Night life in Mumbai

Mumbai is a dynamic city that pumps up people’s enthusiasm. Working as a Chief Sub-Editor of The Times of India, VT, and traveling late back home to Navi Mumbai brought lots of interesting experiences. I am talking about the late 90s. There was one last train to Vashi at 12.49am. As our office was bang opp VT station, we could reach in a minute by just crossing the road. But on many occasions, me and my desk colleagues, missed the train. The option was to reach Dadar by train and hitchhike to Vashi. Truck, car, share-taxi anything was ok for us to reach dear home. One day we stopped an ambulance. I clearly remember how me and a colleague BM reluctantly entered the vehicle and thanked the driver who reached us home and not the hospital.
At one time, stray dogs were a nightmare. I just came out of Vashi railway station and the road was deserted. I saw a boy walking ahead of me and ran to join him thinking that dogs will spare groups. It was then that I saw him holding his blood-soaked wrist. He had been bitten by a dog. I advised him to rush to the local civic hospital, but he said he would go home and take somebody with him.
A colleague SB was once surrounded by a dozen dogs. Wondering what to do, he started screaming: “Arre bhai, koi hai? Bachaoo.” (anybody there, save me.) With no one to be seen around, he started singing Bollywood songs loudly thinking the dogs would spare him. Thankfully, he managed to reach home unscathed.
A good friend from Economic Times IB was a sincere companion. He used to joke, only 3 Ps are to be seen on the roads at such late hours: Press, Police and Prostitutes.
Hitchhiking experiences were interesting too. Let’s wait for a day or two.

Get back the bicycles

Kudos Seoul. The Seoul city government has initiated a $88 million “road diet” plan under which the number of lanes for passenger vehicles in major roads will be cut to create new bicycle paths. As per the proposal, 17 main cycle paths, totalling 200 kilometres, that criss-cross the sprawling city would be constructed.
Considering that Dubai and Sharjah have no consideration for pedestrians and cyclists (just try crossing any major highway like Sheikh Zayed Road) the news sounds great.
The bicycle is one of the best inventions of mankind ‑ clean, green and healthy mode of transportation. Leaving the cycle behind in city planning is a step backward and Global-Madrasi reserves the choicest rebuke for any city planner taking this path.
By the way, those who believe that the humble bicycle is only meant for workers and low-income groups, think again: I have come across a showroom in Dubai that sells a bicycle for as much as Dhs35,000 ($9,589).

Spare the rod…

Social attitudes are changing, fine. But I am appalled at the fact that teachers are not getting the respect they deserve. Teachers are the backbone of a society. During my school days, if I made a mistake and the teacher punished me, my father would not only thank the teacher, but also request him/her to be more strict with me. But look at a contradiction. A teacher was taking lessons at a Mumbai coaching institute, when a girl repeatedly disturbed the class. The angry instructor reprimanded the girl, and after repeated warnings failed, asked her to leave. Lo and behold, next day, the teacher was sacked by the institute. “Parents are complaining that you are too strict,” was all that the teacher was told.
What a shame! If I had the powers, I would force all parents to read the letter Abraham Lincoln wrote to a teacher.
Please, please, parents..read this
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Excerpts from Lincoln's letter to his son's teacher

He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish Politician, there is a dedicated leader... Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,
Steer him away from envy,if you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick... Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books... But also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and the flowers on a green hillside.
In the school teach him it is far honourable to fail than to cheat... Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong... Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the band wagon...
Teach him to listen to all men... but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him if you can, how to laugh when he is sad... Teach him there is no shame in tears, Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness... Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders but never to put a price-tag on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he's right. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient... let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order, but see what you can do... He is such a fine fellow, my son!
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