Small Town Girl in a Big Arcade

Growing up, I didn’t really know what I intended to do with my life. The only thing this small-town girl knew was that she wished to live in Bombay- the city of studios, frenzied hands, autograph books, a blinding dazzle of glamour, kaali peelis and dabbawalas.

At 17, I was thrilled to be moving out, doing things on my own and taking responsibility for my own mess. On April 30, 2012, I finally arrived in the city of tall skyscrapers, a fast-paced lifestyle and endless food options. Boy, Bombay really did possess an aura of sophistication!

Living in a new city was exhilarating but also daunting. On certain days, I felt the sweet taste of independence. On other days, it meant having to deal with homesickness and worries about the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdB7v1z8PJk&ab_channel=SonyMusicIndiaVEVO

I learnt very early on that this booming metropolis accepts you if you accept it. It keeps you on your toes and can be a teacher when you need it to be. It can toughen you up yet sensitize you to life’s mysterious ways. Moreover, it can help you realize the desires of an individual for whom the street and slum are realities with little to no chance of escape.

Bombay is a quiet spectator. It watches you stand at the edge of the compartment feeling the cool monsoon breeze. It watches you emerge from the local train into a vast faceless swarm.

It watched me go on my first date, drink my first beer, smoke my first cigarette, experience my first kiss, and land my first job.

It watched me live a little, cry a little, dream a little and root for simple pleasures like waiting for the bus and spending an evening at the beach.

I will always have an aching sense of love for the city I can neither live with nor live without. I really have come home in more ways than one!