KOCHI: Travelling through the sprawling and uber-clean six-lane roads, amid the tall skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi, it is hard not to be smitten by the city. As I land in this unexpectedly windy city on a Monday, for my first-ever foreign trip of four days -- to attend the Global Media Congress I am awestruck.
As taxi driver Ahmed Amir picks me up from the airport, the first thing he asks me is whether I am an Indian. The next spontaneous question is: “From Kerala?” “Yes,” I reply. Soon, he starts talking about football. Amir is not a fan of football, he likes cricket. But, football being the flavour of the season, he adds: “Manchester United is coming here for a friendly game. The match will be in Abu Dhabi.”
At the hotel, I am greeted by the staff, mostly Malayalis. Other staffers include Pakistanis and Africans.
As per Amir’s advice, I proceed to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque on the same evening. Even collecting the ticket from a glass domed structure inside looks and feels like a mall I start the process of entering the mosque.
A truly grand architectural marvel, the mosque is not just a place of worship, it is a tourist hub with hundreds of people stopping to click away on their phones at every corner. Other than the strict regulations at the entry, where people are told to dress as per local cultural norms (for me, it meant covering my head with a proper scarf), the entire place has a touristy feel.
The intricate chandeliers, the hand-woven carpets here lies what is considered the world’s largest carpet — calligraphy inscriptions, and the columns along the prayer hall make this mosque a must-visit monument.
For foreigners, including myself all clad in various types of religious attire, some in abayas in red or green it was about creating a moment to appreciate culture.
It is also not hard not to notice a sense of commodification in Abu Dhabi. Be it the man-made beaches, where the name of the locations appear along with a hashtag for Insta pics, or the endless number of malls, Abu Dhabi has truly become a melting pot of Arabic and western cultures. It is a poster city for everything luxurious and aesthetically marvelous.
In this truly commercial cityscape, which mostly appears calm, people are seldom seen on roads. Someone like me, who is used to buzzing Indian cities, would find something amiss. An ethereal quiet. After the twilight hours, one can find a few people jogging in shorts and crop tops with air pods, a handful of people at the malls, and some tourists idling away on the beaches. However, most of Abu Dhabi, the second most populous city in the UAE, seems empty of faces.
Most cab drivers are sweet and would easily strike up a conversation, suggest the best Indian restaurants (in case one misses ‘homely food’), and recommend events around the town. “You come here for the job, the money. Not for the future,” says one.
Fast-forward to my last night in Abu Dhabi. I pass by the stadium in a car. Here is where the friendly match Amir mentioned is on. Well, it is not Manchester United, but Messi-led Argentina playing against the UAE. Amir clearly wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t like football.
And, finally, I see people. Hundreds walking outside the Mohamed bin Zayed stadium, as traffic comes to near standstill. The UAE got trounced 0-5. Argentina colours dominate the wave of people. I wonder if it’s the Malayalis living true to their nature in this foreign land.