We, my family, had been residing in dad's office quarters since the time I was born. All was convenient - nice neighbourhood, good convent schools, docs, infrastructure...everything external that makes an abode location perfect. Internal too. Beautiful Chembur. But it was always known, ofcourse, that it was temporary.
Dad started his house hunt pretty early. Himself having been new to Mumbai at the time, he managed to buy a flat in Pune when i was in kindergarten. Pune, then, was the next big thing. Mumbai, too expensive. Navi Mumbai, huh?
Soon enough, though, Mumbai grew on him, in him, and in us. So a few years after using the Pune flat as a vacation home, he started his hunt closer to Mumbai. Started with Ambernath (for some reason still unknown to me), and after a lotta flat trots and final selection, the broker beaming with pride, was taking us to the builder in an elevator. Still joyous about his commission-to-come, he beamed, "This place is just perfect (it was, really), all amenities, good society and best of all..(dropping his voice a tone lower and leaning closer to dad)..we don't sell any flats in this society to muslims!!" Oh the pride in his eyes for his beloved society's perfect rule! We were aghast! Politely refused the flat offer and left, without comment. He never ever did come to know we were muslims.
Many years, many hunts (mostly Navi Mumbai, yes it was in), and many such 'prefect rules' later, it was time for dad's retirement, 2 months back. There were multiple instances, where the broker/dealer either 'happily' (always happy and proud) claimed they don't sell to muslims "even if they pay us 3 crore for a 30 lakh flat!" or the builders/owners almost stopped short of sealing the deal when they heard dad's name. We don't look muslim, that is all the deception on our part. Post retirement, we're now living in Navi Mumbai on rent. Found and booked a flat just a month ago, its a majorly muslim area. Some owners here sell exclusively only to muslims, stating they are victims of previous refusals themselves.
I strongly oppose the reverse stance of 'selling only to muslims coz I was treated so', no 'treatment' justifies religious divide among citizens of the same country. Taking the guilty to court is also a bit far fetched what with builders these days being equipped with the underground, for all we know. But mostly, when one is hurt thus, by a fellow citizen who you take to be your kin, you are too moved inside to be able to stand up and fight. Too hurt. Too shocked. Too sad. Anger doesn't have a place, revenge is not an option, yearning to be understood, foremost.
Mom, hurt, would point out, "But we do have a flat in Pune, which is now really well developed as envisioned, so why don't we move there?? Why fight and hunt and get hurt here so much where they don't want us??!"
Why really? Because even if some part of the land won't own up to us, we've loved, and hence cannot leave.
Dad started his house hunt pretty early. Himself having been new to Mumbai at the time, he managed to buy a flat in Pune when i was in kindergarten. Pune, then, was the next big thing. Mumbai, too expensive. Navi Mumbai, huh?
Soon enough, though, Mumbai grew on him, in him, and in us. So a few years after using the Pune flat as a vacation home, he started his hunt closer to Mumbai. Started with Ambernath (for some reason still unknown to me), and after a lotta flat trots and final selection, the broker beaming with pride, was taking us to the builder in an elevator. Still joyous about his commission-to-come, he beamed, "This place is just perfect (it was, really), all amenities, good society and best of all..(dropping his voice a tone lower and leaning closer to dad)..we don't sell any flats in this society to muslims!!" Oh the pride in his eyes for his beloved society's perfect rule! We were aghast! Politely refused the flat offer and left, without comment. He never ever did come to know we were muslims.
Many years, many hunts (mostly Navi Mumbai, yes it was in), and many such 'prefect rules' later, it was time for dad's retirement, 2 months back. There were multiple instances, where the broker/dealer either 'happily' (always happy and proud) claimed they don't sell to muslims "even if they pay us 3 crore for a 30 lakh flat!" or the builders/owners almost stopped short of sealing the deal when they heard dad's name. We don't look muslim, that is all the deception on our part. Post retirement, we're now living in Navi Mumbai on rent. Found and booked a flat just a month ago, its a majorly muslim area. Some owners here sell exclusively only to muslims, stating they are victims of previous refusals themselves.
I strongly oppose the reverse stance of 'selling only to muslims coz I was treated so', no 'treatment' justifies religious divide among citizens of the same country. Taking the guilty to court is also a bit far fetched what with builders these days being equipped with the underground, for all we know. But mostly, when one is hurt thus, by a fellow citizen who you take to be your kin, you are too moved inside to be able to stand up and fight. Too hurt. Too shocked. Too sad. Anger doesn't have a place, revenge is not an option, yearning to be understood, foremost.
Mom, hurt, would point out, "But we do have a flat in Pune, which is now really well developed as envisioned, so why don't we move there?? Why fight and hunt and get hurt here so much where they don't want us??!"
Why really? Because even if some part of the land won't own up to us, we've loved, and hence cannot leave.
11 comments:
Hi I am not a Muslim, but I have lots of Muslim friends I haven't seenor heard such a thing in Mumbai personally before but One thing for sure we love Mumbai what so ever it is :).
Hello Abhijeet! Thanks for reading :)
And I'm mighty glad you've never heard of it and your friends have never been through it. But for the record, Hindustan Times ran a week long full page issue on the topic. And almost everyone, any religion, who's recently undertaken house hunt, is aware of it. Last case I heard was just a week back in a neighbouring society.
Anyway, I myself hope I never do have to hear of anything such again! :)
Whoa mighty sorry for the typo! :S Abhishek and not Abhijeet! :P :)
Beautiful writing Sam. Gr8 touchy topic.
Sam - if u dont mind..i had to post this on FB..and a couple of friends even reposted it..all through my life, i have had my schooling and college at byculla and had a lot of Muslim friends..my closest colleagues at work are Muslim and its incredible the amount of discrimination that they face..it extends to getting a house to getting a contract..I wish our kids dont grow up to this syndrome of Us v/s them..
Btw..love your posts..am a regular reader of ur blogs and each new post keeps getting better!
In US, while boarding a flight to Frankfurt, people from my team who had "Green" passports where withheld at the check-in. They didn't even make it as far as the security check! They were just teenagers who were in complete shock over the situation and scared,too. I witnessed a more local version of this ill-conceived prejudice in Bombay and it was as if the whole airport situation was staring me in my face yet again. It exists and it throbs like a sore vein around us. This article took me back to the day when I had just set foot in Bombay and heard about this kind of discrimination for the first time. I thought about all my Muslim friends and really, really understood for the first time what all they go through. No matter how much I talk about it, I'd never be able to let out all the shock and grief and loathing I feel. With all due permission, I'd like to share this on my FB wall..It's an essential read.
Hey thanks Akhil, Rishi, Rishi :) And by all means you may repost it! im glad to have a presence in FB even when im out of it ;) :D This encourages me to write more! Thanks you guys!!! :)
And yes Sappy, Rishi, we are the tomorrow, so I'm sure our kids won't have to face any of this. The old bucks spoke so far, but right Now is a beautiful time to be in, where we're all really coming closer together, by education or love. The evil will die. Cheers! :)
Hi Sameeha. I came across your blog while surfing, and it was thought provoking read. I am not a muslim myself, and I do not reside in Mumbai, but still, it was very sad to know that a city which is so boisterous in proclaiming it's cosmopolitan culture should have such a vicious undercurrent. In lesser cities, Bhopal for instance, such incidents are rare, though not unheard of... I hope that some day, some event, or a chain of cataclysms will change the psyche of people. Till then, all you and I can do is wait.
Sameeha-
This blog brought tears to my eyes, this matter is very close to my heart. A few years back our family friends wanted me to look into buying an apartment in Vile Parle W, close to the train station, Good schools around and mainly the proximity to the beach. My family has lived in vile Parle for 50 years now and I love it there. I grew up there and I always wanted to be part of that community. Our family friends gave us the spiel about the building location etc all but; and the perfect rule you spoke about. They whispered this place is only for Brahmins no non vegetarians allowed! That statement got me incredibly angry and I dint know how to react to it. I don't understand how ignorant everyone around can be. And this in my own backyard, the place I call home. I am a vegetarian and a brahmin, but i never felt I was either till I was told so....
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