Meri Mumbai.

Mumbai. What a city.

The city that never sleeps, the city of dreams, the NYC of India - you've heard the gist.

To a part of me, this is the city where I was primed for adulthood. Tall sparkly buildings, good money, happening nights, flashy cars, impeccable fashion, friendly strangers, wholesome art scene, & a beautiful coast that never fails to remind you of its wealth in the skyline it presents to you.

To another part of me, this is the city where my adulthood actually began. Having my own place, taking care of bills, doing my finances regularly, & cooking most of my meals created a surreal sense of independence in both good & not-so-good ways. Good in the sense that I was on my own now. Not-so-good in the sense that I was on my own now. You know?

There's the warm third part: the people. Only in mumbai does the chef of the ramen joint you love stays overtime to discuss all things life after everyone shuts shop at night, Mumbai is the city where the skyline nudges conversations that turn acquaintances into friends. It's the city where shopkeepers are glad to help you, autodrivers are patient with you, & the general public doesn't shy away from helping you. In more ways than one, it has rubbed off on me, turning old and new friends into family.

Then there's the part that fills the crevices, the part that burns the brightest - the learning the city has conditioned me to. I see there is a sense of aspiration in everyone, but also a sense of sorrow in everyone. Big dreams need big sacrifices. Big sacrifices bring big discipline. And big discipline gives big returns. But even if you don't choose to go that path, even if you stray away from what's tried and tested, there's always a place at the table for you, your smile, & your ideas. It helps you stop blindly running the race & pick the type of run you want to go on.

And man, the last part. The all-encompassing superset that holds it all together. It's in knowing Mumbai is where my heart lies, in its warmth, in its love, in its embrace. I'll try to lure it to Chennai, I'll try to lure it to Bangalore. But oh what a beautiful city Mumbai is, when I know it's got my heart.