All these discussions took place behind closed doors with entry by invitation only. But a day later the Mumbai-based Research Collective, Pukar, organised a public talk by visiting academic, Saskia Sassen. One of the world’s leading urban theorists, best known for her 1991 book, The Global City, Sassen’s talk focused on emerging global patterns. Significant among the various points she raised in her lecture and in interviews were the following: one, that contrary to common fears, global cities would not necessarily become mirror images of each other though the new glamour zones in cities — sites with the capability to handle global operations of firms and markets including hotels, office districts and so on — would tend to be similar. The second point was that far from doing away with the informal economy, the proliferating glamour zones would require a substantial amount of cheap, adaptable labour to service its growing needs. The reliance of the booming market in designer home accessories on craftsmen is one such instance.

The present moment is a particularly apt one to reflect on these peculiarities. In the decades to come Mumbai will be among the topmost financial centres in the world. And while its creaking infrastructure is a common cause for complaint, it has not come in the way of its emerging glamour zones with their conspicuous new luxury hotels, posh business centres and flyovers. At the same time, as anyone living and moving about in the city would testify, however glamorous and upscale the city may have become, it is hard to escape the markedly indigenous and local phenomenon of festivals.

... contd.