Bombay

I first got the feel of this city when I went there with my parents during Puja holidays, way back in 1998. I have very faint memories of the city- one thing I still cannot even forget was a Bazaar with an odd smell.. and I could see women covering their faces with a black veil. I did not even know what was it called then.It was this mystery which really mesmerized me.

There was this another thing. We hired a boat from the Gateway of India and reached an island. It was called Elephanta Island. I did not even know what was so special about this island. It was scorching heat, I felt terribly thirsty and above all we had to literally crawl our way up to its highest point to set our eyes on a gigantic cannon gun. As far as I have been told by the guide, the British Army used it to dismantle enemy ships - an ambushed attack.

Many years later I again came face to face with this cannon. Not as a tourist. Rather I was targeted. I could see myself up in flames with thick black smoke surrounding me. As I was hitting the water I looked up to see who was behind this Cannon.. I could see a pair of eyes..strangely familiar.. like I have known them for years.. but she then let the burqa fall over her eyes and bid farewell to me.

Bombay is something you can never get hold of. It strikes you with its night and you keep on dazing about it in the daylight. We are all like Bombay someway or the other. The only difference being you have just not seen the cannon.