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Thoroughly recovered from my first week’s illness, I have begun studying the culture and rhythm of Mumbai by reading, exploring, interacting, and observing. What I have unearthed, even just below the surface, is a striking variety of contradictions that amalgamate into the chaos that is modern day India. These contradictions have spawned in me the beginnings of a sort of love-hate relationship with India’s most cosmopolitan city, enriched by the experiences that come from living here.

It is easy to see why India is so confused. Much of its current developmental state is the result of British imperial rule, a legacy that many try hard to resist. The same reasons why India has become so competitive- namely, the fluency of a large segment of its population in English (though much smaller than I had expected coming to India), an infrastructure built for trade, and the urbanization of its major cities- are the result of this oppression. Thus, India struggles to reconcile its desire to develop, modernize and compete with its commitment to the Ghandian principles of swadeshi (self-reliance) and a village-based social and political system. Even the names Bombay and Mumbai demonstrate this contradiction. In politics, those who use the name Bombay tend to advocate for a more open, modern and worldly India, while those who exclusively use the term Mumbai tend to be more nationalist, right-wing and India-centric.

What results is a system of governance and culture that is so full of complexities, corruption and confusion that for many years people believed that its unimpressive record of economic growth- coined the Hindu rate of growth- was simply inextricable from the Indian culture. Indira Ghandi herself said that nothing could be done about corruption, as it was natural and occurred everywhere. Despite the fact that (in my humble opinion) Indira Ghandi was a terrible ruler who led India down a path of economic and political failure it almost didn’t recover from, the idea that corruption is natural seems to have stuck. And this, as Indian breaks free of its bureaucratic stranglehold and enters a period of impressive economic growth, may be its fatal flaw.

This idea is seen in the way businesses are handled. At the most basic level, shops in Mumbai will do anything to try to get a sale- lie, cheat, guilt trip, pressure, intimidate. Even in more professional businesses, reputation does not matter. The concept of fairness does not matter. There is no such thing as building good relationships with your clients or partners or trying to develop a good reputation to ensure future business, and it doesn’t matter. Corruption is expected, so no business is lost. People are used to it.

Fun to look at- not so much to shop at!

On the other hand, the Indians I’ve met in non-transaction settings are some of the most warm, friendly and sociable people I’ve ever met. They are welcoming, giving, and will do almost anything to help someone they’ve only just become acquainted with. Despite its flaws, they are fiercely proud of their democracy. They are the best neighbors, coworkers and friends. I’ve even developed good relationships with some of the local businesses by Vyoma’s apartment by actually leaving tips (only 50 [american] cent tips, but trust me- it’s not a stereotype, Indians are extremely cheap. Anybody who worked at a restaurant in the States will also confirm this.) I am now treated like a queen whenever I eat at these places.

As I attempt to navigate the chaos that is India, these people are my guides. Aside from its beauty, and despite its contradictions, they are what make India great.