Mumbai meri jaan

It’s been almost a month that I have come back to Pune, but I just can’t get the ‘city of dreams’ out of my head. I have to admit that Mumbai is a very addictive city. Once you stay here, say even for a year or two the pace just gets on to you. You become so used to the fast life that other cities seem to be duller than ever. Similar thing has happened to me.

I am a proud Punekar and just love my city. But a two-year stint in Mumbai has made me rethink. I have visited Mumbai every year as my grandparents stayed there but staying for earning my bread and butter was a hell of an experience. Traveling by local trains, observing people of different linguistic backgrounds, trying to understand alien tongues was so much of a challenge and I loved every minute of it.

The sea was my favourite and luckily I always stayed near the sea- in Jogeshwari (nearest was Juhu beach), Bandra (used to go to Bandstand for jogging) and Prabhadevi (near the Worli sea face). I used to love the five star food reviews, the occasional celebrity spotting and the trips to Marine Drive and my classes at Max Mueller Bhavan in Kalaghoda. The occasional AC bus rides via Haji Ali, the picturesque Haji Ali road, the oh-so-posh Peddar Raod and Breach Candy, I miss it all.

The yummy fruit juice at the Haji Ali Juice Centre, the Cannon Pav Bhaji near CST, McDonalds near CST, Rasraj Mushroom Pav Bhaji at Fort, Delhi Durbar at Marine Lines, Aditi Juice Centre at Andheri were some of my favourite eating haunts.

Time to sum it up all- Mumbai is meri jaan even though Pune remains my shaan ;)

Apart but yet together, a different love story

On V-Day, couples separated by distance plan movies, chat over phone, exchange gifts

Abhijeet (24) is madly in love. On Sunday, which is Valentine's Day, he will watch a movie with his beloved Pallavi. They will watch the same movie and enjoy the same cuisine but at different places-- he in Pune and she in Nagpur.

Many like Abhijeet and Pallavi, who are in a long-distance relationship, are determined not to spend this special day for lovers alone despite not being together. Instead, they have figured out how to enjoy the day "together".

Media professional Meghna (25) whose boyfriend Gaurav is studying in the US said, "I have asked a friend to order some authentic Indian food and deliver it to Gaurav's place. He loves desi food like fish curry and biryani. Through this small gesture I want to remind him how much I love him."

Online gifting sites always come handy when your loved one is in a far-off place. Riddhi (22), a public relations associate, will be gifting her boyfriend in the US flowers and chocolates. "Valentine's Day is synonymous with such gifts for your loved ones. I want him to enjoy them there even without me around, yet remember me," said Riddhi, who has planned a wine and cheese dinner with her friends.

Kaizad Bhamgara has sent a gift package containing chocolates, a card, love letters and soft toys to his girlfriend Shirley in California. He plans to spend a lot of time with her on the phone on Valentine's Day.

Love-struck Santosh Rao (23), a software trainee, will surely miss girlfriend Sonia on V-Day, but will make it special for her by sending her one of his T-shirts that she liked. "I will mail her the same shirt to show my love for her," said Santosh.

Harbinder Singh in Nigeria will make sure that his girlfriend Jeeya will be the first person he sees in the morning. "I will chat with Jeeya through the web cam in the morning and also gift her a pair of shoes she had spotted on a website," he said. His day will also end talking to her on the phone "till they fall asleep".

(Some names have been changed)

-Published in DNA, Pune on February 14, 2010 on the back page.