Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Amchi Mumbai

One glimpse at Mumbai and you know everyone is in the "fast forward" mode, rushing to reach his destination and racing against the common enemy called time. In this crazy zone, I once asked a speeding stranger at Churchgate which train I was supposed to board to reach Powai. He stopped, gave a pleasant smile, and told me to board a train standing on the platform. As I sat by the window, he came up to me and said if I needed any more help, I could ask fellow passengers as he had to rush. Obviously, he had waited for me on the platform to ensure that I boarded the right train. Mumbai, rude? No way.

Mayank Sharma,
Bangalore

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Only a few will subscribe to the views of the Reader's Digest on Mumbai. There are exceptions everywhere but they should not be treated as the yardstick for evaluating a people known for their helpful nature and courtesy. A great city should not be castigated because of a few rude elements.

K.V. Venugopal,
Chennai

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The branding of Mumbai on the basis of a survey is surprising. Any city with a multi-lingual population has its share of rude elements. From what I have heard and read, Mumbai's people are courteous and disciplined.

P.B. Sundara Rajan,
Hyderabad

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As one who has lived in the great metropolis for a decade, I have experienced its magnanimity and hospitality.

The city has accommodated everyone who has come here seeking jobs and fortunes. It has made everybody feel at home. It bears testimony to a broad-minded cosmopolitan spirit.

K.J. Mathew,
Mavelikara, Kerala

* * *

Many readers have argued that people of Mumbai stand in queues to support their view that they are not rude. Queuing up is a basic requirement in a civilised society. Whether Mumbai is better than other Indian cities or not is irrelevant because it is the only Indian city surveyed by the Digest. Instead of being defensive, let us learn from the survey and improve. "May I help you," "Thank you," service with a smile, etc., are generally absent in India. Mumbai is perhaps no exception.

Koti Sreekrishna,
Mason, Ohio

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