Mumbai and Delhi, the two Indian cities we can never stop talking about! Each of these cities give you an experience of a kind and hence moving from one to the other can be overwhelming. After all, you are moving from the commercial capital of the country to the capital of the country or vice-versa! But if you’ve been a Mumbaikar for even a tiniest bit of your life and Mumbai has been aamchi Mumbai for you throughout, then these are things you will definitely miss when you move to Delhi.
1. The street-side vada pav
You might find yourself gorging on momos and parathas in Delhi, but the taste of that bun with a bit of spice along with a mouth-filling stuffed vada will haunt your memory!
2. The presence of a beautiful, breezy Marine Drive
Whether it’s watching the sunset by the coastline or simply walking along the sea, the kind of pleasure this C-shaped boulevard provides is something you miss in Delhi. Yes, you’ve got the lake of Hauz Khas Village, but this drive is simply out of the world.
3. The co-operative autowaalas and Mumbai cabbies
While haggling with autowaalas in Delhi, you’ll find yourself missing Mumbai autowaalas who always go by meter. It’s amazing how Mumbai cabbies/ autowaalas wade through over crowded streets of Mumbai and don’t ask for one extra penny.
4. The double-decker buses
The Delhi DTCs might have come a long way but people are still apprehensive when it comes to taking one, and these are times when you miss the unique and iconic double-deckers of Mumbai.
5. The vibrant Mumbai night life
When Delhi’s night comes to an end, Mumbai’s night begins. The city simply never sleeps. You miss gallivanting in the middle of the night or the feeling of just owning the night when in Delhi.
6. Eating yummy Puran Polis loaded with ghee on Gudi Padwa (The Maharashtrian New Year)
What bonfires at Baisakhi is to the Delhiites, Gudi Padwa is to Mumbaikars. No matter where in the world you are you will miss these celebrations.
7. The awesome mausam throughout the year
There are no extreme summers or winters in Mumbai. Except for the severe monsoon rains on certain days, the consistency remains the same. You might love Delhi summers/winters but on days it’s a whopping 40 degrees or a freezing minus 2, Mumbai is what you miss.
8. The affordable mouth-watering seafood
You might enjoy all the tikkas, Butter Chicken and kebabs which Delhi has to offer, but on days when you crave seafood, you have to sacrifice your wallet. That is when you shed a tear thinking about Mumbai’s local machhi bazaar.
9. Bumping into B-town hearthrobes
Where else would you frequently bump into Bollywood stars out of nowhere, and get a chance to show off on Facebook? It just makes your day better. In Delhi, it’s only occasional.
10. Ferry rides and boating at The Gateway of India
On days when you need a break from the mundane Delhi traffic, the fun-filled ferry rides and boats of Mumbai is what you yearn for.
11. The ‘I-am-safe-walking-alone-on-the-streets-at-night’ feeling
There’s no denying, whether you’re a man or a woman that walking on the streets alone or with someone after 11 pm in Delhi, is not safe. Rapes and murders happen in Mumbai too, but the kind of assurance Mumbai provides is something you definitely miss when you move to Delhi.
12. Catching the ek chalis ki last local
I admit Delhi Metro is faster and more convenient than the Mumbai Local, but on days when you have to travel from Dwarka to Gurgaon at 1 am without a car, I guarantee you will miss the Mumbai Local! And because Mumbai never sleeps, the Local doesn’t either. From 4 in the morning to 2 in the night, the Local is always at your service.
13. Mumbai’s Juhu Beach and Chaupatis
You cannot unwind with the breath-taking sea breeze, a walk along the beach side or the mushy crisp sand of Juhu, in Delhi. Delhi is landlocked and finding a new stress buster after you move here is a bit of a task!
14. The energetic pop-culture that thrives in Mumbai
Mumbai’s pop-culture has an aura of its own, and it reeks art forms of every kind. It’s a blend of jazz, rock and funk in every strata of its form. Delhi too, enthralls art, history and traditions, but the combined energy of the Kala Ghoda Festival, Bandish, Mood Indigo and Marathi Koli songs, is just inspiring!
15. The inviting chaos of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations
This 10-day long festival keeps the entire city abuzz. Sure, festivals are celebrated everywhere in India but the way Mumbai does it for Ganesh Chaturthi is iconic.
16. The Mumbai Dabbawaalas
Delhi has its own street food culture and good tiffin waalas, but the precise, on-time delivery of home-cooked food in lunchboxes provided by the Dabbawala Foundation of Mumbai is one of a kind.
17. The very essence of the Mumbaiyya culture
You notice how “Oh boss!” gets replaced by “Beh$%^&*” in Delhi. From tapori expressions to the vibrant Koli tongue to the chilled out attitude of Mumbaikars, you get a feeling of being away from home.
