Aur Ek Abhimanyu……..

Mumbai Local trains has a world of its own. A world that runs by the time of the train indicator for everybody associated with it. A world where a minute difference can cause you unmanageable delay. A life line which is cursed by everyone and not many can live without it. We Mumbaikars have a love-hate relationship with Local trains. We know that they are old, dirty and crowded but we are also sure that they are the fastest route to get anywhere in Mumbai, always preferred over the crowded traffic stopping Mumbai roads.

Its no wonder that the trains are mostly crowded. A Non-Mumbaikar will find it difficult to really understand how the system works but a little bit of courage and determination and a little practice and you are a pro.

Sometimes even we Mumbaikar also find it difficult to get in and out of train.

As I made my way to platform number 1 of Andheri to board the 6:32 PM train to Borivali, I knew that I was already late because the train had entered the platform. Getting in the train is a time-bound exercise. Right from the time when the train slows down to the time it starts leaving the station, the time to board and get down is just a matter of seconds.

The first rule of boarding the train is to be standing on the platform when the train enters the platform. The first rule of getting down is being prepared to push and jump even before the train had stopped on the platform. The day you forget these rules, you would be making the extended trip to the next stop whether you like it or not or would be waiting for the next train to chug in.

As I waited for the train to stop, I was already behind 2 rows of people. I knew that getting this local was going to be difficult if not impossible. Before the train stopped, people had already started pouring out of the compartment. Andheri is a main station and there are more than the normal number of people getting down.

By the time the train stopped, most of them were already managed to get down on the platform but there were some who were at the end of the line inside the compartment. As the train stopped, those who wanted to get down at Andheri but could not get down in the moving train were trying to get down.

At the same time, people started boarding the train little caring if everybody had come out. The two groups met at the door and then started the struggle to get on the other side. Almost everybody was out except a young man who was fighting his way out. As people tried to get in, he was trying to get out.

As the seconds started ticking both the group were getting desperate. The outside people were shouting “Chalo Andar” (get in) and the young man was shouting “arre utarne do” (let me get out)

I had given up any attempt to get in and was amused watching the struggle. I was laughing while both the group jostled with each other. He was like Abhimanyu trying to get out of the chakravyuha frantically moving his hands around trying to swim against the sea of people desperately trying to get out of train and all the while shouting “Arre utarne do, utarne do”. The people were the enemy desperately trying to get in pushing him inside the train and shouting “Chalo chalo andar”

Finally he pshed and shoved and did manage to get out along with his bag and complete himself and looked back at the crowd. Nobody was looking at him as if he was never a ‘part’ of them. They were still pushing for that every inch of space shouting “Chalo andar”. He walked away quite shaken and I couldn’t hide a sheepish grin trying hard not to laugh.

It not good to laugh at someone’s plight but it was really a funny situation with desperation reaching its zenith. I was just “Samay” watching the fun. The fast Mumbai life does give you a source of amusement provided you are not at the receiving end.

In Hindu mythological story, Mahabharat, Abhimanyu died trying to get out of a army formation (chakravyuha) because he knew getting in but did not know his way out. Today this Abhimanyu found his way out because he knew his way in and could fight his way out.