Bombay belongs to?

The ever-crowded local trains,

Streets and pavements filled with people,

Crammed little boxes for homes,

And several homeless trying to survive,

Heavy rains and guaranteed floods,

Endless traffic and the resulting pollution,

MNS riots and Sena bandhs,

Terror attacks and bomb blasts,

...and yet something pulls you here.

Chai tapris and vada pavs,

The ever smiling chacha in irani hotels,

Needless to mention- their brun muska and chai,

The hardworking dabba wallahs,

making sure we get to eat on time,

Countless sea faces,

And the pani puri stalls on the shores,

Roadside chaat and chataai pav-bhaaji,

Dreams and desires in the eyes of people, 

The warmth in their smiles,

Religion-language-caste no bar,

Their welcoming nature,

That "Chalta hai" attitude,

A hand to hold and a shoulder to cry on,

Unity in calamity,

And, no matter WHAT,

...Bombay lives ON!

Bombay for Marathis, or Bombay for India? Neither!!

Bombay for everyone, Bombay for the world. :)


Image Courtesy: Shreyansh Mazumdar, and some Googled for.