Pampered with hospitality, I felt quite at home in Mumbai’s twin city

By Chintan Girish Modi

On a warm Friday afternoon in Mumbai, I gaze at the wet ajrak hanging from my clothesline. I am fascinated by the play of red and black, and those gorgeous designs woven into the fabric.

This one is a gift from Karachi. I cannot tell who gave it to me. It is one of four I received during my time there, and happens to be the only one that remains. The others have been passed on to friends who feel a special connection to Karachi because their grandparents migrated from there in 1947.

I visited Karachi in 2014. It was an exciting time for me. My flight landed at the airport quite close to midnight, and I was warmly received by friends who drove me straight to a paan shop en route to their cosy home which became mine during the three days of my stay.

Theatrical adaptation of ‘Shakuntala’, National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi, 2014. Photo: NAPA

Ratneshwar Mahadev Mandir, Karachi. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Pampered with hospitality, I felt quite at home in Mumbai’s twin city. The delicious bun kebabs at Boat Basin, walking through Empress Market, late night conversations with a dear friend’s family, a visit to Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s mazaar, strawberry milkshake at Master Juice Centre, a show of the play ‘Shakuntala’ at Hindu Gymkhana, imli ka sherbet at Koel Art Gallery, an evening at the Ratneshwar Mahadev Mandir, shopping at Dolmen Mall, relishing traditional recipes cooked by a friend’s mother, the extravagance of Kolachi, a quick stop at The Second Floor, and more – I managed to do quite a bit in a short while, thanks to the generosity of Karachi walas.

Yes, I did feel a bit disturbed, thinking about the frequent out breaks of violence in the city, and the fear I occasionally heard in people’s voices. However, I left with a prayer in my heart, wishing that Pakistan’s largest and most diverse city may be filled with joy and peace.

I would love to visit Karachi again. There is so much left to discover and celebrate.

The writer is the founder of Friendships Across Borders: Aao Dosti Karein, a peace education, story sharing and social media initiative connecting Indians and Pakistanis. He tweets @chintan_connect and @aaodostikarein. This piece was first published in Charter for Compassion Pakistan’s ‘Hum Qadam’ anthology in February 2015 and is reproduced here with permission.