When I first got posted to the megacity, Mumbai (then Bombay) some two decades ago, a knowledgeable resident said ‘You aren’t a real ‘Mumbaikar’ unless you’ve developed an affinity to our ‘Vada-Pavs’, scrambled on to the BEST buses and jostled with the peak hour crowds in local trains like a artist with suppleness of a professional gymnast ! He was right, though with years behind me ‘I’ve done all that and been there’ as they say !

When I’d visited Mumbai before to attend training progs or on trips (en route to Goa), my earliest memories were what I recall as ‘joy-rides’ atop the second tier of the double-decker buses, specially as there’d always be space there and awesome ringside view of evening city lights and razzle-dazzle of the megacity’s frenetic night life. Back in the 80s, for a newcomer I recall, the buses looked more friendly with numerous stops and routes almost near your doorstep (than local trains which then seemed quite overwhelming !).  

As in all megacities, good public transport plays a major role in people’s lives. Despite advent of modern and comfy ‘metro’ rail and more car-drivers on road, buses remain the ordinary commuter’s  favourite for the last mile connectivity and extensive coverage into remoter areas/lanes. Taxis/autos are convenient but costlier and Ola/Uber for the upper middle class-segment. In this crowded and competitive scenario, we Mumbaikars with nostalgic memories of good-old ‘red double-deckers’ have now been informed by BEST that these buses have attained ‘retired’ (15 year) status and will no longer be in service.

Interestingly, the iconic red buses have a history that dates back to 1937 when they were first introduced, modeled after the motorized double decker buses of London. Reports state that first Limited Bus service in Mumbai started between Colaba & Mahim in 1940.  In the 1960s around 900 of these buses plied in the city but eventually the number dwindled to 48. With its lower viability and high fuel cost, the Non-AC buses have now also completed 15 years of their life and as per RTO rules, they have to be scrapped. The Authorities have however assured that not all double decker buses will go off, it has 16 AC double deckers and more will be added to the fleet. Tourists to Mumbai have also the facility of open air double-decker buses which are used in ‘Mumbai Darshan’ tours. 

With technology, possibly  better facilities will emerge but many things are associated with our time machines and fixation with old memories. Some time back, we had a chance to travel by a Double-decker train from Mumbai to Baroda. Being on the second tier was such fun, reminding us of childhood and fascination for window seats ! As has been said in different ways ‘It’s the journey that matters, not the destination’ !       

We’ve all been used to receiving life ‘tips’ from a young age – from our parents, teachers, coaches, mentors and seniors to improve ourselves. All the above had no pecuniary implications unlike the proverbial ‘tip’ or what has been colloquially known as ‘bakshish’ a small token of the recipient’s appreciation of satisfactory services rendered by sundry workers. Along with the old colonial baggage, ‘tipping’ in India has been customary (it mustn’t be thought like ‘alms’ that no one encourages but continues to thrive on streets). I often feel that service workers must be compensated, even if in a small way, for their honest work which is mostly lowly paid, yet routine and often quite hard in nature.

Question arises with some (specially the tight fisted upstarts !), ‘Why pay extra to people for doing their job’ and what’s the fair amount if one feels large-hearted. The answer lies in empathy & understanding. Most service providers employ workers on meager wages. In average hotels, restaurants, dhabas, serviced apartments, spas and salons and such outlets, staff is not likely to be well paid. Why not shell a little for good service maybe to a family’s sole bread-winner, with today’s inflation ? Paying 10% of the bill is acceptable ‘tipping’. After GST, we can say ‘No’ to the ‘Service charges’ if charged by restaurants !

Fond of visiting exotic places ? Remember while travelling on a private tour or through operators, (unless otherwise advised by the service providers) you’re generally expected and should tip porters, drivers, restaurant staff and other service workers given the low wages they get to earn. In our recent trip to Kashmir, we discovered that ‘tips’ were widespread & had to be factored into our calculations, if one expected comfort & good quality services. We felt that given the rising costs, tips needed an upgrade –what at one time was adequate at Rs. 100, we revised to 200 per head but it’s likely to go upwards !

Understandably, workers in popular destinations, depend on tourists for earning extra income in form of fat ‘tips’ but by sheer numbers they are many. So in hotels you wisely tip one central person at the reception and indicate you wanted it to go to all service staff. Avarice for quick bucks make some drivers quote high rates for the local tours and then expect ‘bakshish’ too, which isn’t really justified.

Travel in India (high cost of flights, hotel rooms, local excursions, god meals, inevitable last minute local shopping etc) is on well on its way to becoming frightfully expensive, depending on the choices you make, but you can’t have a expansive family vacation and try to become very thrifty. In costing, don’t overlook ‘tips’ & ‘bakshish’ everywhere. They play an unsung role in a satisfying trip !

When the English poet, Robert Browning wrote ‘God’s in his heaven , all’s right with the world’ he wasn’t exactly alluding to our Indian passion for good food, music, Bollywood and pure joy of a tumultuous win over archrivals Pakistan- King Kohli’s bat conjuring that old magic alongside fiery resurgence from a resolute KL Rahul, struggling to find a place after a long lay-off, not even in reckoning, till Iyer gave him a providential break !

Never mind if this wasn’t a grand finale of a World event, for what mattered to fans was the sheer dominance of our batters over the hapless Pakis, suddenly beset with injuries starting with their pace spearheads Shaheen Afridi and Rauf. For cricket aficionados, it was a master class of classical batting display from India’s most attractive stroke-makers culminating in posting their highest total against Pak and Virat smashing many records.

 What was equally pleasing was the all round smart performance on the field, return of Bumrah to lead India’s bowling attack with his stinging in/out swingers and Kuldeep’s mesmerizing googlies (5 for 25) which a vaunted Paki line-up couldn’t read ! All this augurs well for a team still gearing up for the World Cup, lined up in their backyard !  

A lot of the Asia Cup has still to be played in inclement weather conditions and prospect of rains always looming large. Was Monday’s superlative show a flash in the pan, that might be difficult to replicate when India takes on Sri Lanka today ? Despite his heroics can Virat’s unbeatable physical reserves of stamina produce another onslaught on the Lankans who’ll come fresh as daisies on the field. Oh, glorious uncertainties of cricket ! What about rotating /resting some big guys. Ask Virat and KL who just hit centuries !!         

To be spontaneous, infinitely flexible, and adventurous like impetuous youth is what we  (specially us retired folks) secretly aspire for but our physique, respectability, maturity in terms of advanced age deters us from bringing out the inner child – till one leaves the known territory  and dashes off to unfamiliar idyllic surroundings escaping the  prying eyes of neighbors ! A drastic transformation in attire, looks, hairstyles … then happens !

Amusing incidents, faux pas and goof-ups are the essential masala to happy trips. As we landed in Srinagar (for the first time in our lives), our designated Driver-guide was not to be found despite our instructions to display a name-sign for us. However, there was a tall, fair man in a cap curiously looking at us till we actually approached him – ‘Yes, I’m Rashid and looking for a family of four senior citizens, but you four don’t fit the bill’ ! Moral of the story – look reasonably old and weather-beaten if you’re a senior citizen !!

Moving on, our image of Kashmir was about snow, chill and icy winds ( at least very cool climes) but here we were sweating at 30 degrees day temps. Ironically, we had packed lots of woolens and too few tees and light wear, it was as if climate was globally mocking,  guys mess with us, we’ll make it hotter ! No parkas, jackets, shawls & scarves then on !     

Our abiding image of ‘paradise on earth’ was of the Bollywood stars and their interludes in various picturesque locales back in the 70s-80s.Our first tourist spot in Pahalgam was famously known as “Betaab Valley’ after Sunny Deol’s debut film, shot there. When we reached (it was a Sunday) an avalanche of tourists were jostling to enter an incredibly stunning bowl surrounded by high mountains, an amazing fun-land with horse-rides.

Though no shooting was in progress, people we doing their own stuff and we joined the ‘bonne soiree’, leaving aside our seniority-induced inhibitions, posing for various pics with mountain goats, using a bird as head-gear and trying out the traditional Kashmiri finery against backdrop of mountains, frolicking in the pretty little streams and clicking a thousand memories for posterity, pretty juvenile but in true-blue Bollywood tradition !  Thereafter every trip and ride in the mountains and valleys was a story of pure romance.

Coming to our hotel stays, not every experience was great though staff were hospitable and courteous but happier when tipped nicely. Eat here as ‘kashmiris’ do but we found the exotic cuisine generally spicy and high on salt. On our request it was toned down by Chefs and the dishes turned salt-less! But, piece-de-resistance was Kashmiri ‘Wazwan’ !

Finally it was time to catch the flight back to Mumbai after a whirlwind trip across the state, but we were in for a shock. The pilot welcomed us aboard the flight to Colombo !! Just as fliers started protesting , the pilot guffawed “Aw, just kidding, we’re to Mumbai’. Not so funny if  your’re a Senior Citizen with creaking joints after a long & ardous trip !

All good things come to an end. The Spice Jet flight was ready to take us homewards to Mumbai after an incredibly memorable trip covering across several favorite destinations (including Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg) over ten days ending with capital Srinagar. As we ascended to the blue skies, like a kaleidoscope images flashed across of majestic, magnificent mountains and the rivers gushing, the lush meadows, gurgling streams and gorges, the grazing animals to the breathtaking flora that assume amazing hues as if nature was at its best form ! Cliched it may sound we’re as near ‘Jannat’ as never before.

Yet, images also lingered that with this beautiful backdrop of natural grandeur has been a long story of political turmoil and upheaval and scenes of valour and sacrifice in fierce battles fought on most difficult terrains & of the vigilant soldiers deployed everywhere. There are many perspectives apart from a tourist’s view, so here’s a ‘ground one’ I got ! The insight came from a inscrutable young man curled up in window seat next to me.

I really didn’t notice him but he had measured us up as archetypal tourists. ‘Did you visit North Kashmir, it has less discovered sights that’re amazing’. I guessed that he was 22 years old so I asked him what he did. I bolted upright as he calmly said ‘I’m an Army Officer (Artillery) posted near Kupwara since the last ten months, am going on a 20 day holiday to my home in Nasik’. He was an NDA product and looked boyish. He confessed that being from such a place initially, when he was first posted to a base at 12000 feet & where temps went down to – 23 degrees and snow all around, he struggled to survive.

To show my patriotic fervor I told him we had gone way up to Leh to see the Memorial for the ‘Kargil Heroes’. The said that his Unit had also fought in that War and they had many untold true stories. About his job, what he explained was unbelievable. The ‘Big Guns’ weigh as much as 17000 kgs when put together and so when the war is on the high terrain and steep mountains, the Guns are dismantled and the entire unit (with the help of loaders) physically carry the parts up the mountains, (which one would never dream of even attempting to climb) and then again reassemble it, ready for firing . I was looking at this young man with sheer amazement, imagining sheer physical endurance.

‘How long will you be here in Kashmir, I queried’ ? He said that by next April, he would be promoted as Captain and get another posting. He explained that Army really needed its Officers to command the troops and it couldn’t afford to waste them. On our asking, what the Jawans did the whole day just standing, he said he would get up at 4 am when he commanded a surveillance troop across the city watching the entry of every vehicle. We told him that  Army was doing a great job but for long ? He said that the Army had by now employed almost 50% of the labour in its various activities specially as loaders. The flight was about to land. He had moved on with a languid pace. I had not asked his name.. but it doesn’t matter. These are the nameless and faceless men in uniform who are on their feet day and night, ready to protect their people and defend their country !        

We all agree that politics has no place in our sports but maybe that’s just a truism. Interestingly, cricket isn’t only the most revered and played sport in our country, use of it’s terminology is pretty widespread and of late, figures in most discussions e.g. ‘veteran leader’s ‘googly’ outwitted his opponents’ !

After the hugely significant meeting of the alliance of Opposition Parties that took place and was widely covered by the media, one anchor described the event somewhat like this ‘The team is formed but the captain is yet to be announced. Batting order isn’t yet finalized, though many of the superstars (batters) would like play up the order, it mayn’t be easy to work out. What’s certain is that this team looks quite charged up and ready for the contest. Setting a game-plan to fight present Cup-holders will be a real challenge’ ! 

As sports-lovers we find all this talk exciting but surfeit of cricket of late has become a tad boring (despite the ongoing Ashes) and ‘tennis’ is the game in fashion specially after Carlos Alcaraz became the new poster boy, superbly trouncing the reigning Wimbledon champion & legend, Novak Djokovic ! The young Spaniard’s dazzling display showed that upsets can be caused by new entrants to bring down those considered invincible, sure-shot winners.  

Taking the tennis analogy further and just to illustrate, Alcaraz was down first set (akin to setback in Maharastra for the MVA) but rallied around to fight back in the sets that followed, showing retrieving power and resilience against a great past master who’d thwarted many such challenges earlier, yet didn’t quite judge the determination of  his young opponent, which grew stronger as the crowd support became louder for the ‘new’ title contender !  

As the media has reported, the alliances on both sides are readying for the huge contest ahead in 2024 but this is no T-20 game or even a 5 day Test, it’s has many grueling sets to be played out. But the contest now appears to have become more exciting !

We associate memorable parts of our childhood as much with the nostalgic smell of  the alma mater and friends as with the black leather shoes we’d get wet & soggy in monsoon months, much to the chagrin of our Mothers. Someone good had playfully said ‘When life gives you a rainy day, play in the puddles !’. In those days of 1960s, it’d be sheer joy when heavy showers would force the school to close unexpectedly and we’d spend the day left to our own resources. With no classes we could return home but it was wasting a chance to play ‘wet’ football with friends and get drenched to the skin !

For the younger kids, it entailed a lot of splashing and jostling in the puddles and they’d end the morning paddling their way back home. Parents in good old times were liberal with the ‘rainy day’ syndrome and couldn’t be much bothered with their boys and girls getting wet and soggy. It evoked minor admonition and prompt change of dress. Getting wet in the rains was thought to be healthy, good for the skin and a part of growing up !   

Another reflection of school days were English essays to be written on age-old topics like ‘The Village Fair’, ‘Railway Platform Scene’ or ‘A Rainy Day’. We recall that almost everyone had idyllic and romantic visions of the rains. In our themes, the ‘rains were not mainly in the plains’ but the poets in us would conjure misty mountains and picturesque countryside with lush green flora awash with droplets of rain as the cool moist air would be resounding with chirping of birds after a shower. Many of us would turn into versions of Keats and Wordsworth !  For all of us rains were God’s gift for we were taught that much depended every year on good monsoons for crops and livelihood of the farming community as also to usher in cooler climes and major festive seasons.

Much has altered but most of all has been the phenomenal ‘climate change’, not just for different parts of our diverse country but globally across countries. Now we’re beset in a state of emergency vis a vis water management on one side and devastating floods on the other. Global warming has hit Europe and there’s acute shortage of drinking water being felt in many parts. And as it happened in North India this year, when rains come with fury there’s a deluge in major cities with water-logging, flooding and collapsing of dilapidated structures all around. Poor residents are rendered homeless and commuters struggle with pot holes, traffic jams, stalled cars, slow buses and water on rail tracks.

Not aware of modern academic curriculum, we wonder what would be written about ‘A Rainy Day’ today. It’d be more on disaster management than about playing in the rain !        

Beautifully written by the writer/poet MJ Hashmat and poignantly sung by the versatile Kishore Kumar, is the theme song from Rakhee starrer ‘Tapasya’ (1976), ‘Jo Raah Chuni Toone, Usi Raah pe Raahi Chalte Jaana Re…’. It was a hit of those times for it’s depth of emotions, yet not a big blockbuster for the charts. Inevitability and vicissitudes in life form the lyrics of the song that I’ve tried to translate from Hindi and am sharing for friends who enjoy poetic expressions conveying our innermost thoughts :

On the difficult path you’ve chosen, Undeterred you must go on tireless,

However long and tortuous night be, Burn like a bright light, be sleepless,

The cool shade of the mammoth tree, Is no shelter to relieve it of it’s pain,  

Serving others is purpose of it’s life, For them, it blooms again and again,

Your mirror is the wistful reflection, Of those inner thoughts, moist eyes,

Prepare yourself for what’s in store, Travel destiny’s path and don’t sigh,

Life’s a long journey, moments come, Those we love may go, leaving no ties,

Fortitude and endurance will be tested, Be strong and wise and ask no Why’s !

Saeed Mirza’s 1980’s off-beat film with a kind of self-explanatory title ‘Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai’, about an aspiring youth’s coming of age and growth of political consciousness, had doses of comedy mocking incongruities felt in our society. The title became a popular one-liner for those discomfited with the way things were run, full of angst and feeling aggrieved with the system as such! Fifty years later, that’s transformed into overt aggression, often seen in public places, roads, trains and even flights, you name it !

Yet there was a time when ‘patience’ was considered to be a virtue and young parents would scold their hot-headed kid/s and urge him/her to become ‘shanth’ and not pick up fights with everyone. In school we’d be very scared of the ‘slap-happy’ and irritable teachers who exhibited their intolerance (specially to errant students who didn’t do their homework, bunked  or disturbed classes). Corporal punishment was allowed in schools in those days ! And being ‘chota’ we never to messed with irate big ‘Dada’s’ in our class.  That said, life was much simpler then, it  wasn’t a long and arduous ‘rat race’  as it’s become today for our youth !

Now in digital era of ‘work from anywhere’ and moving in the fast lane in all spheres, be it travel, communication, on-line games, social media, dating apps and relationships, all move at break-neck speeds. Wanna-be professionals & achievers need to ‘hit the ground running’ but many find that they ‘have to keep running hard to remain at same place’ ! Patience in such a scenario is not advocated & people turn resentful if asked to wait.  It isn’t staying back with restraint but overtaking others, that’s now ‘right’ way of succeed !

In Mumbai, whenever elders and the elderly start losing their cool on delays taking place  or any other issue they’re generally reassured by the youth around ‘Uncle, tension mat lo!’ meaning ‘Chill karo, no point in getting excited at your age’. However, the millennial too are a stressed out lot, juggling work-life, daily commute, job pressures, lesser income, family demands, inflation, loans, EMIs etc. This infuriates them and makes them edgy !

Today’s real feedback on perspectives, comes from the bawdy jokes that young ‘stand up comics’ produce on their stage-shows. Hilarious yet cynical view of life in entirety – from parents, spouses, marriage, relationships, small town quirks, societal norms, old rituals, jobs, bosses, colleagues & labored pace of life ! More irreverent and outrageous the talk, more are audience sniggers, raucous laughs, all united in a show of rebellion ! Possibly the only time when young folks listen to someone intently, as someone tells their own story.

Generations have moved on far ahead but old proverbs still hold good ‘One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life’ !

Watching the working class on the ground giving their views on Prime Time channels on the problems faced by the ‘mango man’ is way more convincing than the sanitized and expurgated versions continually offered by  the anchors and the party spokespersons in heated TV debates and which garner great TRPs for reasons difficult to comprehend !

However, in Mumbai we have a better way of getting our ground reports on the affairs of home state UP by simply engaging in conversations with taxi drivers, majority of whom belong to districts of Eastern UP and warm up to people from that area. They may have left their homes to ply taxis in Mumbai ‘shahar’ but remain connected to their roots.

Yesterday, I had personal work in the familiar Fort Area in SOBO (‘South Bombay’, for the uninitiated !) and afterwards hopped on to a taxi to return to Churchgate station. In my customary way, I politely asked the taxi-wala ‘Dada, kahan ke hai?’ and the reply expectedly was ‘UP’. I said ‘UP mein kahan ?’ and the answer came with a hint of pride – ‘Ayodha’ ! Soon we were talking of the ‘Bhavya’ and magnificent ‘Ram Mandir’ with it’s construction on in full swing for its grand opening slated in January next for the public ! According to him UP was in great shape, under a strong administrator. But, of course !

Our man was curious as to why I was in Mumbai though I hailed from Lucknow and I gave him brief highlights of my travels and transfers across the country while serving in a PSU Bank. Reacting as if to say ‘Hail Fellow, Well Met’, he informed he worked as a driver in a PSU Bank for 17 years after which he quit, not getting promoted as a clerk. I joked that in my Bank, the GM’s Driver was a powerful person and carried some clout.

His grouse was that the Driver of the Big Boss had perks but the hours were long and erratic, sometimes going into late nights. Branches could close no sooner the Day-end was completed but in Administrative Offices, meetings and discussions went on & on. I protested that I had worked as Branch Head and in the early 2003-4, there was ISBS system which few knew about and I’d once spent a night in the branch doing Day-end ! He knowledgeably agreed that those days of ‘migration’ were really tough for branches.

By the time we reached, we had recognized we were ‘bankers of the same feather’. As a fraternal gesture he gave me a discount of Rs.2 on the fare. A real professional there !