Aamchi Mumbai...

Ahhh... it feels good to write something after a long time frame,.....off late , i was awfully too pre occupied with certain stuff that i almost forgot that i have a blog to update.......i know, not many are intrested in this creation of mine, but still for sake of few ones, i feel it a responsibility to scribble something or the other here....

Few days back, I boarded a Virar bound local train at 6.30 p.m.from Churchgate as i had to rush to Borivali urgently... I found a vacant seat and I grabbed on the opportunity and captured it with a sense of relief that I'll be one of the lucky one who'll be having a seat in virar bound local and that too at peak timing......train left chruchgate and stations started passing by. With every passing station crowd density started increasing. Finally Dadar arrived and a sudden rush was felt in the compartment. Uncountable no. of passengers boarded the train and very soon compartment got filled beyond it's capacity. Then started the hue and cry... everyone was pushing other fellow passengers and was jostling for space...and some short one were struggling to get breath as well;.... I again thanked my luck, finally i was very happy that i am not one of those...soon fellow passengers setlled/adjusted (which ever is applicable) and started chit chatting. There were a bunch of Marathi guys standing next to my seat. They started discussing topic of "Marathi Maanoos'". They pitched their views turn by turn, but the main emphais was on the point that people from other states are ruining "their" mumbai.... I suddenly felt that despite of what i feel about mumbai, and i am residing here from last 5 years, I am still an unwanted guest in a part of my country. I smiled at their views and nodded my head....

After couple of minutes Andheri arrived and few more passenger made their way into compartment which already was packed beyond it's capacity...and it was possible for them only after experience of a decade and few train buddies which helped them got into... now train was packed beyond it's capacity and i could see that train was so packed that one can't move even to itch his back or any lower part of his body, every body was standing like a fix statue in the manner he got adjusted a the time of boarding, with several hands grabbing a single hanging support. I thought that if i need to get off at Borivali, i should better make a move straight away as i have  the human "wall of china" to cross before a successful exit at borivali..... I rose from seat and suddenly many of the commuters jumped on the opportunity in a same way as a starved vulture attacks on its prey, pushing me aside.....i nodded my head in despair and looked at the middle aged guy staring at me as if i had committed a serious offence by not offering him the seat..... i asked him.. "kyaa aap borivali uternge (will u be getting off at Borivali)??. He annoyingly said "nahi (NO)" and paved way for my exit by forcibly adjusting himself. Now my target was the next person in line. I asked the similar question to him, he turned back and looked at me furiously. He replied "Saala, agar borivali utarna hai to virar kyun pakda, saala tum borivali waalon ke liye kitna train hai, phir bhi tum log virar main ghusta hai....". This process continued with I asking same question to every person in front of me and them replying alomst same answer with almost identical frowining gesture, till i got off at borivali. I was feeling like that I had committed a serious crime or has asked a lady her age in front of whole community. thankfully and luckily, I managed to get off at borivali station, with the help of some kind hearted guys who don't think in same ways as other.

I started walking at platform and thought.about mumbai... communities here are divided into hindu and muslim, Hindu's are divided amongst "Marathi Maanoos" and "Non Marathi maanoos", Muslims are already divided into "shia" and "sunni"....so on and on and on.... and now the latest victim for categorisation is "local train"...."Borivali" and "virar"...... seems like every body has misunderstood and happily accepted the word " Aamchi Mumbai (my mumbai)"


Best,
Abhishek