Soulful Ramblings

For anyone who was born and raised in Mumbai, ‘Bambaiya’ language is the native speak. It comes to Mumbaikars as naturally as the language they are accustomed to speaking in their households. Although it may sound crude or even impolite to someone who’s a visitor or a new resident of the city, it sure is fun and very useful in a lot of situations. Here is a list of a few slang phrases used exclusively in Mumbai. Tumhara bhi nahi, mera bhi nahi Translation: Not your price, not mine.  Meaning: Every street shopper in Mumbai has used this slang at some point in their lives to avoid getting fleeced. After a lot of bargaining, this phrase can be used either by the seller or the customer to come an agreement about the final price. Example: Tumhara bhi nahi, mera bhi nahi. Last price 350. ---------------- Vaat lag gaya Translation: I/We’re screwed! Meaning: If you ever find yourself in a soup, you should know Vaat Lag Gaya. Example: I was ...

"And I think to myself what a wonderful world". I woke up this morning with Louis Armstrong’s heartening song playing in my head. I looked outside as I could hear rain hitting my window. It looked magical. I instantly sensed a feeling of completeness, like I always belonged here. Somehow I felt I was in the right place finally. This small town had opened its arms and welcomed me gleefully and I was glad to be a part of it. After living for 23 years in the ever enterprising Mumbai, shifting permanently to the small temple town of Udupi was a big move. Having been born and raised in Mumbai I was a complete Mumbaikar at heart. I was a city girl. Relocation was a big deal. Taking this step meant a complete lifestyle change. One has to begin things from scratch. Was I ready to do this? As I sat there thinking about the last few months and all the pandemonium that followed - the most lucid question to ask was if the move was worth it. The answer was indubitably yes. Moving ...