7.20 PM Asangaon Fast : a local train medley
Closing the day’s work, I sprinted out of my office, to the Taxi stand. Gnawing my teeth, and waiting restlessly for 15 minutes, I finally got in a shared cab. The peak hour evening traffic and pot holed roads isn’t quite the ride one would like to have after a day’s work, needless to say about the poor old Fiat taxis. Get it straight, driving back and forth from Worli to Dadar and resisting the traffic is really a tough ask. As he drove, we could feel the windows and doors trembling. All we wanted was to get to the station as soon as possible.
No sooner we reached Dadar station; there was a 100 meter hurdle dash to the platform. You’ll find the best of athletes hopping and gliding themselves through the mob of crowd. It’s then struggle no.2. to get to your platform and board the train. As any other Mumbaite, it was my dream to at least have (a) day out 365 with minimal passengers boarding the trains, vacant seats etc, Wasn’t to be! All you find at the over bridge, and then in the platform is the half of the world population. A big boost to your mood! Saddened by the population explosion, I waited desperately for the fast queen. And there she arrived, with people hanging like a bunch of grapes.
Getting in and finding your feet inside a packed train is an art one can attain only with frequent commuting. I know this isn’t something that really counts on your appraisal, but it still is a big part of your life. Inability to dig inside and acquire a standing space points your inefficiency for a Mumbai local train travel. The sooner one realises this, the better. After a lot of pushing and pulling I managed to hold on to the rod. The view inside a crowded train is a story in itself. Different species of mankind with virtual magnetic hands and legs tied to one another. Standing close to the door with one foot almost on the edge of the train, I was trying to place the other foot somewhere, carefully analysing the foot positioning of others. With my legs apart and my back bent on one side, I put up a posture reminiscent of Michael Jackson. In the midst of this, people were getting on and off at each alternative halts. People use different ploy’s to counter the madness of crowd within the train. Waiting or should I say dumped inside a train, is the time when your friends, relatives would want to talk to you, the cell phone would vibrate and you can’t get to it. In this hustle, some do manage to connect and in a hushed tone would request the longed caller to call back. Then there are inseparable love birds, who board the gent’s compartment thinking it to be a secluded moving object with no other eye’s watching their cajoling acts. Regular travellers prefer to board the same train, possibly the same compartment. By doing this on a daily basis, they then be friend the fellow passengers and create an uncanny rapport. They aren’t bothered about your health, welfare etc, all they want to know about you is your destination. Passing of luggages, newspaper borrowing, bantering, abusing are regular features inside any Mumbai train.
A local train journey is a great place for current affairs and market update, if you will! People take this opportunity to punch their frustrations on others, some give back others submit. If you eavesdrop, you can get good stock market tips. No sooner the train left Vidyavihar, all Ghatkoparite’s confirmed if the guy standing ahead of him about his drop and pushed ahead. As the train hit the platform, I got pushed out, without really making an effort myself. I jumped out and took the over bridge to get the east.
Walking back home, I desperately wanted to get home as soon as possible. Ate and Slept!
Good Morning, Dombivli Fast is arriving at platform no.4!!!!!
No sooner we reached Dadar station; there was a 100 meter hurdle dash to the platform. You’ll find the best of athletes hopping and gliding themselves through the mob of crowd. It’s then struggle no.2. to get to your platform and board the train. As any other Mumbaite, it was my dream to at least have (a) day out 365 with minimal passengers boarding the trains, vacant seats etc, Wasn’t to be! All you find at the over bridge, and then in the platform is the half of the world population. A big boost to your mood! Saddened by the population explosion, I waited desperately for the fast queen. And there she arrived, with people hanging like a bunch of grapes.
Getting in and finding your feet inside a packed train is an art one can attain only with frequent commuting. I know this isn’t something that really counts on your appraisal, but it still is a big part of your life. Inability to dig inside and acquire a standing space points your inefficiency for a Mumbai local train travel. The sooner one realises this, the better. After a lot of pushing and pulling I managed to hold on to the rod. The view inside a crowded train is a story in itself. Different species of mankind with virtual magnetic hands and legs tied to one another. Standing close to the door with one foot almost on the edge of the train, I was trying to place the other foot somewhere, carefully analysing the foot positioning of others. With my legs apart and my back bent on one side, I put up a posture reminiscent of Michael Jackson. In the midst of this, people were getting on and off at each alternative halts. People use different ploy’s to counter the madness of crowd within the train. Waiting or should I say dumped inside a train, is the time when your friends, relatives would want to talk to you, the cell phone would vibrate and you can’t get to it. In this hustle, some do manage to connect and in a hushed tone would request the longed caller to call back. Then there are inseparable love birds, who board the gent’s compartment thinking it to be a secluded moving object with no other eye’s watching their cajoling acts. Regular travellers prefer to board the same train, possibly the same compartment. By doing this on a daily basis, they then be friend the fellow passengers and create an uncanny rapport. They aren’t bothered about your health, welfare etc, all they want to know about you is your destination. Passing of luggages, newspaper borrowing, bantering, abusing are regular features inside any Mumbai train.
A local train journey is a great place for current affairs and market update, if you will! People take this opportunity to punch their frustrations on others, some give back others submit. If you eavesdrop, you can get good stock market tips. No sooner the train left Vidyavihar, all Ghatkoparite’s confirmed if the guy standing ahead of him about his drop and pushed ahead. As the train hit the platform, I got pushed out, without really making an effort myself. I jumped out and took the over bridge to get the east.
Walking back home, I desperately wanted to get home as soon as possible. Ate and Slept!
Good Morning, Dombivli Fast is arriving at platform no.4!!!!!
How true sridhar...
ReplyDeleteU really need to master the art of boarding the overcrowded trains...
Good going buddy...
Pravin Venkatraman