Express press service
KOCHI: Traveling through the sprawling, ultra-clean six-lane roads amid Abu Dhabi’s tall skyscrapers, it’s hard not to be blown away by the city. As I land in this unexpected windy city on a Monday, on my first-ever four-day overseas trip – to attend the World Media Congress, I am amazed.
As taxi driver Ahmed Amir picks me up at the airport, the first thing he asks me is if I’m Indian. The next spontaneous question is: “From Kerala?” “Yes,” I answer. Soon he starts talking about football. Amir is not a football fan, he loves cricket. But, football being the flavor of the season, he added: “Manchester United are coming here for a friendly match. The match will take place in Abu Dhabi.
At the hotel, I am welcomed by the staff, mostly Malayalis. Other staff include Pakistanis and Africans.
According to Amir’s advice, I go to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the same evening. Even collecting the ticket in a glass dome structure inside looks like a mall, I start the process of entering the mosque.
A true architectural marvel, the mosque is not just a place of worship, it’s a tourist hub with hundreds of people stopping to click their phones at every corner. Apart from the strict regulations at the entrance, where people have to dress according to local cultural norms (for me that meant covering their heads with an appropriate scarf), the whole place has a touristy feel to it.
The intricate chandeliers, hand-woven carpets are found here which is considered to be the largest carpet in the world – calligraphy inscriptions and columns along the prayer hall make this mosque a must-see landmark.
For foreigners, myself included, all dressed in various types of religious attire, some in red or green abayas, it was about creating a moment to appreciate the culture.
It’s also not hard not to notice a sense of commodification in Abu Dhabi. From the man-made beaches, where place names appear with a hashtag for Insta photos, to the endless number of shopping malls, Abu Dhabi has truly become a melting pot of Arab and Western cultures. It’s a poster city for all things luxurious and aesthetically wonderful.
In this truly commercial cityscape, which generally seems calm, people are rarely seen on the roads. Someone like me, who is used to busy Indian cities, would find something wrong. An ethereal calm. After the twilight hours, one can find a few people jogging in shorts and crop tops with air capsules, a handful of people in the malls, and tourists strolling the beaches. However, most of Abu Dhabi, the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, seems devoid of faces.
Most taxi drivers are nice and would strike up a conversation easily, suggest the best Indian restaurants (in case the ‘family food’ is missing) and recommend events in the city. “You come here for the work, the money. Not for the future,” says one.
Fast forward to my last night in Abu Dhabi. I drive past the stadium. This is where the friendly match mentioned by Amir takes place. Well, it’s not Manchester United, but Messi-led Argentina playing against the United Arab Emirates. Amir clearly wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t like football.
And, finally, I see people. Hundreds of people walk in front of the Mohamed bin Zayed stadium, as traffic almost comes to a standstill. The United Arab Emirates were beaten 0-5. The colors of Argentina dominate the wave of people. I wonder if it is not the Malayalis who live true to their nature in this foreign country.
KOCHI: Traveling through the sprawling, ultra-clean six-lane roads amid Abu Dhabi’s tall skyscrapers, it’s hard not to be blown away by the city. As I land in this unexpected windy city on a Monday, on my first-ever four-day overseas trip – to attend the World Media Congress, I am amazed. As taxi driver Ahmed Amir picks me up at the airport, the first thing he asks me is if I’m Indian. The next spontaneous question is: “From Kerala?” “Yes,” I answer. Soon he starts talking about football. Amir is not a football fan, he loves cricket. But, football being the flavor of the season, he added: “Manchester United are coming here for a friendly match. The match will take place in Abu Dhabi. At the hotel, I am welcomed by the staff, mostly Malayalis. Other staff include Pakistanis and Africans. According to Amir’s advice, I go to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the same evening. Even collecting the ticket in a glass dome structure inside looks like a mall, I start the process of entering the mosque. A true architectural marvel, the mosque is not just a place of worship, it’s a tourist hub with hundreds of people stopping to click their phones at every corner. Apart from the strict regulations at the entrance, where people have to dress according to local cultural norms (for me that meant covering their heads with an appropriate scarf), the whole place has a touristy feel to it. The intricate chandeliers, hand-woven carpets are found here which is considered to be the largest carpet in the world – calligraphy inscriptions and columns along the prayer hall make this mosque a must-see landmark. For foreigners, myself included, all dressed in various types of religious attire, some in red or green abayas, it was about creating a moment to appreciate the culture. It’s also not hard not to notice a sense of commodification in Abu Dhabi. From the man-made beaches, where place names appear with a hashtag for Insta photos, to the endless number of shopping malls, Abu Dhabi has truly become a melting pot of Arab and Western cultures. It’s a poster city for all things luxurious and aesthetically wonderful. In this truly commercial cityscape, which generally seems calm, people are rarely seen on the roads. Someone like me, who is used to busy Indian cities, would find something wrong. An ethereal calm. After the twilight hours, one can find a few people jogging in shorts and crop tops with air capsules, a handful of people in the malls, and tourists strolling the beaches. However, most of Abu Dhabi, the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, seems devoid of faces. Most taxi drivers are nice and would easily strike up a conversation, suggest the best Indian restaurants (in case ‘home food’ is missing), and recommend events in the city. “You come here for the work, the money. Not for the future,” says one. Fast forward to my last night in Abu Dhabi. I drive past the stadium. This is where the friendly match mentioned by Amir takes place. Well, it’s not Manchester United, but Messi-led Argentina playing against the United Arab Emirates. Amir clearly wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t like football. And, finally, I see people. Hundreds of people walk in front of the Mohamed bin Zayed stadium, as traffic almost comes to a standstill. The United Arab Emirates were beaten 0-5. The colors of Argentina dominate the wave of people. I wonder if it is not the Malayalis who live true to their nature in this foreign country.
