India: A Million Mutinies Now - pg. 1

Bombay continued to define itself: Bombay flats
on either side of the road now, concrete buildings mildewed
at their upper levels by the Bombay weather, excessive sun,
excessive rain, excessive heat; grimy at the lower levels,
as if from the crowds at pavement level, and as if that human
grime was working its way up, tide-mark by tide-mark,
to meet the mildew.