Sweet city ’o mine

Slash, from the rock band Guns N’ Roses, performed alongside veteran bandmate Axl Rose at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse on May 17. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Lady Flora was sporting a colourful bandana; ‘very Grecian, with an interesting pop of colour for her all-white ensemble,' Sir PM thought. "My Lady, pardon my inquisitiveness but is this a new look that you've decided to experiment with? I quite like the vibrant rush of colours that beautifully compliments your outfit," he added, trying to sound as polite as possible. His friend smiled at his observation. "This is an addition to my wardrobe; I tried this look for a recent concert. I loved it, especially after all the compliments. Now, I am ready to include it to my pedestal appearance. I hope the public will approve." Sir PM was puzzled at having missed out on the development with his friend. "Concert…what concert? Classical? Was aapro Zubin back in town?" He sounded upset at having not been a part of his friend's plans. "Oh, Pheroze, I knew you wouldn't be game, what with your aches and pains, to attend this show by a popular touring American rock band who performed live at the Turf Club grounds. I'd heard so much about them from my pedestal; visitors had been discussing it for months. I am way too curious, as you know, so I decided to see what the buzz was all about."

"And was it any good?" Sir PM asked, surprised and silently amazed at her adventurous side and the extent she'd go to explore new experiences. "It was fabulous. The music was foot-tapping, though after a point I needed to place cotton in my ears. I noticed many fans sway back and forth as if on a boat, or part of a séance. Later, I discovered that there's a term for it - ‘headbanging'. I also spotted older citizens-not our vintage, of course-turn out in good numbers. Their laidback vibe as they soaked in the nostalgia made for a trippy, picnic setting. These bandanas were up for sale, which is how I latched on to a few. I quite liked my look, and have decided to continue wearing it until the rains arrive in full gusto. What was most heartwarming at the show was the sight of Bombaywallahs across generations - grandparents, parents and their children - all turned out to enjoy the music. A reminder of how this city appreciates its music and is a decent, well-behaved bunch. Even the food was yum; the rain-battered grounds were also walkable, thanks to a sturdy tarpaulin-like base."

By now, Sir PM was terribly upset that his fitness issues led to Lady Flora taking that call. "I wish I could have made it…" he sighed, looking glum. "But Pheroze, despite all the positives, it was a gruelling evening with the humidity and standing for long hours Besides, I didn't expect you to be a fan of this kind of music. Now I know, and I promise to invite you the next time I make such plans," Lady Flora assured.

How about crowd management; was it up to your high standards? Especially after the show, when things could easily get out of hand, given the fervour of the session," Sir PM enquired, never slacking in his organisational and administrative observations. "It was spot-on. With the orderly crowd, despite thousands from other Indian cities, there was no overcrowding, especially at the end of the show. Though I wish there were multiple exits. However, my biggest grouse was the condition of the pavements as soon as I left the venue. People spilled out onto the busy main road, and there was no space to walk, barring the narrow footpaths that line the turf club grounds; a sad reminder of the poor planning for pedestrians," she rued.

Sir PM chimed in, "Now that you mention it, I recently read about a global study conducted by Compare the Market to dissect key factors in major including walking trails, safety and public transport to study which global cities could be negotiated without a private car. Sadly, our city ranks at the bottom of the list, at No. 7 among 10 of the least friendly, as far as walkability is concerned. Some of the other cities in this list include Bangkok, Chicago and Cape Town. According to that report, we rank low because there is less safety for pedestrians and access to car-free zones, among other issues. In comparison, 86 per cent of Munich's residents [the most walkable city], reside within a kilometre of a car-free space," Sir PM rattled off, adding, "On the positive side, we fare well as affordable public transport goes, at just R20 per ticket, second only to Buenos Aires."

The duo moved from Apollo Bunder into the bylanes of Colaba, where the uneven paver blocks echoed the poor ranking on the list. "We may offer cheap public transport, but it dilutes the good if the citizen has no place to walk in its own city? Civic authorities must be more serious about this critical need," summarised Lady Flora, as they returned to the safety of the broader sidewalks along the Gateway.

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her.
She tweets @bombayana. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com