Comments on: Salaam Bombay http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/ Basab Pradhan's weblog about business and life in a 'flat world'. 6 AM Pacific is the best time for a global conference call. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:14:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Gaurav http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-13978 Gaurav Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:58:03 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-13978 We are getting into this dangerous habit of covering up all are inadequacies under some city's 'spirit' - be it Mumbai blasts, flood or Jaipur explosions, etc. I mean, what were mumbaikars expected to do after the blasts (or for that matter, jaipur people) - refuse to travel in trains, or refuse to step out of homes - they cant afford to. Its a city where being a human being itself can be a daily challenge - every paisa counts. The truth is, that despite its colorful history and financial importance, today its only a big heap of rotting filth, overcrowded killer trains and buses, constantly jammed roads, indifferent and callous people. The premium on human life is less than that of a few minutes of one's time or a few rupees from one's pocket. After continuous rains and a high tide and submerged several parts of suburban Mumbai under feet of water, all transportation ground to a halt - no trains, buses or taxis. Office-goers had no choice but to try and walk a few kilometers; and the highest (and safest, free of dangerous underwater potholes/manhole) ground is usually the railway track. What do our news channels report - 'look at the spirit of mumbai... despite so big a problem, they're still walking.. if there is no train on the track, they'll walk on it... that's professionalism'. For god's sake, where's the spirit in walking home ?!!! What do they expect people to do? Stay at their work place for two days - or try and walk to an alternate place? A news reporter was interviewing a lady in Mulund who was going back to her workplace in BKC sometime after the deluge - 'aap ko kaise lag raha hai, aap kyon office ja rahi hai?' Now, who in his senses would expect her to say 'kyonki mere andar spirit of mumbai hai' !!! Arre uska boss usse naukri se nikalega agar chutti mari toh! When the water has receded, people are EXPECTED to be back, right? We are getting into this dangerous habit of covering up all are inadequacies under some city’s ’spirit’ - be it Mumbai blasts, flood or Jaipur explosions, etc. I mean, what were mumbaikars expected to do after the blasts (or for that matter, jaipur people) - refuse to travel in trains, or refuse to step out of homes - they cant afford to. Its a city where being a human being itself can be a daily challenge - every paisa counts. The truth is, that despite its colorful history and financial importance, today its only a big heap of rotting filth, overcrowded killer trains and buses, constantly jammed roads, indifferent and callous people. The premium on human life is less than that of a few minutes of one’s time or a few rupees from one’s pocket.
After continuous rains and a high tide and submerged several parts of suburban Mumbai under feet of water, all transportation ground to a halt - no trains, buses or taxis. Office-goers had no choice but to try and walk a few kilometers; and the highest (and safest, free of dangerous underwater potholes/manhole) ground is usually the railway track. What do our news channels report - ‘look at the spirit of mumbai… despite so big a problem, they’re still walking.. if there is no train on the track, they’ll walk on it… that’s professionalism’. For god’s sake, where’s the spirit in walking home ?!!! What do they expect people to do? Stay at their work place for two days - or try and walk to an alternate place?
A news reporter was interviewing a lady in Mulund who was going back to her workplace in BKC sometime after the deluge - ‘aap ko kaise lag raha hai, aap kyon office ja rahi hai?’ Now, who in his senses would expect her to say ‘kyonki mere andar spirit of mumbai hai’ !!! Arre uska boss usse naukri se nikalega agar chutti mari toh! When the water has receded, people are EXPECTED to be back, right?

]]> By: B Shantanu http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-129 B Shantanu Sat, 29 Jul 2006 13:02:19 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-129 This talk about the "spirit of Mumbai" prompted me to write this piece which you may find interesting: "The nonsense about the "spirit of Mumbai"... " <a href="http://jaidharma.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=76203" rel="nofollow">http://jaidharma.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=76203</a> This talk about the “spirit of Mumbai” prompted me to write this piece which you may find interesting:

“The nonsense about the “spirit of Mumbai”… ”

http://jaidharma.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=76203

]]> By: Lokesh http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-128 Lokesh Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:20:04 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-128 Although I'm impressed by this show of "life goes on" by Mumbai in particular and India in general, I'm equally saddened and frustrated by the cheap cost of an Indian life represented by it. You have refered to the "trauma" that 9/11 caused to the American psyche, but what you have missed is how America responded to it. No wonder, there hasn't been a single terrorist incident on American soil since 9/11 and that's not due to a lack of America hating jihadis. On the other hand, India continues to bleed with neither the government nor the public too bothered about it. Although I’m impressed by this show of “life goes on” by Mumbai in particular and India in general, I’m equally saddened and frustrated by the cheap cost of an Indian life represented by it. You have refered to the “trauma” that 9/11 caused to the American psyche, but what you have missed is how America responded to it. No wonder, there hasn’t been a single terrorist incident on American soil since 9/11 and that’s not due to a lack of America hating jihadis. On the other hand, India continues to bleed with neither the government nor the public too bothered about it.

]]> By: Siddharth http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Siddharth Sat, 22 Jul 2006 14:53:26 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-127 Spirit of the city echoes the resiliant nature of our people. India is a victor today because we can take the hit. We just need to rewind 60 plus years and remember what Mr. Gandhi did. Incredible feats of dignified human behaviour. In honor of Gandhi, Sachin, and those to come! Spirit of the city echoes the resiliant nature of our people. India is a victor today because we can take the hit. We just need to rewind 60 plus years and remember what Mr. Gandhi did. Incredible feats of dignified human behaviour.

In honor of Gandhi, Sachin, and those to come!

]]> By: Santosh Kotnis http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-126 Santosh Kotnis Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:13:12 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-126 I experienced Mumbai in late 90s (Early 2000) and the life in Mumbai teaches you a lot of lessons, this is true beauty of this city. I felt a rhythm in the city, everything as per time, its good connectivity of locals and BEST buses. Though I didn’t experience Mumbai to its fullest extent because I was in campus for all my days in Mumbai, how ever I got good glimpse of the city and its life. I even confessed to some of my friend ‘Mumbai me life ban jayegi”. Mumbailar’s are special lot and they certainly exhibited much required patience and courage during last week’s blasts, indeed it’s ‘Salam Mumbai’ Your post really brought back my memories of Mumbai and I could imagine the pain Mumbaikars went through. I experienced Mumbai in late 90s (Early 2000) and the life in Mumbai teaches you a lot of lessons, this is true beauty of this city. I felt a rhythm in the city, everything as per time, its good connectivity of locals and BEST buses.

Though I didn’t experience Mumbai to its fullest extent because I was in campus for all my days in Mumbai, how ever I got good glimpse of the city and its life. I even confessed to some of my friend ‘Mumbai me life ban jayegi”.

Mumbailar’s are special lot and they certainly exhibited much required patience and courage during last week’s blasts, indeed it’s ‘Salam Mumbai’

Your post really brought back my memories of Mumbai and I could imagine the pain Mumbaikars went through.

]]> By: Vikram http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Vikram Mon, 17 Jul 2006 06:37:16 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-125 I starting to doubt wheteher is the resilient spirit or the just callousness? I starting to doubt wheteher is the resilient spirit or the just callousness?

]]> By: ila http://6ampacific.com/2006/07/16/salaam-bombay/comment-page-1/#comment-124 ila Mon, 17 Jul 2006 04:08:47 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=27#comment-124 A schoolboy on tv actually said "raat gayee, baat gayee" but i think behind the nonchalance and the rozi-roti ka sawaal story is a deep sense of hurt and anger. The salaams and spirit of mumbai stuff is allowing those in govt. an easy way to brush off their own failures. And this time people are really really upset. The police have had a 1 point agenda in the past 12-18 months: to shut dance bars just so the moral brigade is appeased. They're not in the business of social reform but under fear of govt. backlash have given policing, law and order a back seat. It doesnt help that the PM goes on national tv and tells the country that the economy will be unaffected as the city's back in business. The Mumbaikar realises that he's only a cash cow for his fellow citizens. And isnt it foolhardy that the central/harbour lines continued to run - did anyone think of stopping the service there to sanitise the trains so that preventive measures could've been taken in case they too were attacked ? What value human life? Ila A schoolboy on tv actually said “raat gayee, baat gayee” but i think behind the nonchalance and the rozi-roti ka sawaal story is a deep sense of hurt and anger. The salaams and spirit of mumbai stuff is allowing those in govt. an easy way to brush off their own failures. And this time people are really really upset. The police have had a 1 point agenda in the past 12-18 months: to shut dance bars just so the moral brigade is appeased. They’re not in the business of social reform but under fear of govt. backlash have given policing, law and order a back seat.
It doesnt help that the PM goes on national tv and tells the country that the economy will be unaffected as the city’s back in business. The Mumbaikar realises that he’s only a cash cow for his fellow citizens. And isnt it foolhardy that the central/harbour lines continued to run - did anyone think of stopping the service there to sanitise the trains so that preventive measures could’ve been taken in case they too were attacked ?

What value human life?
Ila

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