I know every Mumbaikar is well known with this line, and in the current pandemic when Mumbai’s lifeline, our local train is shut, all of us missing this badly.
Mumbai local trains are a must part of every localite. Without this, our life will be haywire, like nowadays we are feeling. As trains are not working for the general public (only essential workers are allowed recently), roads are filled with vehicles, traffic jams everywhere and it is time-consuming.
Trains ki to baat hi alag hai. That train friend groups, small parties, celebration of every festival, and how can we forget about Navratri’s nine color dress code celebration. Shopping from small vendors.
That small (sometimes big) quarrels, arguments are very interesting, claiming seats, adjusting our big sit on that mini 4th seat, and telling “ aur thoda sarko, yaha pe to char jan bethate hai.”
Very intersreting line in every argument is “ gardi hai to dhakka to lagega na, itna hai to first class mai jane ka”
We met lots of different types of aunties in this train travel, some are caring aunties – “beta, undar aajao door pe mat khade raho, achese rod ko pakdo, me bag pakadu kya tumhari?”
Some are angry aunties, “Sidhese khade raho, khud ka pressure mere upar mat dalo”. Some are khandani aunties, “Ghar mai yahi sikhate hai kya, bado se kese bat karna hai pata nahi kya”
Some are socialistic aunties, “ ye aaj kal ke bache pura din mobile pe, train mai to mobile chodo, but bolega kaun inhe?”
I remember one of my train experience, While coming back from office in the late evening, it was actually late, so, fortunately, I got a seat in the train, which is in kitchen compartment (it’s not actually kitchen, if you are a daily traveler of Mumbai local you will understand – small side compartment in the main three-compartment is known as kitchen compartment in Mumbaikars language), there was one lady who is mentally disturbed, she was talking to herself, but we did not have guts to look or tell her anything. We were busy with our mobiles. Suddenly she snatched the mobile from a girl who was seated next to her and thrown it down, “what you are doing in that tiny stuff whole day, not looking and talking with anyone, you just keep your head in this stupid thing”, that lady was screaming loudly, and in the reaction, everyone in that compartment including me quietly kept there mobile in their bags, as we do not want our turn to be the next.
Most of my non-Mumbaikar friends ask me, how are you traveling on that crowded train, don’t you feel fear? I just say them, “YAAR, YE TO HAMARI LIFELINE HAI, WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS, you travel with these ones, and I bet you definitely in love with this”
Though the part of the essential service I am traveling by train nowadays also but, WO MAJJA NAHI JO DAILY TRAVELING MAI THA. I miss my friends. I pray to Ganpati Bappa, take us out from these Corona things, and make our life normal.
I know most of you also have the interesting experience of train travel, do share with me; after all, sharing is caring.
Lots of love, stay healthy, stay safe.
❤