Stars that lost their glitter in a polluted city! A take on the rising stars of Urban India…
The Jaadu ki Nagri
Being born and brought up in a metro city like Mumbai, have always seen less of them. They say Mumbai is the ‘Jaadu Ki Nagri’ (Magical city), the city has seen several stories of street smart & hardworking people going from ‘Rags to Riches’. Even we have heard several stories where a school dropout came to Mumbai with a 10-rupee note and today rules with his power, stardom or wealth all because Mumbai gives that opportunity to the witty ones. It has several blue-chip companies’ offices offering senior-level jobs, a huge market for all kinds of businesses in every sector to make huge profits and also an entry to the media, fashion as well as the Hindi Film industry with major production houses set up here. This is a city that gives success to those who aspire and work hard, to the real heroes or to term them as the real stars of life.
Ironically, the same city shows only a few stars when you look up in the sky. Perhaps, the pollution fades it all. And the same applies to those talented and aspiring people who had great potential yet couldn’t do much to succeed in their life. To make it more thoughtful and dramatic, let’s take the pollution as the city’s cutthroat competition which includes over two crore aspiring stars to sparkle at the same time. But not every star is visible from earth cause it lacks the power which includes our aam janta (the common man).
The Struggling Stars
Mediocrity is not a crime but indeed it intensifies your daily struggle to survive and the motivation to live especially when you have people of the same calibre excelling. Your life has less value in the city but trust me living here is pretty costly. People slog from morning nine to midnight and reach home almost empty-handed. All they have is some basic amenities to survive and a Sunday to finish other jobs. Pursuing a hobby or fulfilling a petty wish is almost a dream. Here time is money and you never waste money when you do not have it in abundance, right!
The Hope to Succeed
Despite all the struggle, challenges & failures people do live in this city with the hope of a successful tomorrow. I do have several friends who migrated to Mumbai from different parts of the country to pursue their ambitions and wonder where should I go further to pursue mine? When I ask them about their weekend plans, they usually have to go for some shopping to buy groceries or some essentials, getting their fridge or washing machine repaired for the rented house they live in or would even say will wash their clothes which were accumulated all week and you feel is this all worth it? To slog all week, staying away from your dear ones and earning a handful of pennies more. Probably the same applies to people migrating from Mumbai to foreign countries for their so-called growth!
But then I see the stars in the sky which are only a handful visible to us and realise that they fought the pollution and distance to shine so bright. There is nothing wrong in dreaming big… so did all those who tried to be successful, at least they gave it a try, a brave attempt, not everyone is lucky to get a chance at the right time. It’s more challenging when you realise that in Mumbai only the one with the highest intensity can shine of these and so is the case with the people. Those with the highest potential & wit (also luck in the form of grasping the opportunity) are the ones successful, for them, the sky is the limit and the average ones disappear in the race of survival.
And that questions me about my aspirations and success rate too. I must say those few visible stars are quite an inspiration… So one day I’ll be like you, shining right at the top and noticeable to everyone including those who are miles apart. To become that star you not only need to be qualified enough but also should have that burning desire to keep going on and on and shining so bright that one day the city exclaims – Another Star is born!!
Very true.. The desire to shine bright is d thing which keeps us moving n struggling.. Thumbsup..
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