Ok! This was news to me that there is a pissing contest between Mumbai and Delhi as to which is the better/worse city. So when I had met up my friends in Delhi and casually mentioned ‘its not like in Mumbai..’, I set in motion the most animated discussion that is second only to Arnab Goswami on Times Now. When put under the lime light for comments, I dug deep into my repertoire of GD skills and offered “Well, I think we need to define a framework as to what we mean by better..” As expected, I was ignored for the rest of the evening.
In reality, I feel the city works for you if there is a connection between who you are and what the people of the city believe in. In times when people are seeking out McD and PVR in every city (and ‘taken for a ride’ by the respective autowalas and taxiwalas), this vibe you can feel only after staying in a city and interacting with the actual localites. (So, all you Bangalore guys and girls in Electronics City don’t qualify).
I guess cities are more like relatives, friends and acquaintances. So like people they can be stereotyped and made fun of. This is according to me – the 5 cities I can comment about.
Delhi: Delhi is that HDFC grand dad – ‘na sar jhuka hai kabhi’ types. Got that determined pride about it. Filled with monuments and tombstones (heritage), it assumes the head of the family role. Shows off richness like royalty. Can be preachy, can entertain you with stories (not to mention really pretty granddaughters.. ahem) Gets a bit boring at times. People in this city live life the way they want and with pride.
Mumbai: Mumbai is like that wild outgoing girl you try to ask for a dance at a party. Wild, colorful and pretty friendly with everyone, she is the one you have a crush on. Seems fun at first sight but then you slowly realize she will continue to party without ever attaching a bit of warmth towards you. Doesn’t expect anything from you and you better not expect either. People in the city carry dreams and are happy in their silos.
Chennai: Chennai was easy – strict and a bit ill tempered dad. People outside can’t understand why you love the place. It punishes you with the heat and humidity, admonishes you (judgemental) but will love the family. This means if you are an outsider, your acceptance is not a given. Can tell you stories that ‘build character’ like Calvin’s Dad but will expect you to get its approval. People in this city look to fit in however different their ideas.
Bengaluru – Bengaluru is like your neighbor. Hi, bye and the occasional get together apart, they leave you to yourself. Sometimes nosy, but mostly cordial. Well maintained lawns (what with the gardens), loud music at times, problem with pets (number of street dog chases) and of course the neighbor’s daughter(s) ;) People in this city move about their lives with minimum fuss.
Shillong – Your lazy roommate. The guy who suggests to switch off the lights at 10 and wake up at noon, tells you to chill when you are upset about something and always game for a lazy chat. People in this city are just too content with life.
Now it wouldn’t exactly be fair to compare which is better. Maybe which you like the most can be a valid question. In my opinion “it depends on what various factors and is also a function of tim... Hey! Wait! I’m speaking here! Hulooo…”
Been a while since my last post -> All is well. Whatever I had to say I seem to have conveyed in 140 chars these days. Adios. (On Twitter: girish_k)
