Bandra.

Bombay is beautiful. Okay, not all parts. I've always envied Bandra but the whooshing sounds of auto rickshaws was always a turn off. I explored Bandra with a different set of people. I've been to the church with several loved ones. I've made promises, I've broken promises. I've laughed, admired and drowned in the sound of my laughter. 

The first few memories of Bandra was when I attended the Mother Mary fair with my neighbours. Walking through the aisles of Bandra church, looking around for the smallest souvenir I could take home, going to their relatives' places, gosh what a beautiful time.

A few years later, I explored parts of Bandra from the gates of National College. Some days with my college friends, sitting at Carter's, Bandstand, cafes. From going to Bandra for a cup of coffee at 11 PM to sitting at Carter socials with my favourite girl, Saachi, Bandra has seen it all.

Years later, my favourite girl Amrutha was in Bombay for a conference. The residence she was living in was one of the quaint streets next to Bandstand. After having a cracking supper with my favourite in a funny cafe named 'FOMO' we took to the streets of Bandra. 

Post 10 PM, all the hawkers who throng Bandra have gone back home or are still packing to leave. The streets become quieter and quieter. It's dark around but it is beautiful. 

Today was one of those days. A special someone and i. Just us. We left from a restaurant when the footfall of Bandra was rather 1/100. Less people, more Bandra. The special someone and I were seated in a cab while the less pervert cabbie drove through the blissful streets. 

He took the sea link and at every blink of my eye, I could see a beautiful Bandra. A Bandra that was beyond auto-rickshaw noises, a Bandra that has more than just hawkers and flashy stores, a Bandra that eats into the sea, a Bandra that has high rises and flats with colourful lights. 

For the first time, I was not very happy to reach the other end of the Bandra Worli sea link. Cheers to falling in love with different parts of Bombay, cheers to making memories, cheers to loved ones and times spent with loved ones in beautiful Bombay.