The spirit of Mumbai

Much has been said and discussed about the flagging spirit of Mumbai.
What in effect is the spirit of Mumbai? After any calamity, natural or forced, the headlines next day talk about the spirit of Mumbai and Mumbaikars. Over a period of time, the aam junta or the common man has realised that this is just a ruse used by the bureaucracy and police to hide their inefficiencies. The feel good factor no longer works now. "Enough is enough". " We are resilient by force, not by choice".

The average Mumbaikar has now gotten used to these ups and downs. He has taken these in his stride and moved on. So much so that he has now developed a  I couldn't care less attitude where he generally turns a blind eye towards petty disturbances in his vicinity and carries on forward.

My last night's incident has given me back my pride in calling my city AAMCHI MUMBAI. Riding my 2 wheeler late yesterday night for a medical emergency, I received a sudden jolt when the chain of my bike gave way. I was stranded in the middle of the road with my bike refusing to budge a centimeter. Somehow I managed to get it near the pavement and was frantically trying to get in touch with some mechanics who could bail me out of this situation. When nothing seemed to work, I decided to get the vehicle towed to my place.
Nearby, a cabbie was patiently watching the drama unfold. He then came up to me with some suggestions. He got some instruments and tried to free the jammed chain. A few other bystanders offered to help. Suddenly there were 5-6 amateurs working on my bike with an aim to get the vehicle mobilized. Lo and behold! They managed to do the needful and my bike got moving. The unimaginable had just happened. Few Mumbaikars had selflessly helped an unknown Mumbaikar in times of distress. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart. While returning back, my mind was in a dilemma. Should I have offered them some money as a token of appreciation or were their efforts so magnanimous that my offering would be too menial and demeaning to their efforts?

Truly, I salute the spirit of Mumbai.

A Healthy Postal Zip

Why is a healthy postal zip code so important?

People staying in overcrowded areas in cities are exposed to air and noise pollutions.


Air Pollution:

Soot and nitrogen oxide from car and truck exhaust are most concentrated few meters off a major road.
Respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis commonly afflict inhabitants of these localities.

Noise Pollution:

Horns, booming stereos, dog barks act as stressors and elicit the bodys fight- or- flight response thereby leading to increase heart rate and blood pressure.

And now, recent research has revealed the ill effects on the cardiac system as well.

Living near a busy road causes long-term exposure to air particles from traffic pollution leading to clogging of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis. This predisposes to heart disease.

Thus, the emphasis on a clean and green environment while selecting our dream homes is truly warranted.


"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children."

Nautanki Saala - A superb Nautanki

Nautanki Saala reminds us of that very famous Big B dialogue from Sholay - "Nautanki Saala. Ghadi Ghadi drama karta hain". Directed by Rohan Sippy, son of Ramesh Sippy of Sholay fame.
AB junior does have a cameo here too. That's about it as regards the similarity between the two movies.
This film is all about real life dramatization of the stage characters of the legendary Ram Leela plays.
Ayushmann Khurana, a Drama artist and director, acts a Good Samaritan and saves the life of a good for nothing, Kunal Roy Kapur. Both their lives get entwined hereafter.
The humor is not crass and forced unlike the slapstick comedies these days. The plot and dialogues leave you in splits. The music is terrific with an excellent background score. What else would you expect from a Bhushan Kumar production!
The female leads are new faces. Passable. Performances from the male stars as well as the script are the scene stealers. Khurana seems a very versatile talent and should be hot property very soon.

Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.
- John D. Rockefeller


Also read: http://www.docbaldimeds.blogspot.com/