Everybody nowadays is hailing the never-say-die spirit of Mumbai and Mumbaikars. The city’s ability to bounce back from tragedies is being eulogized about and the citizens are being praised to the skies for the admirable way in which they helped each other that fatal night. Now don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of Mumbai and Mumbaikars. I too agree wholeheartedly that the city’s indomitable spirit is to be admired and respected. But amongst all that respect and admiration is a twinge of uncertainty. Call it cynicism if you will, and I am a self professed cynic, but I think this bouncing-back-from-tragedies characteristic is a bit worrisome. What may be construed as indestructibility might just be that the city is getting used to tragedies and is simply too tired to fight back. So life goes on as usual. Praise for helping each other, might just be a lack of faith in basic humanity. So that when people actually do something naturally human, they are praised as messiahs.
I love this city. I think it is a great place to be in. But I also believe that a show of too much strength is not good. Not for an individual, not for a city. One has at times to break down and weep. For the people, for the loss, for their city. Me believes that real strength lies in breaking down and building again when something cracks, not acknowledging that crack, is denial not strength.
Mumbai is a strong city and it will always remain so… but today I think its time that we stopped praising Mumbai for not crying and lend it a shoulder instead. Maybe its time we stopped thinking about its ability to bounce back from tragedies and ensure that those tragedies don’t occur again. Maybe its time we stop a minute to mourn instead of carrying on life as usual again.
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