The Joy of Anonymity

As destined I did not make it to IAS in spite of my best efforts and joined a bank, which took me to the city of Delhi and then finally with the change of bank in mid nineties I landed in the city of Mumbai.  The smell of Mumbai city was very different from the dry smell of Lucknow or Delhi.  The dampness in Mumbai air generates a smell which is unique, more so in South Mumbai, where my office was situated. Getting a cabin in the office that gave an unrestricted view of the deep blue sea was a kind of a milestone in my mental journey towards the high point of my professional career. Due to family circumstances for about an year I stayed in Mumbai alone. Everyday after office hours, I took a leisurely walk beside the sprinting sea waves, holding roasted peanuts in hand and watching the colourful crowd around that was glued into their own world without bothering to know what the person sitting next was doing . It was pleasantly a new experience for me. I felt part of an exalted world yet all by my self. For the first time in my life I experienced the joy of anonymity. This was bliss for a small town boy -the joy of doing what you wanted to do without bothering about the gaze of the prying eyes. Sitting alone on the edge of the boulders watching the setting sun and dreaming to make it big in this city became an evening routine. The sea soaked breeze splashing my face with its intoxicating smell, further invigorated my dreams. The huge expanse of blue sea in front of me seemed to invite me into its fold. The big and beautiful world of dreams was beckoning at me, calling me, challenging me. I fell in love with Mumbai.