Passport Renewal, Self Realisation and 5 Hours Traffic: A Mumbai Saga

 I'm writing after 5 years! And of course the reason why I'm writing is because reading my own documentation of things was so beautiful. It definitely nudged me to type some more of me onto this blog (that I've come to accept only I read). So much has changed in the last 5 years! I had written an article on 'why Starbucks is the best cafe' and now I wouldn't even shell a penny there for moral reasons. I also blatantly called myself a narcissist and I realised how absolutely honest I was. From then to now the only thing that has shifted is that I don't tag myself the same, but I still feel I am every bit a narcissist (who is always using spell check to spell the word). But the reason why I'm coming here after 5 years is also because I've genuinely changed - from the bursting with energy-take a photo of me-let's jump in the puddle-girl I've become a very private-goals oriented-steady-woman. I'm still a kind person with low ethics. That core I've retained. And I still love the idea of self preservation. So let's do this.

Reading what YOU write is such a strong peak into the unabashed self. Images and smells and similar faces do take you back to moments of the past but there is nothing more intimate than documentation. It is I believe the only process which if done regularly has the ability to extract truth from a human. I have in my life never found anything more undemanding than truth. 

Time for truth of perspectives - the festivities have just begun in Mumbai and I've already tasted a 5 hours traffic jam where I cabbed, autoed, walked and then crawled to reach my destination. While passing the Ganpati processions I was tired and angry but then I saw a Taaza procession that absolutely stunned me. The most obvious thought was that ALL of this is show-off at the cost of people's patience. But then I looked at how much everyone enjoyed dancing, how much effort went into decorations and how cathartic was it for them to hit themselves and mourn for their ancestors. I couldn't unsee the pure joy. So what if deep down this is their version of a good party, what if this is therapy, what if this is still the tolerant India some so desperately want to kill? When looked at it that way, it wasn't inconvenience anymore - it was just something that happened every year. In good years rains, Ganpati and pilgrimages to Karbala do not coincide but in not-so-good years they do. What were you thinking holding that Indian passport in hand? This land is not for beginners! The aftermath of this resulted in being far more prepared and efficient for the days to come. A true mumbaikar cannot stop hustling, so I replaced my rain wear with sports shoes because wet soles are better than ripped soles, and I shifted to athleisure over my high-end fashion - pretty much dealing with Mumbai commute like I deal with my time in gym - ready to exert the life out of me. 

A privileged view

I went for my passport renewal today. To make sure I reach for the appointment in time, I tented up in a hotel close to PSK Malad (I wish). But I surely dressed up for my passport photograph. I'd seen this reel of a girl (of course) where she used her passport photographs to show her crazy glow-up which only differentiated her with a lot of make-up and lenses! Who wears lenses for a passport photograph? Ranted the comments. So I also went for my appointment with a lot of make-up making myself feel better that AT LEAST there are no lenses here! I don't know why but I was a little scared (maybe its just a muslim thing in India now). So I was at my best behaviour, greeting everyone and smiling my way through and avoiding my tehzeebi dialect as if they can't see my name. Until I realised how pretty I am - through the eyes of others - because they stared at me, offered me seats, even asked if I wanted help with holding my folders. There after all is something beyond religion in India - intimidation by beauty! Cutting down on the pleasantry drama, I went to get a token. If you have original and photocopies of Aadhar Card, Pan Card, Voter ID & Passport and you don't want to get any information changed on the successive passport then you are good. I took my token, was guided to counter A for first round of verification, signed my photocopied documents and was asked to pose for the photograph - the moment I decked-up so much for - and I gave the most idiotic and dumb pose (could have just slept for that 1 hour I used to get the make-up on). Then I went to counter B and got some more verifications done, then went to C where the woman punched a hole in my current passport making it redundant. I asked her what next and she told me that now I wait for my passport to arrive and verification to happen. Now this is the part I am most scared of - the police verification. I have my reasons which are partly about me being a muslim, having a temper hotter than our summers and an absolute inability to sweet talk. 

I've very smoothly skipped an episode of me standing in the middle of the Western Express Highway Metro Station and cursing the authorities over how confusing it is to get anywhere. I compared it to Dubai where despite not knowing the language I could get anywhere versus here where I know all the languages yet can't figure out a way to get to Malad without changing a metro or taking a detour. What do we understand from this? That the metro should have been better planned at a junction like WEH where most offices are? No! That one must not travel to foreign countries and corrupt their minds with the thoughts of convenience! Stay in India. Stay patriotic.