Delhi Vs. Mumbai

By Deepak Sharma on July 12, 2012 29 Comments / 5650 views

I have lived all my life in Delhi & spent about an year in Mumbai, so I think I’ve a different perspective of looking at this “rivalry”.

Space:

My house (Paternal, I was born here & my Father before me & live in a Joint family) in Delhi is big, spacious & most of the bedrooms have attach lat/baths.

I craved for space in Mumbai, although my consulting gig paid well in stock & bonuses & I was getting a 12k HRA it barely covered my rent. I got a small ground floor 1BR + Small kitchen/store room for that money in Andheri East, which apparently was only 5 minutes walk from my office in Mahakali Caves Road (Near Tunga Restaurant).

I had a small fenced verandah & space to park my car, which although didn’t had a society sticker was still had empty spot.

I loved my empty parking spot but hated the room; it was tiny & it sucked the life out of me, I didn’t even have space to put in a real bed & accommodate a cupboard, the place came with a godrej almirah but we all know how much do we use those, I improvised used a futon mattress & got myself a industrial rack from my designer friend.

The love affair with my apartment didn’t last long since it was on ground floor it almost drowned in Mumbai rains, I had to sleep on a friends couch for a week & almost got my things ruined hadn’t it been to nice uncle who noticed the rains doing damage & informed me. I cut short my trip to take charge.

Still Love The Parking Spot:

I still loved the parking spot, I live in South Delhi & still hate to find a decent one near my home, apparently we own too many cars for one household to sustain healthy parking ratio (perks of living in a Joint Family, you will always be fighting for that golden spot with your elder cousin)..

We The People:

The people in Mumbai are definitely nicer to do business with & although they don’t waste time with pleasantries are still gracious, polite & thankful people.

I have some of my best friends in Mumbai available on call 24/7 & who come to Delhi often & still take time out to drop in at my office to say hello, drink beer or just “hang out”.

Delhites on the other hand are evil (not all) & are heavy on Name Dropping (I get that, really I do. My dad’s been a lawyer for enough decades to know every single politico in Delhi) EVERY ONE KNOWS SOMEONE.

Mumbaiya Guys are cool & don’t give a shit who you are or what’s your background. They will trust you blindly & open their homes for you.

When I started my Broadband company my first & only investor was from Mumbai, he is an ex-BOA guy who owns more rentals than anyone I know. He insisted in investing in me when noone had any clue what we would do or becvome; not even me.

He saw “Potential” when we everyone all saw “Crazy”. He is also pushing me now to complete my book (fiction) which I stopped writing a year ago & publish it for me. He is the best Mentor & Friend I got, my strongest Mumbai connection.

I’m not mentioning RoadRage & Rape’s cause the traditional media does a good job of covering those. Please let me know what you think. I request you to not be judgmental or patriotic toward your home state but be rational & think which city has given you more. For me Delhi has given me culture & home but Mumbai has given me my Dream.

Thank You,

Deepak Sharma

P.S. I can be reached on Twitter.

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Comments

Deepak Sharma

29 Comments

Nishant Agrawal July 13, 2012, 7:25 am

A very fair comparison. The tu-jaanta-hai-main-kaun-hoon and the inherent evilness of ND repulses me. However, my opinion is based on little experience.

Mumbai is an amazing place. The people are wonderful. Space is a problem, no doubt. I wish they’d speed up the metro and monorail projects; commuting is a pain for common people. I also lived in Andheri East, but with two roommates. For 25k we had a pretty good and spacious 2BHK apartment in an excellent colony. My brother also lives there, paying 16k for a 2BHK in an even better colony. lol
Mahesh Khambadkone July 13, 2012, 7:34 am

This post is about living conditions, so, as someone who’s moved here from Bangalore, who’s spent a couple of months living in Delhi to run a IT startup, I would summarize Mumbai as being India’s Plug-n-Play city.
Mohul Ghosh July 13, 2012, 7:49 am

Great one.. Mumbai, I guess is way too fast compared to Delhi.. the over crowded local trains and narrow roads always gave me jitters. Meanwhile Delhi is more open and more spacious.. and the life is not that fast. Given a choice, I will always choose Delhi 🙂 Meanwhile, your facebook link on https://intellectassets.tumblr.com/aboutme is not working.. !
Nishant Agrawal July 13, 2012, 8:06 am

The metro and monorail projects can go a long way in reducing the congestion, but they keep getting delayed. Traffic is a perennial problem.

Corruption is more pervasive in Delhi, I suppose. The taxi run by Delhi Police at IGI Airport robbed me every time I visited there.
Mahesh Khambadkone July 13, 2012, 8:23 am

Reminds me of a true story :

All over India, the cops @ the airport would ask, bored out of their wits, “Āp kahāⁿ jā rahe haiⁿ“

In Delhi, it’s “Behen chot! Kiddhar jareh too?”

🙂
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 8:30 am

I recently got an opportunity to spend around 9 hours in Delhi as a stop-over for one my Trip and literally vouched never to visit the city again in my Life, except only might do a one-off to someday visit my buddy Gurpreet Singh Tikku..

My Judgements may be wrong, depending on the short time that I spent, but two things got communicated very clearly.. One being that the phrase “DILLI KE THAGG” is more than Real.. And the Second being that there is no such thing as “DILWALON KI DILLI”.. Something that one of my co-passenger, who was born and brought-up in Delhi admitted himself..

Now, though I have stayed in Mumbai all my Life, I would still point-out certain things that are seriously worrying about Mumbai.. The “COLDNESS” of the people (except for a few percentage) living here.. If an accident takes place on the road, the accumulated people look at each other to see who will take the initiative first.. You can stay in a Building in Mumbai without anyone knowing you for years, including the people living just across the Lobby.. I agree that it offers the highest level of Privacy that one can get, but People lying dead in their apartments for weeks without being noticed or helped is its side-effect..

Well, every city has its Pros & Cons.. But that’s also what distinguish them from each other..

To conclude, I would like to quote a famous dialogue that totally fits this situation,
“Hum hee Hum hain, Toh kya Hum hain,

Tum hee Tum ho, Toh kya Tum ho..”
Deepak Sharma July 13, 2012, 11:36 am

For 25k/mo you would get a 3br + drawing room + parking spot + vast kitchen & veranda space on a first floor in posh South Delhi locality. I know cos I rent my apartment out. It’s silly to compare I know but I just can’t imagine living in small house maybe because I grew up in a boarding school where we had amazing playgrounds & horse riding tracks.. But No Doubt Mumbai people are nicest people I know. No Nonsense attitude.
Deepak Sharma July 13, 2012, 11:39 am

Mumbai truly is a Plug-an-Play city, we setup our office in Mahakali Caves Road in flat 15 days partially because the rent for the duplex was 2.75 lac which oddly could only sustain 50 – 60 people. wherein we also saw some properties in MindSpace near bakery, that one was 1 lac but could accommodate only 35 peeps at best. yes this article may be little space biased but it is based on experience so I can only vouch for what is true. 🙂 Hope you found it interesting.
Deepak Sharma July 13, 2012, 11:40 am

Thanks Mohul,

I corrected the Facebook link now, there was some error in my custom css, thanks for bringing this to my notice. Much Appreciated. Hope You would’ve enjoyed the article.
Deepak Sharma July 13, 2012, 11:47 am

Very Nice observations, but this level of negligence is only because of loose social fabric that we as society has woven around itself, you would find many cases of elderly dying unnoticed in their house in some very posh area’s in Delhi. The middle class or people like us who live in Villages are the one’s who are close to our neighbors…- (Yes, I live in a Village; the distiction is becuase my home is adjacent to a 600 year old Mosque. Sikandar Lodi himself laid the foundation. This is a UNESCO heritage site)
Mohul Ghosh July 13, 2012, 12:33 pm

No delhi lover here?

Anyways, I bet over this one that, delhi is good.

With over a thousand historical monuments and upmarket fashion goods are damn cheap price and stuff, it makes things easy for us, Bengalis to adjust in a ‘foreign’ land. Cant be experienced in a travel of few hours or a day or two.

Its kind of an adventure. With one area being so dangerous (Noida Sec 110 etc) at 11 O clock, there are places such as Pahar Ganj and Gurgaon, where you can get awesome food even at night 3.30.

Mumbai is good, only for those, who can afford it.

But Delhi is open to all.
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 12:38 pm

@Mohul, Gurpreet Singh Tikku hasn’t got hold of his Computer yet.. This is the Silence before the Tsunami..:))
Namit Narain July 13, 2012, 3:22 pm

I would like to take an opportunity to speak in a much broader sense. Are we not wasting time here just comparing Delhi vs Mumbai. I am sure at The Rodinhood, people aspire to be leaders in the business world. Why just waste time in writing opinions on Delhi is full of shit and Mumbai flourish. Well every city is full of shit and nice people too, depends on your perspective and whom you meet as well as it depends on personal experiences. I believe there is 80/20 rule which applies here where 80% of opinions are based on only 20% of your experience/s. I would suggest feel and enjoy rest of the 80% of your life and experiences in joy, happiness and spreading a good word around or even finding a good reason for fun live.

I was born in Kanpur, lived and studied in Delhi, worked in Gurgaon and Mumbai. In my first company in Mumbai, the first question I was asked by the leadership was ‘Hey, Welcome, Where are your from’. My answer was ‘I am from India, where are your from?’. He replied back, ‘Peddar Road’, as if I care.

I want to ask all the people above, what efforts have you made to make your city a better place to live? Taxes and vote doesn’t help. I am speaking from the New York city where I am still an Indian by heart. Well I would like to make a point here that The Rodhinhoods should invite business leaders to speak about opinions but also speak about the solutions. Make India a better place to live in and lets talk about solutions which can impact millions of lives on this planet. Talking never helps. I my ‘opinion’, opinions are like a’holes, every one have one but different.
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 3:38 pm

Namit, agree with you but how does the fact that you are speaking from New York, help this discussion??

Don’t you think that you are contradicting your own point?? 🙂
Namit Narain July 13, 2012, 3:56 pm

Vijay, thanks for your reply. Well appreciated. I would like you to appreciate that I am still thinking about you, citizens of India and about India as a country even sitting in New York. What makes me sad here is that you are getting into a dialog which is of no use and solves no purpose. Lets be more productive rather pinching each other for momentary pleasures and just for the sake of participation in this post.
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 4:09 pm

Namit, what’s wrong with a small playful Indulgence among Friends?? Its a de-stresser from all the Productive things we keep doing all Day.. I think you’re taking Life a little too hard.. Chill Bro.. 🙂
Deepak Sharma July 13, 2012, 4:16 pm

Bhai Namit,

What do you mean by “I am still thinking about you, citizens of India and about India as a country”, you must have gone abroad to study or work as did many of us here. But do not talk in 3rd person. The least you could say is We Indians instead of You Indians. besides the whole point is to be non judgmental or patriotic & make fluffy comments yaar.

Think About This Brother.
Namit Narain July 13, 2012, 4:20 pm

Please read it back again, there is a comma between you and citizens of India….

Are we getting somewhere? This conversation is not moving forward. We are still not getting to solutions rather just getting into arguments.
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 4:29 pm

Exactly Rahul.. The scene was like straight out of Chak De India.. 😉 :))
Nishant Agrawal July 13, 2012, 4:44 pm

We are not discussing quantum physics here. It’s a light discussion on life and living across two big cities of India. It’s not productive, yes – but who claimed otherwise?
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal July 13, 2012, 5:06 pm

Namit, nothing is a piece of shit on a blog.

this is filed under ‘non business’ if you note.

Opinions LEAD to creating leaders, because to HAVE an OPINION, you need CLARITY of thought and CONVICTION.

Now, the biggest entrepreneur leap is the EXPRESS that opinion and STAND BY IT.

I think Opinions are like starting up!

Taking a position, a pitch, a play a gamble, and seeing it through.

Tell me one respectable business blog / newspaper / that DOES not have opinions?

Errr – let me start with the Wall Street Journal 🙂

https://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-opinion-commentary.html
Namit Narain July 13, 2012, 5:16 pm

Alok,

The Rodinhood is “Where Enterprising People Meet’. I am just struggling here to match the blog with its mission statement.

Where are those enterprising people? What do they meet for? What do they talk about? Do they just give opinions? Or is there any thought leadership too? Do these leaders and enterprising people give solutions and share value? Do we solve any common purpose?

Now you can be a better judge on what I meant. Just don’t let the sheen of this blog go away. As much as the other followers respect the blog, so do I.
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal July 13, 2012, 5:40 pm

hahahaha – i think you’re over emphasizing some book knowledge here! Mission statement?! what the hell is that?!

Sorry but I think you are playing Priest in a Play Field for entrepreneurs.

This is a SITE for enterprising people all right, and enterprising people have opinions!

Is this the first time you have come to the site? Have you looked around? Have you seen the Tabs above? Have you read the ASK sections? Have you figured what happens in the discussions and blogs?

Tomorrow you will say that ‘A letter to my daughter’ should not be on the rodinhoods!

Dude, I don’t know what you do or where you live, but entrepreneurs are normal, easy people and discussions like this once in a while lubricate the harshness of our lives.
Ravish July 13, 2012, 6:33 pm

One thing I failed to understand about Mumbai airport.

Why are the customs officers so finicky about passengers luggage? They scan each and every piece of baggage of every inbound passenger, and make very long queues. Is Mumbai airport bombarding with inbound smugglers and criminals?

I have never seen this on any other airport.
Namit Narain July 13, 2012, 7:04 pm

Entrepreneurs have Ideas and Solutions, not just opinions. I know my above comments are hard to take. Critics always exists. I am glad you replied.
Ravi July 13, 2012, 7:48 pm

I have never been to mumbai, but my sister lived there for 2yrs, so it’s her view of these 2 cities…

Mumbai men are more polite, chivalrous and courteous.

The delhi male will do his best to make a girl on he road feel uncomfortable and cautious. They will stare at girls as if they are taking x-rays.

So basically In Mumbai females will feel safer.

But, Delhi is a more welcoming state for people from poorer states like Bihar.

Few months back there was an article in TOI stating that immigration to Mumbai has become almost nil from other states and Delhi ranks highest in terms of people imigrating fom other states.

Nobody beats a cab driver here in Delhi just because he is from U.P.

So if I am a poor Indian Delhi is a safe bet for me.

If i am a Upper-middle class Indian or a women than Mumbai is the city for me.

( as per the 2011 crime report issued by NCRB, West Bengal is most cruel towards women, MP is India’s rape capital and Kerala has the highest rate of violent crimes.)

Delhi shares one third of its boundary with Haryana, so their is a strong Haryanvi influence over delhi, especially in delhi police(almost 90% of delhi plice is haryanvi). And the tone Of haryanvi dialect is a bit agressive. One may be in jovial mood but he will sound as if he will beat the crap out of you, and we can’t do much about this, it’s just like that.
Vijay Khubchandani July 13, 2012, 7:56 pm

Ravi, those were some good statistics man..
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal July 13, 2012, 10:57 pm

the most interesting point is that you have not started any discussion on this site since you joined in Feb 2011!

And even this is the only discussion you have commented upon!

Ok, so now do something nice and start a nice intelligent discussion for us!!
Nishant Agrawal July 14, 2012, 8:21 am

Mumbaikars hate poor and underprivileged people from UP and Bihar – they call them Bhaiyya. I learnt it the hard way; unknowingly, I called a bus conductor ‘bhaiyya’ – he got furious.

I’ve read articles on increasing crimes against women in Mumbai – maybe it’s not so safe anymore. After all, the Keenan and Reubin incident happened in Mumbai.