Life in a local

THE IN AND OUT OF THE LOCAL…

LOCAL TRAIN,

It’s that transport system which carries a million people every day from one corner of the city to another, more than that it’s the life-line of a city called Mumbai. I have been travelling in it for the past three and a half years; I guess that’s enough of experience to write a short testimony. A service that’s been prevalent for the past 150 years and it all start with our colonizers laying down the foundation. Some may have spoken highly of it who thought of it as fantasy but never really travelled, while the one for whom it’s an everyday schedule, curse it.

http://photogallery.indiatimes.com/news/india/bring-on-the-rain/articleshow/20634170.cms

Bee shaped from the front, evolved from different designs over the years; from the tram look to the boring box type form, modestly built. Experimented with different colors every time but the graffiti type pan-stains spat by travelers have never failed to make its impression on the coaches, that’s why they look so creative. Classified into first class and second class and divided into various compartments for the ladies, luggage and the handicapped and a general compartment, sadly men don’t get reservations anywhere. A service which is available for 20 hours a day and 7 days a week. Foreigners visit the city just to experience this daily havoc. Trying to board a Virar Fast Train from Dadar or a fast train from Kurla is considered the most daredevilry task. And by chance if you get in, it’s a journey like sleeping in bed with a monster. I doubt it is possible to move or stretch even a little bit of your body, sometimes you might end up standing on someone else’s feet. It’s an everyday scene, nobody complains because it’s an important part in the common man’s life. First class and second class look equally crowded in the peak hours. Standing at the door is equally risky, everyday 3 to 4 people die due to falling out of train.

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There are conflicts, fights and arguments but if you are a newbie better not get into one. Right from the manual labor class, to the diamond merchants and share market brokers along with the formally dressed corporates, you will find them all. In this getting a seat is a fortune but yes a fourth seat is one of the simple luxuries that the train can offer. You could hear the folk songs and praises of God being sung by a group or some people playing virtual games or talking real loud on the phone, watching pirated movies or maybe listening to music, while some will be sleeping with their mouth wide open and women normally can be seen knitting sweaters or playing their favorite sport that’s gossip; all saturated and tired and their face will represent the years they have spent travelling regularly. Standing in the first class section, you could get the best stock market tips by pinning your ears to the Gujarati uncles talking to each other or giving orders to their brokers. The guys who up-down regularly exactly know the time and the platform on which train will be stationed along with the destination and board the same train every day. Along with the ticket, a free full body massage is guaranteed, like squeezing water out of washed clothes before you put them to dry, which you may not find pleasing but you don’t have a choice. ‘Phude Chala’ ‘age chal’  ‘chad fatafat’ along with hurls of abuses is something you expect to hear from the crowd at every station the train stops. To get down of a train you don’t have to put efforts, just stand in between the crowd when the station is about to come, the rest will be taken care of. But if you fall down or break a bone there won’t be any mercy, people will stamp on you and still board a train, but yes Mumbai people are helpful , they have stood together during testing times and helped when there were catastrophes. Returning from his workplace middle class men survive on the famous ‘Vada Pav‘ and the calorie conscious prefer ‘bananas’, both are the everyday energy source for this hard working men and you could hear chants or Kirtans of God sung by outmost enthusiasm with dholaks and that is how they find spiritual time in their schedule. Life is an everyday struggle for them; they all leave their homes in the morning with a hope to earn bread and butter for their family while their loved ones pray for their safety. For years it has been the same story for them, whether they hate it or don’t it; life leaves them with no option.

Check out this article on the BULLSEYE magazine!