Tales from semi urban to metro

People are dispersing and migrating to places that they find affordable. The rapid increase in the number of homes that a metro city provides to these migrants is alarming. These opportune places are a source of happiness to billions and despair to millions. The metro weaves the city in a strong network of rapid transport service that will help you reach your destination in the most convenient way possible. You don’t realize and you have travelled miles and avoided all the traffic jams.
Amidst the twenty-four hour arc lights that burn for you and the dreams that await you, the feeling of nostalgia hits you now and then and leaves you with nothing but the longing for your hometown. The place that you call home, even after purchasing different houses in different cities. The gigantic towers and commuters that greet you daily sometimes leaves you in a turmoil.
Staying at a place we usually worry about the “what ifs” and ignore what is. We not only compare our lifestyle with others, but we do that with lifestyle patterns that we have followed. We never think how far we have come or how hard we have worked for it, but usually end up questioning our choice of place. Our quest for perfect life and the stubbornness to hold on to our roots will leave our present in a lurch. Urban youth who has travelled from urban to metro in search of adventure, thrill and success are finding it difficult to leave the roots and enjoy the present while people who have lived all their life in metro cities and have finally relocated from metro cities to enjoy their retired life in urban are finding it difficult to find their roots.
Mumbaikars can never leave the city of dreams famous for marine drive, the dabbawalas, Dhobi ghat and Vada pavs at least not mentally. The day when they arrive with an anxiety to adjust and spend maximum hours of their travel time in overcrowded local trains and then the love that they develop for them after travelling in the for years is immeasurable. The other reason beside anxiety is the hopelessness of losing your roots in a place where you may or may not get recognition. Will it be easy to adjust in the local environment? Will we be able to expand our taste buds and develop a liking for the local cuisine?
If you are a girl, Delhi might leave you worrying constantly about your personal safety. While Kolkata might leave your stomach upset with all the smell and if you are shifting to Bangalore be prepared to spend maximum time in traffic jams and spend a maximum chunk of your money on transportation. Another powerful reason for this makeshift can be money. Dreams and motivation for something good for your family can land you in unfriendly places.
The aspiration to gift your child with a childhood that you weren’t able to enjoy due to different reasons makes you shift from urban to the metro. The better schools, closeness to jobs have made it practical for people to shift basis. They follow the pattern of the larger population and the end results are usually situation based.
Some tales have happy beginnings, some have happy endings, and some of them are lost in all the noises around them. Let’s not suffer from “the grass is always greener at the other side” syndrome. Let’s make a vow to not worry about the unknown and look for happiness when it usually lies within. Enjoy the numerous peaceful moments that we are bestowed with. And when you endlessly ponder about your future, snap out and bring yourself where you are, look at what you have and what you have achieved and enjoy the moments.