mumbai and space

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the bustling firecracker that lives 200 kilometers away, bombay meri jaan. The 'meri jaan' (my life, my love) is a description I've only developed recently; like many "out-of-towners" I used to passionately critique the idea of Mumbai, which for me, was only crowdy humid places choked with the godforsaken seafood stench, for I only ever visited Bombay for the beautiful (inside only, sadly) Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj airport. I used to hate the lack of space everywhere; every road was cramped with more cars than there should be, every restaurant with more people than there should be, the whole city with more buildings than there should be. The lack of space idea is pretty common among us Mumbai critics (I admit I've left this group), for the city seems to be expanding in all directions like a disease due to this very reason. While I hate to use the word, I hated Mumbai with a passion due to this, until a recent trip made me realise that the opposite, in fact, is true.

When you look closely, Mumbai actually has a lot of space. Mumbai has enough space for taking risks — to house the tiniest, barely 100 sq. ft. shops everywhere — from the gullies between fancy Juhu hotels to dense markets in Dharavi. There's enough space to open schools everywhere, from the street to the highway. There's space for expression on every wall. There's space for Ad posters on every pole, in every window and on every rickshaw. There's space for fun: space to play badminton (with what looked like mosquito rackets) in the sliver between the traffic-filled road next to your house and the green lake on the other side. There's space to embrace love, walking hand-in-hand across the angry traffic honking right in your ears. Oh, and no matter how skilled of a driver you are, trust me, there's ALWAYS space to overtake on the road (only true Mumbaikers possess the skill to find it I suppose). There is space for tiny plants to grow between the giant metro concrete slabs- there's space for life.

Yes, these are all real things I've witnessed during my last trip (I wish I took pictures!). I find, more than physical area, the very culture of Mumbai (incredibly infectious to me) allows for space. Bombay life- the hustle, the bustle, the cheer, the dog-eat-dog — all of it, creates a lot of space for everything: for opportunity, adventure, discovery, freedom, love, life. It shows the kind of efficiency and flexibility my Business textbook could only ever dream about. The city embodies Aurelies's “What stands in the way becomes the way.” beautifully. Mumbai inspires me not only to hustle, but to take a step back and practice gratitude for the little things I usually overlook — the tiny wins, the unexpected kindnesses, the invisible efficiencies that hold a day together. In a place where space is constantly negotiated, traded, borrowed, and magically created, you learn to appreciate every inch you have, both literally and figuratively.

In a city where nothing ever feels enough — not the roads, not the time, not the space — people still manage to carve out room. For work, for joy, for love, for each other. And maybe that’s the real charm of Mumbai: it shows you that life isn’t about waiting for perfect conditions or wide-open avenues. It’s about building your own little pockets of possibility in the middle of whatever chaos you’re handed, and somehow still finding a way to smile through it.