Letters to Manipur (Part 3)

Dear Manipur,

Today while trying to get into a crowded local train (local train is an important means of transport in Mumbai), I realized that Mumbai may be falling apart reasons being its ever increasing population, I being another addition, but the spirit in which Mumbai goes on is commendable and a huge learning experience. Coming back to local trains, it stops in every station for about 30 seconds to sometimes 1 minute and most of the times, all the compartment comes crowded starting from the first station itself. From beyond the first station, nobody expects to get a seat to sit but the least expectation is to be able to get inside or else wait for the next train. Usually the frequency is about 3 mins. Most of the times, for a person like me, who is afraid to hang out from the train, I end up leaving minimum 2 to 3 trains, just to get into one. It is one of the craziest thing for an outsider but for the people of Mumbai, this is what most of the people goes through every morning and in the evening to reach a destination. The story of roads and traffic is another story in itself and I will tell you about it some other day.

I realized, many people end up making friends in the train. People target for a specific time to catch a train and a group of friends who became friend in the train itself, tries their best to catch that particular train. It is one of the most amazing trend I have seen in Mumbai. They share food, plan for outings together, gossip, talk about fashion trends and the list never ends. In one's hectic life, somehow these group of friend manages to laugh and giggle. Isn't it beautiful and something to learn. Life goes on for Mumbai people and yes as many have said before, Mumbai never stops.

Well talking about friends, there is also another side to the story. In the morning, while everybody is rushing to their work place, hanging out of local trains, there are another set of people, mostly slum dwellers and street people, whose toilets are beside the railway tracks. While they are answering to their morning nature call's, they, I guess like to watch the train pass by. It is recommended, you don't look out of the window, that is if you can see the window from inside the crowded train. I have also sometimes, while listening to a beautiful song, forgetting that I'm in a local train, look out and see what?????, two people facing each other and chit chatting while answering to their nature's call together. I guess friendship is much stronger when it comes to sharing personal spaces.

On that a huge LOL (laugh out loud), on my adventure of trying to reach office and getting home, I felt the urge to tell the story to you. Will come back with more. As always missing you.

Love from Mumbai