THE MASKED CITY
I
would still prefer to call ‘Mumbai’ as ‘Bombay’-colloquial to the city of
dreamers, achievers and wanderers.
The
city where everyone believes dreams come true, was once made up of seven marshy
islands, and was originally inhabited by fishermen, known as kolis. The islands
were ruled by the Silahara Hindu rulers of Puri, who also built the city’s
medieval Walkeshwar temple complex. It appears the islands became part of the
maritime trading network of the north Konkan ports that the Silaharas
controlled. This overseas trade brought in a floating population of traders and
seafarers, including Hindus, Muslims, Arabs, Persians and Jews.
Prosperity
came, and since then, Bombay has been a magnet for migrants, from the arrival
of the Arabs of the Gujarat sultanate, to the Portuguese who became the Roman
Catholic converters of large swathes of Mumbai’s population, to the English in
1661.
Everyone
came to Bombay — from the Gujarati speaking trading and artisan communities to
the Parsis (weavers, shipbuilders, carpenters, brokers), Bohri, Khoja, and
Kutchi Bhatias. By the 18th century other communities, like the Bene and Baghdadi
Jews and Armenian traders from Surat, made Bombay their home.
By the
mid-19th century, Bombay became a major trading hub and port in India. By the
time India got independence in 1947, Bombay was the financial capital of India
and more than 50% of its population was made up of migrants.
However,
period of 70s and 80s is what gave Bombay the glitter and Valvet touch of
oozing glamour, lethal power and various shades of money in motion.
It’s
Cintel Screen flaunted sexy stars like Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Vinod
Khanna, Feroz Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, actor Amol Palekar- the face of middle
class, graceful Rekha, Hema Malini, lusty starlets- Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi,
kings and queens of art movies like- Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi
and Smita Patil, despised yet liked villains in Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra, vamp
in Bindu and the dancing diva Helen.
The
decade of 70s and 80s were more turbulent and testing, a dizzying roller
coaster ride, with gut-wrenching ups and downs under the wings of Bombay city’s enigmatic politicos
like Vasant Dada Patil, Bala Saheb
Thackeray and trade unionist Dutta Samant.
While
Industrialist JRD Tata graced ‘Bombay House’; ‘Industry House’ earned land mark
title for being the office of Aditya Vikram Birla. In offing, city had on display
–the riches of Mafatlal, traditional industrialist Adi Godrej, flamboyant
business tycoons like Kapal Mehra, Nusli Wadia and the doyan of Indian industry
Dhirubhai Ambani.
Bombay’s
underbelly growled with dreaded underworld dons like Haji Mastan, Karim Lala
and Vardharajan Mudliyar, who ruled the roost during the 70s and 80s and were
later brought alive on celluloids.
The Gate
Way of India, Asiatic Library, BSE, BARC, IIT, Regal , Metro and various other
cinema halls of heritage beauty, Haji Ali Dargah, Astabal in the Bombay Central
Area’ (1979), Queens Neckless of Marine Drive, beaches of Juhu-Chowpatty for
Sunday hang-outs, revolving hotels like Ambassador and Sea Rock, grandeurs of
Hotel Taj and Hotel Oberoi Sheraton,
Bandra’s drive-in theatre- where many romances had bloomed, men in
racing cars, scintillating hubs for the
night lovers -Caesar's Palace and The Blue Nile- the last of the city
cabaret-cum- striptease joints; painted the city Blue by the day and Red by the night.
The
city also offered thousands with an opportunity to be cradled and mentored
professionally. It gave friendship, food and shelter and the chance to be
discovered, the chance to become someone, with acceptance for skills and
talents.
I am
always amazed by the infinite visual joy in each discovery of this place that
came to be called home to migrants, presenting a melting pot scenario, one to
which different communities lend its own distinct flavor.
The
city of Bombay, known for it’s resilience, always in motion with never say die
attitude, now airs fearsome and restless calm! The hustle-bustle is replaced by
a ghostly, brute virus on prowl, waiting to be relayed from one to another,
sending a sort of death warrant when received.
We
have drifted from each other, being masked from one another; battling with
loneliness even when all our family members are around.
The
movement called ‘Bombay never sleeps’ has halted, with it’s machination now in
the grip of an invisible.
'The
Bombay' is Masked....with the Buzz, the Symphony and the Opera playing in the
hands of uncertain times.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
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