Chronicles of Mumbai

Mumbai is the city of dreams, yet simultaneously the city that never sleeps. This is just one of the

paradoxes that have come to define our dynamic city. Once a collection of seven untethered islands

home to indigenous fishing communities like the Kolis and the Aagri, it came under Portuguese control

and then under the British Crown, as part of Catherine de Braganza's dowry for her marriage to Charles II

of England. Finally, evolving with the Hornby Vellard project (that united all the seven islands), the

process of building the landscape we are so familiar with, began.

Today, the most definitive aspect of this city is its people, largely, migrants from every part of the

country have flocked here (even flamingoes!) to make a living. To these residents, Mumbai never

changes, but the secret is that change is its only constant. Historically, it has depended on the often

invisibilized labour to sustain its workings—from the laying down of railway tracks that have shaped

a fundamental way of living, to the dhobi ghats that work through the nights to clean every garment,

to the dabbawalas who operate within a complex web to ensure that a steaming hot lunch can reach you

on time. 

Born out of diverse cultural influences and its history as a coastal trading hub, the city is an experience

of contrasts, where the bright lights of high-rises fail to reach the nearby satellite shanties and while

festivals serve as a symbol of cultural assimilation, it is also a  reminder of deep schisms, reflecting the

city’s dual nature.

The city that once captured the attention of the Bombay poets and now is the backdrop for many

Bollywood movies, Mumbai remains a muse to many. From the iconic vadapav to the picturesque

Marine Drive, or the locals, the blog invites you to write about a part of the city you have claimed

for yourself.

What is Mumbai to you ?

SUB THEMES

Owing to the ever-resilient and persevering spirit of Mumbai, the city that never sleeps, it is imperativethat we continue to expand the lens through which we view it, and challenge the borders that exist bothphysically and in our minds. In line with this, here are some sub-themes you could engage with to

contest, claim, or corroborate as part of the identity of this dynamic city.

 Mumbai as a Coastal City (Seaty): 
The Impact and ramifications, of being a coastal city such as vulnerability 
To natural disasters such as floods and the annual monsoon devastation that brings the  city that never

sleeps, never stops to a standstill 
As the financial hub and commercial capital of India putting it in the immediate lines of impact to

experience the shockwaves of any of financial crises and political turmoil 

Mumbai - a microcosm of India's cultural diversity, a melting pot
The khau gallis (food street) represents the city's fusion food culture, a literal melting pot of diversity
The politics of language, how bhasha develops in a trading hub
   
Mumbai and the idea of Development: 
The reliance on the working class to sustain the elite neighbourhoods ( MHADA colonies) 
The "green lungs" of Mumbai provide vital breathing space amidst the urban sprawl, encroached or

systematically used for commercial purposes , for ‘development.’

Mumbai and Expansion:
Broadening the lens to include the geographical boundaries of Mumbai, such as the impact and

development of Navi Mumbai and other peripheral regions.