Who would have thought that an invisible virus could bring the vibrant and ever-hustling city of Mumbai to a screeching halt! It’s difficult to fathom Mumbai as a deserted city, no?
And yes, while most of us are enjoying the quiet and solitude that the lockdown has brought into our lives, the rate at which it is extending is surely making us miss the constant hustle of this city even more!
So we at Curly Tales decided to refresh your memory with sounds that greeted us every single day of our lives and made Mumbai, the city of dreams, full of life! Get ready to take this walk down memory lane!
11 Mumbai City Sounds You Miss During Lockdown
Here are 11 sounds from Mumbai that we all miss! And can’t wait to get back to!
1. Sound Of Traffic: Well, traffic is one of the most hated things about Mumbai. But it is definitely one of the things that makes Mumbai, Mumbai. The constant honking, the rash driving, and the occasional ‘gaalis’ from people, the sound of traffic made the city ‘lively’ as ever.
2. Bus Conductor’s Voice: Aah, the crazy bus rides in Mumbai. Do you miss travelling in the crowded Mumbai buses during peak hours? Me neither. But the sound of the bus conductor saying ‘puche chala pudhe’ while he magically tried to create space for everyone or ‘ticket ghya’ which means ‘take your ticket’ in Marathi is something we all miss.
3. Mumbai Local Announcment: ‘Platform kramank ek par aayi hui local….” This is something we’ve heard every single day as we ran from one platform to the other, struggling to catch a train to make it in time for office.
The lifeline of Mumbai, which never stopped even during the worst of crises, has finally come to a stop. And for Mumbaikars this a tough pill to swallow. Because there’s no life with our locals right? So #localkeliye vocal?
4. Pouring Of Chai At Tapri: If you’re among those who was always sick of the office cappuccino and craved for some ‘kadak tapriwali chai’, you’ll know what I’m talking. Our very own ‘cutting’ chai, the smell emanating from the the boiling tea leaves and the sight of the chai being poured into those cutting glasses, total ASMR!
5. Vada Pav Being Fried: Around the nook and corners of every busy street, a vada pav stall stood, crowded to capacity, where people observed the vada being fried to a nice golden brown and the sound that the frying generated, was no less than magical.
6. Street Food Sizzle: Remember those larger-than-life tawas that street food vendors used to prepare our favorite street foods. Yes, the splashing of water, the sizzling of oil and the spreading of dosa batter on those tawas, was simply music to the ears!
7. Daily Hustle: Mumbai is made of up a cacophony of sounds. From the traffic to the crowded streets, the sounds of construction, rickshaws or cars playing loud music, processions going on in full swing; yes, all of these turn into a symphony of sorts that make Mumbai the city that never sleeps.
8. Street Vendors: ‘Dus ka do, dus ka do, dus ka do”, remember this sound that greeted you no matter where you went. From the trains, to the station to the markets, you’d find some street vendor trying to sell you something or the other, breaking your reverie of thoughts with his constant hubbub.
9. Waves Splashing At Marine Drive: If you not been to Marine Drive and just listened to the sound of waves crashing across the rocks, are you even a real Mumbaikar? Bringing peace and calm, Marine Drive always made for a great escape from the vibrancy of the city!
10. Prayer At Haji Ali Dargah: The sound of the aazaan at the Haji Ali Dargah is also one of few places where one can experience peace like no other! Though crowded and buzzing with activity, the spirituality that the sounds of Haji Ali Dargah bring is unparalleled.
11. Temple Bells: Of course, this list would be incomplete without the sound of temple bells. Every time you pass by a small temple in Mumbai, the sound of temple bell as well as the prayers and bhajans that accompany it never fail to soothe our tired and hustling souls!
These are the sounds we miss as Mumbai braves another extended lockdown! Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below!