Taj - The Voice of Mumbai

Contributed by ~ Niilesh A Raje

Director Chandra Barot who directed the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer DON was right when he showcased Mumbai as the city of opportunties and success stories, a city for dream and dream merchants and a city of Gold. Barot’s lyrical reference to the song 'Ei Hai Bambai Nagariya tu dekh Babuwa? Sone chandi ki dagariya too dekh babuwa'. Narration of the song has also witnesses the beauty of Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel very well covered with Amitabh Bachchan performing in this dance number.

Kalyanji Anandji's music made the song an all time hit but today 30 years down the line coupled with the fact the recent atrocity which rocked India's financial capital what sets me thinking is the fact is Mumbai still the city of Gold or is the city's infrastructure collapsing thereby making the plan to turn Mumbai into Shanghai just a distant dream.

Mumbai is known as a city where everything is possible - fast money, faster cars and even faster running hours of life! With the riots and blasts, we all witness the events of Mumbai each one of us totally despondent and dejected.

The past may have been tough on all of us, but the spirit of Mumbai has always prevailed with oneness. Many lives are affected by such calamities, be it by panic or palpitation, injuries or loss of loved ones. However even today after this incident every Mumbaikar sees a "mosaic" of faith. In its imperfections lies the perfection of Mumbai. The global war on terror must be fought simultaneously on all fronts if a country needs to show its best.

Forgive my impudence in asking the question - Will Taj be the same again? Will the top brass people of the corporate world come out of the woods of the broken heart to forget their past and make Taj their rendezvous once again? Would Taj mean business as usual? Will the delicate merger of two souls leading to one’s espousal be celebrated once again in the Taj? Well, time changes many aspects of one's life and so will the Bade Miya, Taj.