New York says ‘Never say die’

By Rajnish Wattas

The recent mowing down of innocent cyclists by a terrorist, driving a rampaging truck on to the scenic Hudson River Park of New York, shocked not only America but the entire civilized world. Visualising blood-strewn bodies on the cold concrete surface of a panoramic spot, associated with fitness freaks, joggers, speeding bikers or children playing in picturesque parks along the Hudson front is numbing. And that too on the Halloween Day when merry children go from house to house in spooky attires chanting 'Trick or Treat'!

Last month, I lived barely five minutes from this grisly site that constituted my every day morning walk beat. At resting points, beneath the tree-shaded arbours, there are chairs and tables for people out to have their food as they watch boats and ferries sail by. The mirror image of a rising Manhattan skyline of skyscrapers, beginning to rise across the river on the New Jersey side too, can hold your gaze. Ironically, the once World Trade Centre looms large over this spot as a constant reminder of New York's 9/11 terror attack and the city's indomitable spirit to bounce back.

And New York never gives in. The very next day of the truck tragedy, it rose to the crack of dawn, to its usual rush-hour of commuters running down the steps of subways or briskly moving on the sidewalks munching their breakfast on the go — perhaps just a smoothie or a cereal — and furtively catching up on the New York Times App of their cell phones. 

A civilization

New York is not a city, it's a civilization. One sees more skin colours, ethnic attires, hears more tongues and gets to eat a greater variety of cuisines than anywhere else in the world. The UN headquarters is located here. On arrival to the city, my cabbie from JFK airport was from the Dominican Republic, and on return, he was from Haiti, whom I asked: “Did you leave because of 'Papa doc' — its despotic ruler?” “Yes... But now with Trump here it's also bad”, was his blunt reply. On many occasions one comes across Pakistani, Caribbean or Chinese cabbies and many more. I would hear rustic Punjabi being spoken by construction workers. Burqa clad women would merrily lie down on the 'pink coloured' plastic loungers recently installed at the Times Square or poignantly look at the exhibits at the 9/11 Museum. 

Hamid, the owner of the 'Sam's' Deli a 'hole-in-the-wall' corner store in the posh West Village, predominantly an upper-end white population locality in Manhattan, is a middle-aged Palestinian who migrated to America about 20 years ago. He along and his son Ali open the tiny store at 5am to close at 11 in the night, selling grocery and daily needs. And rather comfortingly, even offer hot coffee, boiled eggs, muffins, scones and copies of New York Times for the customers. They run up home deliveries of things you might need to get your day, including an umbrella on a rainy day. But behind this success story lies a saga of master toil.

Ethnic diversity

Tiny kiosks and carts — mostly run by lowly immigrants — adorn the sidewalks of New York happily feeding hungry pedestrians and offering bargains for fancy hats, caps, trinkets and 'designer handbags' etc. for tourists looking for memorabilia. The very architecture and layout of Manhattan embodies ethnic diversity. A city of immigrants it has a ‘China Town’, 'A little Germany' and 'Italian neighbourhoods', 'Afro-American neighbourhoods' and 'Jewish Quarters' and is full of Irish pubs. World's greatest cuisine choices ranging from Japanese Sushi places, Mexican, Lebanese and Thai food to Indian tandoori restaurants serve mouth-watering delights. In the heart of midtown Manhattan in an area known as Murray Hill, there are so many Indian restaurants, that it is now fondly nick-named ‘Curry Hill’. Similarly, there are so many restaurants catering to varied taste buds near the Theatre District of the Broadway that it's called ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ as artists, actors, theatre goers and press reviewers would assemble there for a well earned meal before and after late night shows. 

The ethnic diversity of New York spills over to its legendry skyline. The gung-ho spirit of the Big Apple and its ‘go for it..’ attitude and to think big ethos brought about in the 1930s race for building soaring skyscrapers of eclectic styles ranging from neo-classic to art deco to modern and now Post-Modern. However, New York protects its heritage structures with great pride. Close to the tallest building of New York, the once world Trade Tower symbolising American spirit of resurgence, nestles its oldest church St. Pauls Chapel where George Washington worshiped. 

A theatre of life

New York is world's crossroads, a theatre of life that pulsates with the kinship of one human family. The city abhors suppression and stands up for the downtrodden, the underdog and the underprivileged. Not surprisingly at the Wall Street in front of its famous ‘Charging Bull’ sculpture symbolising the adrenaline-driven passions of the financial world — last year the statue of small girl called the 'Fearless Girl' defiantly challenging the snorting bull was installed! It is meant to send a message about workplace gender diversity and the plaque states, ‘Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference’. 

Similarly a neighbour of my place of residence in the West Village, had put up a big poster proclaiming ‘Shame on Trump’ along with another one with the famous quote from the Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

These words of Emma Lazarus written in 1883 speak for the spirit of New York. And even today. 

The writer is former principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture