On Jan 15 while on my way back from work travelling in a jam packed Virar local when I was squeezed between scores of travelers like me, with my saree crumpled, hair pulled, bag tugged at , with great difficulty me, my saree and my bag managed to safely alight at Virar and reach home, I started thinking what makes my love for this mode of transport so special. There began my flashback into the years taking me back to my experiences on this mode of travel then and now.

My earliest memories of travelling in local train was the bi-annual travel to CST station to catch our long distance train to Bangalore once or twice a year, and an occasional visit to Churchgate – Gate of way India or Juhu/Chowpatty Beach and occasional visits to relatives/family friends place. As kids we used to be excited to get on the train to see speeding trains whiz past by , the eager wait for Charni road station so that we can catch a glimpse of the majestic Marine drive and the Wankhede stadium. With my siblings we used to have a competition to memorize the names of the stations and their sequence of which one will come after which. Dad used to pitch in with his sense of humor with famous phrases like “Matunga – mein tera naak katunga “on the station of Matunga Road.

Was always excited at the thought of travelling in trains , used to be wide eyed with curiosity to observe the dusty railway platforms with those British style clocks, hustle and bustle of office goers, passengers rushing in train to catch a seat or a place to stand, the coolies tugging on heavy luggage at VT(Now CST) and Dadar stations, Serpentine queues at the ticket windows, Huge ceilings of the VT and Churchgate stations, the Dabbawallas with huge crates full of lunch boxes, Bhajan Mandalis in general compartment singing bhajans with their musical instruments accompanying their vocals, vendors with their wares especially in the ladies compartment, the eunuchs touching your head to bless you, the child beggars singing and playing the stone instruments, women travelling back home from office sitting down near footboard and pick on leafy vegetables to get them ready for dinner, women doing make up in the train to save those precious minutes in this fast life of Mumbai and excited families travelling long distance with their luggage.

It sure was an experience in itself.

Apart from few stray incidents of pick pocket of father’s wallet and moms bag it was a pretty pleasant memories of my childhood travel on train. Couldn’t wait to grow big and fulfill the dream of travelling on trains to my college which was seen as an ultimate sense of freedom for us kids born and brought up in Mumbai.

Felt the first sense of freedom when I started travelling alone in junior college that too almost the entire distance of Western Railway from Borivli to Churchgate. Then travelling Broivli to Dadar (Western Railyway), Dadar to Kurla (Central Railway) and Kurla to Vashi (Harbor line) for my Engineering college in Navi Mumbai. And now in past one decade travelling to work from Virar to Andheri primarily and everywhere else that my work takes me to. Have spent half of my life travelling in this locals!!!

Travelling in the second class ladies compartment in my college days was an life changing experience with women of all ages, different cultures, backgrounds and professions all traveling together, from school students to college students, bank professionals to media and hospitality, engineering to medical professionals, teachers and government servants. It used to be a mad rush what with the students travelling with their paraphernalia (comprising of architecture scales/scrolls, engineering equipment etc.) and heavier bags, vendors with their wares ranging from cosmetics, accessories to vegetables and fruits and professionals with their handbags, shopping bags and umbrellas in the rainy seasons. And how could I forget the fisher women (Kolis) with their prized catch shouting Macchhi Paani!! Machhi Paani (fish water – dripping from their baskets) to make way out/in the trains – convenient; eh!!! You could assured of an involuntary body massage replete with sweat, if not careful around fisher woman then a generous shower of the smelly fish laden vessel’s water, pokes, jabs, stamping of the toes and elbow/umbrellas hits for sure either/both way in the journey. Then the usage of deodorants were a rarity to add on top of that the humid weather of Mumbai, uggh!!

The seldom rail rokos /delays due to strikes called by political parties, train delays in rains were a minor glitch compared to highly efficient and economic mode of transport for Mumbaikars. You have to agree its our lifeline. It is the most fastest and such a convenient way to travel.

People travelling on the same train every day and getting in same compartment struck groups and had gala time gossiping (topics ranging from in-laws, to khadus (sadist) bosses, to friends turned foe 😉 , husbands and boyfriends, Political scenarios and Saas Bahu serials. Not that we deliberately overhear but they did speak so loudly that you couldn’t help but hear the conversations. Then we didn’t have mobile phones or music players earphones to keep ourselves occupied so people did speak to each other if not napping. These ladies would celebrate each other birthdays by sharing samosas, dhoklas, khandvi and Patra, celebrate Sankranti , Diwali , Navratri, Gudi Padva, Holi etc. festivals by sharing sweets, wearing beautiful sarees/Jewellery as per the color code and in general make this travel time a fun filled one.

Initially I didn’t know that you could book your seat , as in if you haven’t got a seat you ask around people who are sitting to check where they are getting down and if they are getting down at a station earlier than you then you can book that seat!! It’s called as claiming a seat in the local train lingo. It’s an unsaid expectation that when you are travelling from Churchgate to Borivli, and you have got a seat you should get up at Andheri and offer a seat to another fellow traveler who has been standing all the way from Churchgate. If you don’t you are sure get some stares and comments passed your way. It’s also a norm to offer seats to pregnant women if they are standing. Once while travelling to college I offered a seat to a lady thinking she was pregnant, but she said she wasn’t pregnant (Was so embarrassed that day 😉 lol).

When you have a such a huge gathering of women there is bound to be catfights!! Fights start over trivial ‘est of matters of how dare a fellow traveler ask you move couple of centimetres, how dare someone ask you to move in/out/shift a bit, how dare someone’s hair brushed your face, how dare someone’s purse touched/poked you. Have seen full on woman to woman fight with hair pulling, punching and pushing, trust me not a good sight especially to hearing them scream their lungs out at each other,and then someone would comment “How does your husband tolerate you” to woman whose is screaming away..much to amusement of the fellow travelers.

These are the same women who will rush to help you when in distress. I had donated blood for the first time in my third year engineering and while on way back I fainted in the train-a complete blackout. These unknown women (I was told later) tried their best to revive me by sprinkling water, massaging my palms and feet, till I regained my consciousness. No one got down in spite of reaching their destinations. They offered whatever sweets, water they had with them and they even dropped me home. This is the true spirit of Mumbai that we Mumbaikars feel for even perfect strangers. There have been innumerable instances when I have asked for help with luggage, queries etc. that perfect strangers have helped me with a smile on their face. Just a “bhaisaab please help kar denge” and people would help.

It was on these trains that the bookworm in me really came of age. Used my travel time to the fullest to explore the rags to riches stories of Jeffery Archer, Courtroom dramas of John Grishams, medical thrillers of Robin Cook, Mushy stories by Danielle Steele, Wilbur Smith, and others.

Travelling together everyday , I Struck some long lasting friendship on this journey fellow travelers became friends and confidantes.

This is a place that offers you anonymity in a crowd, allows you to be lost in an oblivion even when surrounded by hordes of people, to ruminate on the thoughts nagging you, to feel nostalgic, to recall memories and smile, to shed a tear with abandon not thinking of who will watch you or comment on you, to sing away with your friends, to catch a quick nap, to stare outside at the lush green landscape and hustle bustle blissfully lost in your thoughts, to strike a conversation with a complete stranger and talk as if you’ve known them all your life. This is what like most journeys helps build your character. It is here on this journey that I learnt some life altering lessons, which have held me in good stead not even in my personal life but at work as well. A story for some other time. It’s not without a reason that people call me a Mumbai girl!!!