GURGAON- AN OUTSIDER'S VIEW

Whenever I conjure up an image of a city, I dream about it as if it is a girl. Mumbai, a slim, brown girl with jet black hair sporting a dye and has a haughty attitude, which, of course, adds to her sexiness. She always wears a jeans and tee (as if that’s the only dress worth wearing in the world). Delhi, a fair looking girl, flowing hair which is a mix of brown and black and chubby, but not fat. She is always bubbling with energy and whose manners are innocent. Chennai, a dark looking slim girl, who is intelligent in her manners and talk, can either sing or dance (the classical form), rooted to tradition and customs and looks gorgeous in a saree. 

Gurgaon, a girl who wears such tight fitting jeans and tee that seem to come apart at seams, wears make up with an intention to look more “you know what” but ends up looking worse. She tries to act innocent but it just enhances her stupid mannerisms.

I didn’t actually dream of the last girl (it would be a nightmare) but this was the image which popped in my mind after seeing the city.

When I first saw the numerous, huge malls I thought, “Dude, you’re lucky. You are in for a great time”. But after a month of seeing them daily the very sight of them made me feel sick, especially those which have more workers then customers.

You might have heard of the phrase “maniacs rule the road”. In Gurgaon, only maniacs drive on the road. The signal lights are a mere decorative piece standing upright in the middle of the road. If you ever want to witness a miracle, just stand near a round turner in this city.

It is an understatement to say the place is expensive. The “new” Gurgaon, especially, is obscenely expensive. You feel the whole place is expensive just to show others that it is an expensive place, not because it actually is. A guy can’t get a decent meal for an amount less then 100 and you won’t even feel satisfied after paying that much.

The bike is invariably driven by a delivery guy; you have to drive a Pulsar or Hunk to differentiate yourself from the delivery guys. Anything else and you are as good as a jaywalker who can be hit over and run. Don’t dare buy a SUV unless it is a Mercedes or Volkswagen’s, lest they mistake yours for a “menial” cab. Generally you see a Civic or City; a Maruti here is as rare as a Mercedes in any other town. The public transport is as good as Kurukshetra’s (you can imagine how it is).

The city is rich in the material sense but it has no distinct identity. I feel the city has become more American than an American city. It has a notion that to show your wealth is to flaunt it in a way that people can’t bear to stand near you. Only other snobs can bear with you.

What I have written may seem exaggerated to others, but, it is after all an outsider’s view.