To those who have tasted
the delights of both cities, New York is like the spiritual sister of Mumbai
across the seven seas. Let me put this in another way: a Mumbaiite would feel
at home more quickly in the Big Apple than in any other city in the world.
Of
course, traffic is far more organised in New York (though nightmarish by
American standards) than in Mumbai. There is a far deeper understanding and
appreciation of culture too – classical, pop and contemporary.
However,
the biggest difference, I feel, stems from the fact that New York is also a
campus city.
Students
from Columbia and NYU — to name the two biggest institutions — make a big
difference in shaping New York’s lifestyle and ethos: as much as skyscrapers,
big business, the United Nations, a heady multi-cultural mix et al with their
energy, irreverence, curiosity and constant seeking.
Mumbai
misses out on this substantially though colleges abound. This has not so much
to do with geographical expanse of a campus (New York is desperately short on space
too), rather of mind-set and culture. The richness of education that a city
provides is hardly to be defined by what this costs, but what it delivers.
Having
spent the past few days at the Showcase Event of the Columbia University
Journalism School, and seen the rigour, passion and concern that goes into the
making of a world class university — by students, faculty, authority — it is
clear that Mumbai has some way to go.
Having
said that, there is much that is common between the two cities. Within a few
hours of getting into New York (or Mumbai), you get sucked into the pulsating,
throbbing rhythm of the city. It is driven by ambition, power and money, true,
but also by great creative zeal and acknowledgement of talent.
To
become rich or famous – or indeed, just to be —requires as much imagination as
hard work, and this is evident in the way the city breathes. Interestingly,
like Mumbai, New York covets liberal values (albeit under duress every now and
then in both cities) and allows others to be what they want to be.
To
narrow down the comparison to commuting, Manhattan, like South Mumbai, runs
linearly, the lifeline being the public transport systems: almost always under
heavy strain, and given to frequent breakdowns. However, think of what life
would be without this facility.
The one
similarity between Mumbai and New York that has left me stupefied is in the
matter of bed bugs. The pests seem to have over-run the pride of America and
has —among other things — provoked a rash of articles over the past couple of
years on the matter, as I discovered on surfing the net when told about it.
“This
is the biggest problem everybody here faces,’’ said a student from Mumbai, now
studying in Columbia. “It is so bad people would skip a party if they find a
bed bug in their house – or be told not to come for fear of bringing the bug
along!’’
Article by Ayaz Memon, Hindustan Times
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