Two Faces of Mumbai
Mumbai, very recently, was awarded the title of the “Rudest City” and according to a magazine survey was at the bottom of the ‘city civility’ pyramid. The article pointed out instances of bad mannerism like holding the door open for someone right behind you; helping a passer-by pick up a dropped newspaper or pile of documents; thanking shoppers after their retail experience.
This week, terror struck with it’s fangs in the city’s heart – commuter trains. There was blood and mayhem at the railway tracks. Train coaches were ripped apart by the explosives and the bodies lying on the tracks. Amidst all the chaos, an interesting thing happened. The rudeness dissipated and the city came together to help each other and fight back. Television channels were teeming with images of people helping those in need. Car-owners stopped and dropped people to hospitals/homes. The people staying close to the sites of the explosions rushed with basic medical aid and necessities like water. It was heartening to see a city stand together in the middle of a crisis so large in magnitude.
However, I feel a little perplexed. Why did the city respond like this? Where & why did the rudeness not prevail? Perhaps, people feel like behaving in a civilized fashion only when there is a crisis or a need. On a recent trip to Singapore, I had noticed that there were a lot of Indian tourists in the country. And, they were all acting in a very civilized fashion. No littering on the streets. Saying ‘Hi’ or ‘Good Morning’ to other guests in the hotel. Standing in a queue. Thanking anybody who helped them. Thanking the personnel at the store’s bill desk. It seemed that they were not Indians at all.
My simple question is that why can’t we be like this everyday. What stops us? Mumbai is just an example. Other places in India are no better at this. Is it because we have a “who cares” or an “even others do it” kind of an attitude? Or is it simply general apathy for the nation? Whatever be the cause, it is imperative that we, Indians, set such examples in our daily lives instead of on a “need-basis”.
