Squirming, wriggling, packed, pushed, nauseated, bruised, comical, sleepy and alert. These are not just some random feeling evoked or remembered but are in fact the feeling experienced in a short span of a simple ten minute ride. Surprising nah? Well apparently not so for the locals here. Their everyday lives start and end the same hence they hardly feel the need to complain. Hmmm I guess some of you would have already guessed what I am talking about.
Recently I got to watch an ad on TV for a popular travel luggage manufacturer, the ad showed a foreigner getting into the local train in Bombay and the hardships he face during his short travel, the way he gets separated from his baggage and both he and the baggage actually undergo very similar treatments in terms of travel and abuse but in the end when he finally gets down he is miraculously reunited with his baggage. Ads like that usually tend to get an exaggerated thought in the minds of people, people who like me are a little pessimistic and quite often than not proclaim,”come on! This isn’t reality”.
Boohooing the very thought even before coming to terms with reality is pretty much the route we take most of the time. Well ever since I came to this city I always wanted to get into the essence of what I thought was the mainstream of Mumbai travel, the local train. Ask any bombayite or rather Mumbaikar as they call themselves now his preferred mode of transportation for commuting in the city and the answer you are bound to receive is the train. The opportunity never actually presented itself until a few days back when a friend of mine suggested that we take the train back from work. Apprehensive I thonk would have defined my thoughts at the very idea. First being the rush hour and secondly the fact that I would have preferred the bus to the train just for the convenience.
Thinking it would not be nice to chicken out on the prospect of experiencing the thrill of the train ride at rush hour, I agree to it and off we walk to the Khar railway station. Procuring a ticket for Rs. 4/- we head to the platform and the electronic display informs us the next train to Andheri is due in five minutes. My friend takes this time to point out a few necessary things to be kept in mind for the travel. He points out that the backpack should be placed up front and not behind you. Pretty soon we are like two pregnant penguins waiting for the train. This again for a few reasons one no one steals from you and two you are assured your belonging are in the train with you while you travel and not experience a different trip for the length of the journey. This piece of advice is taken into consideration as it makes sense. The next dialogue brought out the; what do you mean expression in me. He said that after you board the train turn to the direction and move to the other side of the bogey.
As he was saying this the train rounded the corner and was entering the platform. The train came in packed with at least ten people hanging out of each compartment and I was like okay may be they are wanting to get down. The train halts and the number of people who got down were in the range of hmmm… TWO!!! My friend shouts out get in the train is free. Perplexed by the statement I look transfixed at the compartment which is packed with people. My friend and I push into the already full compartment that is apparently empty to my friend and must say the experience was quite enjoyable. Finally I get to push, stomp, glare, and actually float all at the same time without any complaints from other people. Apparently this kind of a behavior is normal!
Hearing this the only dialogue that came into my head was a line made famous by my favourite comic character Obelix. He kept saying these Romans are crazy!!?!!. Now it was my turn to say these mumbaikars are crazy! No offence meant by what is a guy supposed to think of someone who considers being pushed, stamped and abused normal behaviour?
Once inside the train I try my level best to stay in one place but to no avail. I am literally pushed in the direction I am standing and I must say I am thankful for heading so coz my platform apparently came on the opposite side of the compartment. The only thing I am thankful for right now is that the journey is going to last all of 10 minutes and then it’s time to alight from this compartment that has now come to resemble a tin of sardines. All this while I was conversing with my friend who was standing behind me, upon not hearing from his I turn around only to find a total stranger staring back at me.
God he must have wondered what’s up with this guy! Not seeing my friend anywhere near me I continue on getting pushed to the other side of the compartment and I keep asking the passengers in front of me if they too are getting down at Andheri station! Some of them say yes, some say no. Upon nearing Andheri station the shove from the back increases and I am already heading for the door. To my dismay I look ahead and see that I am headed for disaster as there in front of me right in the middle of my path stood and iron bar separating the doorway into two. I close my eyes knowing of the fate that awaited me but to my surprise I land on the platform jostling for my footing as other passengers from Andheri board the train taking them home.
My first experience in the main artery of Mumbai's commute finally over, all that I can manage with a squeak was it was not rush hour!
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