Mumbai, "city of dreams" as many call it, city that never sleeps. I too had fare share of sleepless nights in this city, thanks to my undergrad studies. Perhaps, I too have enjoyed some dreams, only If I conquered sleeplessness (oh wait, was it sleeplessness? Not really. Addiction to idiot box*, may be)
When I first arrived in this city, I was frightened by sheer number of passengers inside local train. I distinctly remember travelling from Churchgate to Mira Road, little air to breathe, hell lotta sweat, hardly any space to move, seemingly never-ending journey, and a sense of being in Mumbai. Fear is not the only thing, this city offered me at first glance, I was mesmerized by beauty of South Mumbai, notably Gateway of India and Taj, Marine drive and Chaupati. Days passed by and I started living in Mumbai. While staying inside campus I used to feel that I know a lot about this city, I can understand the daily struggle of people, survival-fight of some, while run towards fame for others.
It was four years of separation and then reunion (this time staying outside campus) which made me realize that how little I knew about this city. Daily commuting is what I never had to worry about during my stay at campus.
Given the load it handles, locals are very good in maintaining schedule. Makes me wonder how the people running it run it so efficiently (okay, I am not talking about late running trains on harbour line). Rains do halt trains unexpectedly, trains do get delayed along the way but I have noticed trains maintaining time (at least till Dadar, while coming from Churchgate).
Everyday, you see different people boarding train. You see people hanging on train, people sitting comfortably, people sitting uncomfortably, people standing comfortably and people crushed by fellow passengers.
Local trains do showcase different facets of life
- people singing prayers, soothing voice at times, torture at times
- people lost in their thoughts
- loud talkers for whom others simply don't exist
- people discussing business matters
- people discussing love affairs
- sleep deprived people making use of every moment available (some people sleep while standing, I too tried few times)
- a guy trying to protect her female partner from usual pulls and pushes
- generation gap, when aged people try to teach youngsters a lesson or two about standing in queue, not pushing, not rushing etc. etc. etc. ( I remember one uncle calling police when a dude pushed him while uncle was trying to alight train)
- a family coming to Mumbai for first time (perhaps) and getting stuck in local train
- occupying window seats within seconds (analogy - all good girls are taken before you think of one :-P)
- staring outside window continuously
- beggars negotiating rush, while managing to sing and collect some hunger erasing pennies
Is it just the trains which run on times? Many commuters also maintain near-perfect time. I am not very punctual, but for a stretch of around couple of weeks I boarded 9:00 AM train from Bandra station. I used to see a group of 5-6 people in the train, standing near gate, everyday. Never talked to them but felt like I knew them :-)
My thoughts are not about fear, perhaps because I normally board Churchgate-Andheri train which is not-at-all-crowded compared to Virar local or locals running on central line, otherwise this post would have been fear-fear-and-fear. My salute to those who manage to board trains from Dadar (towards Virar, Kalyan) and Kurla.
Other notable difference between life inside campus and now is roaming around city in car, thanks to awesome friends who bought new cars and other friends who know how to drive :-)
*Idiot box- not just TV serials. Computer and all the gaming, movies, serials, orkutting, facebooking etc. etc. etc.
When I first arrived in this city, I was frightened by sheer number of passengers inside local train. I distinctly remember travelling from Churchgate to Mira Road, little air to breathe, hell lotta sweat, hardly any space to move, seemingly never-ending journey, and a sense of being in Mumbai. Fear is not the only thing, this city offered me at first glance, I was mesmerized by beauty of South Mumbai, notably Gateway of India and Taj, Marine drive and Chaupati. Days passed by and I started living in Mumbai. While staying inside campus I used to feel that I know a lot about this city, I can understand the daily struggle of people, survival-fight of some, while run towards fame for others.
It was four years of separation and then reunion (this time staying outside campus) which made me realize that how little I knew about this city. Daily commuting is what I never had to worry about during my stay at campus.
Given the load it handles, locals are very good in maintaining schedule. Makes me wonder how the people running it run it so efficiently (okay, I am not talking about late running trains on harbour line). Rains do halt trains unexpectedly, trains do get delayed along the way but I have noticed trains maintaining time (at least till Dadar, while coming from Churchgate).
Everyday, you see different people boarding train. You see people hanging on train, people sitting comfortably, people sitting uncomfortably, people standing comfortably and people crushed by fellow passengers.
Local trains do showcase different facets of life
- people singing prayers, soothing voice at times, torture at times
- people lost in their thoughts
- loud talkers for whom others simply don't exist
- people discussing business matters
- people discussing love affairs
- sleep deprived people making use of every moment available (some people sleep while standing, I too tried few times)
- a guy trying to protect her female partner from usual pulls and pushes
- generation gap, when aged people try to teach youngsters a lesson or two about standing in queue, not pushing, not rushing etc. etc. etc. ( I remember one uncle calling police when a dude pushed him while uncle was trying to alight train)
- a family coming to Mumbai for first time (perhaps) and getting stuck in local train
- occupying window seats within seconds (analogy - all good girls are taken before you think of one :-P)
- staring outside window continuously
- beggars negotiating rush, while managing to sing and collect some hunger erasing pennies
Is it just the trains which run on times? Many commuters also maintain near-perfect time. I am not very punctual, but for a stretch of around couple of weeks I boarded 9:00 AM train from Bandra station. I used to see a group of 5-6 people in the train, standing near gate, everyday. Never talked to them but felt like I knew them :-)
My thoughts are not about fear, perhaps because I normally board Churchgate-Andheri train which is not-at-all-crowded compared to Virar local or locals running on central line, otherwise this post would have been fear-fear-and-fear. My salute to those who manage to board trains from Dadar (towards Virar, Kalyan) and Kurla.
Other notable difference between life inside campus and now is roaming around city in car, thanks to awesome friends who bought new cars and other friends who know how to drive :-)
*Idiot box- not just TV serials. Computer and all the gaming, movies, serials, orkutting, facebooking etc. etc. etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment