpati ka prasad hai. Sab theek ho jayega."
At this point, the train stopped at Mumbai Central. I gathered what was left of my dignity and I looked up. But I couldn't tell who the woman was. There were just too many people. But She stayed on my mind even when I reached Churchgate for my job interview later. I didn’t get that job. But I knew I'd be alright. Because I could still hear her say:
"Tension mat le. Sabh theek ho jayega."
Now I've been living in Mumbai for more than 25 years. I still hear that voice from time to time. You see, that woman was the reason I didn’t fall. I was 22 then. I'm 48 now. In some ways, She is the reason I’m still standing. This is what She has done for me and countless others like me. Mumbai... Bombay... call Her what you like. She is the one who makes dreams come true. And She hasn't brought us this far to leave us now.
#ThankYou #Mumbai #WeLoveMumbai #ILoveMumbai #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiCity #Bombay #MeMumbaikar #WeAreMumbaikars #MumbaiSingers #MumbaiGig #MumbaiConcert #MumbaiDreams #MumbaiNightlife #NightlifeMumbai #MumbaiDiaries #MumbaiBlogger #Mumbai _IGers
#MumbaiLiveMusic #MumbaiMusic #MumbaiMusicians 
