How has Mumbai changed in the last 30 years

The city of dreams 'Mumbai' was Bombay in 1990. It was changed to Mumbai in 1995. There are lakhs of people who come to this city every day from different parts of the country to fulfil their dreams or earn a living.

The population has increased to almost double from 9.9 million in 1991 to more than 20 million in 2019.

In the 1990s, there used to be factory as I could hear the siren in the morning at 9 am and in the evening at 5 pm.  This was a phase of the Industrial Revolution in India. This was a phase when industries were booming.

Then there was a technological transformation which was brought about by the IT firms (Information Technology). Internet and IT was everywhere and transition started happening from offline to online. You didn't have to stand in a queue for hours to get your work done. Everything was slowly moving online.

Currently, we are living in a digital transformation world where everything is available comfortably. People want to live a comfortable life now. You have Google, Youtube, Social media. You can learn and search for anything from the comfort of your couch. You can learn anything for free by searching online.

But now most of the factories have been replaced by tall towers which are occupied by MNCs. The Television was huge like a Box and used to occupy a space of a microwave oven. They also had Antennas. Those who don't know what Antennas are, you may ask your parents. Now there are LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) which are flat and can be placed on a wall very easily. The image shared below perfectly illustrates the revolution from TV to LEDs.

 We never had DTH cable then we used to see Doordarshan channels. There were no daily soaps on TV but a few memorable TV serials like Nukkad, Tenali Rama, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Shanti and many more. Nowadays we have a specialised channel for every topic.

Pager

There were no smart mobile phones 30 years back. There were pagers where you would get messages on your phone. One had to call on a customer care number and leave a message which was then sent to the recipient. Yes, you heard it right it. There was a long procedure to just send a message.  THIS WAS ONLY TO RECEIVE 'A MESSAGE'.

Today, you can connect with anyone anywhere in the world within a few seconds on a Video Call. That's has been a huge transition.

Back then, there was no pressure of work, my parents used to return home by 7 pm every day. Nowadays we all work in corporate offices and reach home by 8 or 9 pm. Because there are targets to be met by the end of every month and commuting has become hectic because of overcrowded trains and buses.

There is no personal life. The festivals had the charm which is missing nowadays. My Mom and Dad's friends used to visit our home on the day of the feast. Now people wish each other on social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.

We used to play in the cricket, kites flying, Top, Skipping and many more games and get all dirty every day. My Mom used to scold me every day for dirty clothes. Now, they don't get dirty at all. There are hardly any grounds left now. Mumbai has become so commercial that the grounds have been used to make tall towers for either residential or commercial purpose.

Now, People play online games on their mobile phones or PS4. No one moves out of the house. Movies used to run in theatres for at least 25 to 50 weeks as well. Nowadays, the movie hardly runs for two months in a theatre. 

Of course, there are a few things which have changed for good. Communication has become easy. You can make video calls anywhere in the world. We have all the data on any topic now available on your phone. We can get any work done on the smartphone. There are a lot more new bridges which reduced your travel time. There used to be a lot of goons and criminals in Bombay. Now the Crime rate has decreased drastically. The security has been beefed up in Mumbai since the Terror attack in 2008.

Cassettes have been replaced by pen drives, Files by Cloud data servers. Factories by MNC offices and shopping malls.

One thing which has not changed is that the spirit of Mumbai which never fades away. 

Hope the Spirit of Mumbai never changes and stays the way it is forever!!!


Leaving you with a video which captures the spirit of Mumbai. Watch till the end!!!

Hope you like this article. Please do follow to see more blogs from me.

You can also check my blog about Mumbai which mentions why people prefer Mumbai as their first preference for work:

Why do most people in India prefer Mumbai for work?

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Why do most people in India prefer Mumbai for work???

Mumbai is said to be a city of dreams. When someone wants to make a career or join some big company or even labour class people from all villages in India turn to Mumbai. There are many reasons for this. I will start one by one:

Your talent will be respected: You will be respected for your skill and you will get so much of work that you can choose your work. There are a lot of people who do a job and a side business sitting at home. Some labours work at one job in the day and another at night.

Security: People here feel safe even if they are returning from work at 2'0 clock at night. There are Police vans patrolling after every 1 km distance.

Food available 24/7: Although Restaurants run throughout the day, they don't have permission to keep running through the night. But there are several street food joints which are available during the night in every area.

People are kind:  People in Mumbai are kind to each other. They help each other and do not ask for any favour. One such incident happened in front of my eyes when I saw a bike skit and he head started bleeding. There were several people to help him within the next few seconds. One person stopped the traffic another picked up his bike and parked it near his shop. One more person offered him water and asked about his wellness. One more person took him to the nearby hospital. Another person kept Rs.500/- in his shirt pocket.

Your Religion doesn't matter: If you are from an upper caste or lower caste or from another whichever small region you belong to. No one will ask you your caste before offering you a job. It's all secondary. Your talent will get you a job.

You have multiple modes of transport available at cheapest rates:

1. Trains: Local trains are said to be the lifeline of Mumbai and it really is. The local trains which start at 4.30 am in the morning and end at 1.40 am at night. On some routes, there are trains available every 2 mins during peak hours. Even if you want to cover a distance of more than 60 km the tickets would not cost anything more than Rupees.15-20 for one side travel. And the most important part is that you save a lot of time travelling by train.

2. BEST Buses: There are BEST buses which connect every part of Mumbai with each other. The buses are available during the day as well as night. There are special buses at the night. The tickets start from as cheap as Rs.5. They have also started AC buses now.

3. Taxis/ Rickshaw: There are Taxis and Rickshaws available through day and night. They will not demand an exorbitant fare. Their fares are decided by the meter.

4. Uber/ OLA: They are competitors to all Taxi and Rickshaw. You pay the same price if not less with better service and in an AC car.

5. Metro: This has only started in one route but it will spread in other parts of the city in phases in the coming years. This will make commuting much easier.

These are a few reasons Mumbai is loved by everyone. Even though the houses are small but the hearts of Mumbaikars are BIG.

Hope you liked my blog. Would love to see your feedback.

Please do write in the comments section.

Also do read my blog on How Mumbai has changed in the last 30 years. Please click on the link:

How has Mumbai changed in the last 30 years

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How to Quit Smoking in 30 days?

Today, I will be talking about how to quit smoking. I am not going to tell you any life-changing medicine or any formula which will instantly help you to quit smoking. For that, there are professional doctors and medicines available in every hospital at reasonable rates. I am not an expert on that. I will talk about how it all started for me and how do I control myself till date.

None of us was born smokers. We got this habit by looking at someone who used to smoke and it made him/her look cool and stylish with a cigarette in his hand. We were influenced by a superstar or maybe either of our parents or some family member or friend circle.

I will tell you how I quit smoking in 30 days? I started smoking at the age of 20 when I was in my college days. I was influenced by my friends. From there on, I used to regularly smoke due to the pressure of studies then the pressure of work. One fine day, I realized that smoking is not helping me reduce my pressure of studies or work. It is just diverting my attention for some time from my problems. The problems are solved when we take some action against them. Those problems will always be there throughout my life in some form or the other and they will keep coming in my life. Then what's the use of smoking when it only harms my body. This was the day I first decided to quit smoking. 

I never discussed this topic of quitting with my friends. I knew they will never help me instead they will make fun of me saying that "All smokers say the same but never quit". I had seen a lot of my friends leave smoking just because their parents told them or because their girlfriend/ wife told them or one of their loved ones told them. They failed miserably because they were not doing it for themselves. Just because a loved one told them they were leaving and again started smoking because they could not control.

When I quit smoking: When I decided to quit. There were two very important aspects which played a very important role. One, I will not quit it for someone else. Neither my parents, nor my girlfriend, nor my friends. I will quit for Myself. Second, my Will has to be very strong throughout my life. When I talk about life it looks so difficult. But just take one day at a time. It will all fall in place. The will has to be strong because there will be our closed ones who will encourage us to start smoking again. They will make fun of you and tease you. Remember this will be the test of your Will and your Character. You have to be very very strong here. No one can break you until you allow them to. Just hold yourself in such situations and you will be through.

Side effects of Quitting Smoking: When you quit smoking there are side effects that have an impact on your body.

1. You will feel uneasy.

   Solution: I would suggest you visit a doctor. Remember, a doctor can only help you with medicines. But in the end it's you who should control yourself and be disciplined.

2. Smoking also kills your appetite. You will feel hungry.

   Solutions: When you feel hungry start eating healthy food or food which you like. Don't kill your appetite. This will happen for at least the next couple of months. If you control this in the 1st month. You are almost through.

Conclusion: I last smoked in 2011. Till now there has been a lot of problems in my personal and professional life but I never thought of smoking again. Love yourself, love your body. The day you start taking care of your body. You will not do anything which harms your body.

"If something happens to you, your entire family has to take care of you. But if you are healthy you can take care of your family."

Stay Healthy and Love Yourself.

Do write in your feedback about my blog. I would love to hear from you.

You can also read about my unplanned travel when I went to Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Chamba and Amritsar on a solo trip. Please click on the link:

My unplanned solo trip 

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अनियोजित यात्रा कहानी

यह उत्तर भारत की मेरी यात्रा के बारे में है। यह एक तदर्थ निर्णय था। मैं लंबे समय से एक यात्रा की योजना बना रहा था। मैं ऐसी जगह पर होना चाहता था जहाँ शांति और सद्भाव हो सके। मैं प्रकृति की सुंदरता का अनुभव करना चाहता था। यह सब तब शुरू हुआ जब मैंने अपने दोस्तों को पिछले 6 महीनों से यात्रा की योजना बनाने के लिए कहा। उन्होंने मुझे व्यक्तिगत कारणों का हवाला देते हुए उन्होंने मुझे मना कर दिया। मैंने अपने माता-पिता से भी साथ जाने के लिए कहा, लेकिन उनके स्वास्थ्य की समस्या थी। मैं प्रकृति की सुंदरता का भ्रमण करना चाहता था। लेकिन कोई भी मेरे साथ नहीं आ रहा था। तब मेरे कुछ कार्यालय मित्रों ने मुझे अकेले यात्रा करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया। वहाँ जाने के लिए और दुनिया का पता लगाने के लिए। मैंने आधी रात को 12 बजे अपनी फ्लाइट बुक की, पैकिंग जल्दबाजी में की और सुबह 7.30 बजे दिल्ली की फ्लाइट में सवार हो गया। दिल्ली पहुँचा और मुझे इस शहर के बारे में कभी कुछ पता नहीं चला। मैंने स्थानीय लोगों से पूछा और आईएसबीटी बस डिपो गया। मैं चंडीगढ़ चला गया क्योंकि वहाँ मेरा बुआ का बेटा रहता था। मैंने एक दिन आराम किया और फिर अगली सुबह अपनी यात्रा शुरू की। पहले मैं अमृतसर गया, फिर खजियार, चंबा और धर्मशाला।

स्वर्ण मंदिर

जलियाँवाला बाग शहीद का कुआँ

जलियांवाला बाग

अमृतसर अपनी संस्कृति के लिए और सिखों के आध्यात्मिक केंद्र के रूप में जाना जाता है। आप द हरमंदिर साहिब (स्वर्ण मंदिर) की यात्रा कर सकते हैं, यह सिखों के लिए एक आध्यात्मिक मंदिर है। इसमें दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी मुफ्त रसोई (लंगर) है। औसतन यह 75000 भक्तों को भोजन परोसता है। यह एक बहुत ही शांतिपूर्ण और दिव्य स्थान है। मंदिर के ठीक बगल में जलियांवाला बाग है। इसे एक बगीचे में बदल दिया गया है और कुएं को अब ढंक दिया गया है। यह वही कुआँ है जहाँ पर लोगों ने छलांग लगाई थी जब जनरल डायर ने लोगों को गोली मारने का आदेश दिया था और उनके पास दौड़ने के लिए कोई जगह नहीं थी। उनमें से कुछ कुएँ में कूद गए और उनकी मृत्यु हो गई। मंदिर से वाघा बॉर्डर सिर्फ 32 किलोमीटर दूर है। गेट समापन समारोह के लिए यात्रा जरूर करें। (नीचे देखें तस्वीरें)

वाघा बॉर्डर परेड

वाघा बॉर्डर परेड

जब हम भोजन के बारे में बात कर रहे होते हैं तो पंजाबी अपने भोजन से प्यार करते हैं और अपने भोजन की आदतों के लिए अच्छी तरह से जाना जाता है। कृपया पंजाब के प्रामाणिक व्यंजनों का आनंद लेने के लिए रेस्तरां के बजाय स्थानीय भोजन जोड़ों से खाएं। आपको यहां पंजाबी खाने का असली स्वाद मिलेगा। मैंने हिमाचल प्रदेश की यात्रा जारी रखी। खजियार, चंबा और धर्मशाला हिमाचल प्रदेश में स्थित हैं। ये खूबसूरत हिल स्टेशन हैं। यहां तापमान हमेशा 10 डिग्री सेल्सियस से कम रहता है। यह ऐसी जगह है जहाँ मुश्किल से कोई राजमार्ग हैं, केवल घुमावदार सड़कें हैं। खूबसूरत दिखने वाले झरने और पहाड़ बर्फ से ढक गए। यह आपको मंत्रमुग्ध कर देगा और आपको दूसरी दुनिया में ले जाएगा। (तस्वीरें नीचे देखें)

धौलाधार रेंज

खाज्जिअर

मैंने डलहौजी का नेतृत्व किया जो समुद्र तल से लगभग 6500 फीट ऊपर है। यह धौलाधार पर्वत श्रृंखला के पास 5 पहाड़ियों में फैला हुआ है। आप खजियार की यात्रा कर सकते हैं, जिसे इसकी आकर्षक प्रकृति के लिए मिनी स्विट्जरलैंड भी कहा जाता है।

आप फूलन देवी मंदिर जा सकते हैं। यह चारों ओर से पहाड़ों से घिरा हुआ है। यह अनन्त है जब आप पहाड़ की चोटी पर वहाँ खड़े होते हैं। यहाँ से, मैं चम्बा की ओर चल पड़ा, जहाँ आप चम्बा झील की अद्भुत सुंदरता देखते हैं जो आपको शहरों के व्यस्त जीवन से एक शांतिपूर्ण दुनिया में ले जाती है। इसके बाद रावी नदी है जो चम्बा तक जाती है। रावी नदी ट्रांस हिमालयन सिंधु नदी का हिस्सा है। एक बार जब आप चंबा पहुंचते हैं, यहां कई मंदिर हैं। कई ज्ञात मंदिरों में से एक लक्ष्मी नारायण मंदिर है जो एक प्राचीन मंदिर है। यह पत्थर की नक्काशी से बनाया गया है और इसके शीर्ष पर लकड़ी की अनूठी छतरियाँ बनी हैं। आप चामुंडा मंदिर भी जा सकते हैं जो शाह मदार पहाड़ी पर ऊंचाई पर स्थित है। मंदिर में कम से कम 500 घंटियाँ हैं। यहां से आप पूरे चंबा और रावी नदी को देख सकते हैं। आपको ऐसा लगता है जैसे आप आसमान को छू रहे हैं। (नीचे देखें तस्वीरें)

चामुंडा मंदिर, चंबा

रावी नदी, चम्बा

लक्ष्मी नारायण मंदिर, चंबा

मेरी अगली मंजिल धर्मशाला थी। यह दलाई लामा और तिब्बती शरणार्थियों का घर भी है। यहां के प्रमुख आकर्षण मैकलोडगंज, तिब्बती मठ, सेंट जॉन्ह चर्च, नड्डी झील, दलाई लामा मंदिर, भागसुनाग मंदिर हैं। नाडी झरना बहुत सुंदर है। एक घंटी है जो 100 साल से अधिक पुरानी है। जब घंटी बजती है तो यह एक ध्वनि बनाता है जिसे 18 किलोमीटर दूर सुना जा सकता है। आप गुना देवी मंदिर भी जा सकते हैं जो नड्डी झील से 8 किलोमीटर दूर है। यह पहाड़ के बीच ट्रायंड ट्रेक के माध्यम से है। वहाँ पहुँचने में 3 घंटे लगते हैं और वापस आने में लगभग 2 घंटे। धर्मशाला मेरी आखिरी मंजिल थी। (नीचे पिक्स देखें)

मैक लेओड गंज, धर्मशाला

घंटी सेंट जॉन चर्च, धर्मशाला

नाडी झील, धर्मशाला

अफसोस! मैंने अपनी एकल यात्रा समाप्त की। लेकिन मैंने जो अनुभव किया वह यह है कि हमारे पास भारत में घूमने के लिए बहुत सारी खूबसूरत जगहें हैं जो लुभावनी हैं। हमें बस उन्हें तलाशने की जरूरत है। शुरू में मैं सोलो यात्रा करने में संकोच कर रहा था। मुझे लगा कि मेरे दोस्त सोचेंगे कि मैं पागल हूं। लेकिन मेरा विश्वास करो कि यह मेरे जीवन में सबसे अच्छे फैसलों में से एक था। पूर्ण आनन्द है और कुछ नहीं। दुनिया का अन्वेषण करें, पैसा बनाने से परे जीवन को देखें। यह सरल और सुंदर है। हंसमुख जीवन जिए। मुस्कुराते रहो!!!


मेरी कुल यात्रा का कुल खर्च INR 15000 / - से कम था।


मुझे अपनी यात्रा की कहानी के बारे में अपनी प्रतिक्रिया दें। आशा है आपको इसे पढ़कर अच्छा लगा !!!

व्हाट्सएप पर शेयर करें

Unplanned Travel Story

This is about my trip to North India.  It was an ad-hoc decision. I was planning a trip for a long time now. I wanted to be at a place where there could be peace and harmony. I wanted to experience nature's beauty. It all started when I asked my friends to plan a trip for the last 6 months. They ditched me citing personal reasons. I even asked my parents to accompany me, but they had health issues. I wanted to travel and explore the beauty of nature. This is when a few of my office friends encouraged me to travel alone. To go out there and explore the world. I booked my flight at the very last minute at midnight at 12 am, did the packing hastily, and boarded a Delhi flight at 7.30 am early morning. Reached Delhi and I never knew anything about this city. I asked the locals and went to the ISBT bus depot. I went to Chandigarh from there as my cousin stayed there. I rested for a day and then started my journey the very next morning. First I went to Amritsar, then Khajjiar, Chamba and Dharamshala. 

The Golden Temple

The Jallianwala Bagh

The Jallianwala Bagh Martyr's Well

Amritsar is known for its culture and as a spiritual center of Sikhs. You can visit The Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), it is a spiritual temple for Sikhs. It has the world's largest free kitchen(langar). On an average, it serves food to 75000 devotees. It is a very peaceful and divine place. Jallianwala bagh is right next to the temple. It is converted into a garden and the well has been covered now. The Wagah border is just 32 kms away from the temple. Do visit for the gate closing ceremony. (See Pics below)

Wagah Border

Wagah Border

Talking about the food in these places. Punjabi's really love their food and they are big-time foodie. Please eat from local food joints rather than a restaurant to enjoy the authentic cuisines of Punjab. That is where you will find real Punjabi food. I continued my journey to Himachal Pradesh. Khajjiar, Chamba, and Dharamshala are based out in Himachal Pradesh. These are beautiful hill stations. with a temperature below 10℃. A state where there are hardly any highways, only curvy roads. Beautiful looking waterfalls and mountains covered snow. It will mesmerize you and take you to another world. (See pics below)

Dhauladhar Range

Khajjiar

I headed to Dalhousie which is approximately 6500 feet above sea level. It is spread across 5 hills near the Dhauladhar mountain range. You can visit Khajjiar which is also called mini Switzerland for its alluring nature.

You can visit the Pholan Devi temple. It is surrounded by mountains all around it. It's eternal when you stand up there on the peak of the mountain. From hereon, I headed to Chamba where you see the mesmerizing beauty of Chamba lake which takes you away from the hectic life of cities into a peaceful world. Followed by that is the River Ravi which flows along the way till Chamba. River Ravi is part of the trans-Himalayan Indus river. Once you reach Chamba, there are several temples which one can visit like Laxmi Narayan Temple which is an ancient temple. It is made from stone carving and has unique wooden umbrellas made at the top. You can also visit the Chamunda temple which is located at a height on Shah madar hill. The temple has at least 500 bells hanging around it. From here you can see the entire Chamba and river Ravi. You feel as if you are touching the sky. (See Pics below)

Laxmi Narayan Temple, Chamba

River Ravi, Chamba

Chamunda Temple, Chamba

My next destination was Dharamshala. This is also home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan refugees. The major attractions here are McLeodganj, the Tibetan monastery, StJohn church, Naddi lake, Dalai Lama temple, Bhagsunag Temple. The waterfall at Nadi lake is just awesome. There is a bell which is more than 100 years old. When the bells ring it creates a sound which can be heard 18 km away. You can also visit the Guna Devi temple which is 8 km from Naddi lake. It is via Triund trek between the mountain. It takes 3 hours to reach there and approximately 2 hours to come back. Dharamshala was my last destination. (See Pics below)

Mc Leod Ganj, Dharamshala

The Bell, St John Church, Dharamshala

Nadi Lake, Dharamshala

Alas! I ended my solo journey. But what I experienced is that we have so many beautiful places to explore in India which are breathtaking. We just need to explore them. Initially, I was hesitant to travel solo. I thought my friends will think I am mad. But believe me, it was one of the best decisions I have taken in my life. There is absolute fun and nothing else. Explore the world, look at life beyond making money. It is simple and beautiful. Have a cheerful life. Keep smiling!!!

The total expense of my total travel was less than INR 15000/- only. 

Do let me know your feedback about my travel story. Hope you enjoyed reading it!!!

Please also do read about my article:

1. Dharamshala - A heaven on earth

2. Why should you donate blood regularly?

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