There are times when I feel a sudden urge to write but I do not know what! So this is one such post where the mind is blank, the heart craves for a good write-up and the brain (poor fellow) is probably frantically trying to come up with something – anything!!
I am (at this point) reminded about my travel zone for the last 2 years,I call it "My Travel Saga"! I have been residing in Andheri since a long time now and believe it to be a very good place, no matter what others say or feel about it. And my college which is located at New Bombay (re-named Navi Mumbai, however I prefer the earlier version) is a good 2 hour travel. And I can proudly claim to use all modes of transport to reach my destination. It goes like this: Rick-Bus-Train-Rick. If there was a bullock cart, am sure I would have used that as well!!
Kurla was my station in these 2 years time, and will be so for a couple of months more. For all those, who do not know about this happening place, it is this superbly crowded area; Even a time as early as 8 in the morning, you will see throngs of people and will have to keep saying “Excuse-me” with a supreme effort to move ahead! Not to mention, the place also has a not-so-good reputation of pick-pockets and chain-snatchers. My mother dearest was really worried about my safety; however I have so far successfully managed this gruesome task with care. (Minus an incident where once my bag was pulled so badly and I lost my Tupperware lunch-box with yummy food while getting into this train!!)
So I manage to reach my college after a battle! It starts in the bus, god-forbid if it is a crowded one, I stand for quite some distance. The 8 min walk from the bus-stop to the platform is not that good either with cheap looking men leering or ogling at you. Though many a times I have had the urge to slap someone, I have so-far controlled myself. No, am no contender for Nobel Peace Prize though!! Once, I travelled in the second class when my first class pass was being made – I was beautifully sandwiched between 2 huge fisher-women! Needless to say, all I wanted to do after that was take a shower, and the only thing that came to my rescue was my deo (how I love it). Its even worse on my return route – with crowd 10 times than what it is in the mornings!! And then the train……It is really strange that when am on the bridge I miss a train, the one I want and then wait for a good 10-15 mins for the next one. By the time I reach college - I am obviously late. I have reached a point of saturation by trying to explain to the professor my plight. :(
I have been at home now, as college is not very regular and though I do not miss the travel, I do have some memories about the station by now. Like the picture of this old blind woman, in an orange saree and green blouse would always wait at the bridge asking for alms. Then there are those familiar faces you see in the train, the cat-fights between women (not uncommon), this young girl who walks with a limp again begging for alms, the mehandi shops outside the station, the conductors who by now know my schedule, it is a long list!
I guess I will have these memories in my head for a long time though secretly I am glad I do not have to travel more than 4 hours a day on a regular basis!!
