Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan

After spending around 25 yrs in Bombay (I don't prefer to call it Mumbai), I would think I know all about the local trains here. However each time I travel by it, there is some new experience in store for me.

Bombay has 3 train lines, Central, Western and Harbour. Statistics say that around 2-3 million people travel on each line daily. Central and Western bearing the maximum load. I sometimes wonder where do all these people come from and where do they go.

The life of people in Bombay runs by the train time table. During office hours there will be a mad rush to catch the train. People will be standing in thousands on the platform, and when the train comes, all of them will try to get into the same train. Only the experienced ones manage to get in. Newbies end up getting pushed/slapped etc and might lose a shoe or chappal.

Another mystery is how all these people fit into the train. There will hardly be any place to stand. Make the mistake of lifting your leg and you can be sure that the place where your leg had been will be occupied by some other leg. Then you have no choice but to stand on one leg throughout the journey. It is just like praying to god by standing on one leg, the difference is, your prayers wont be answered and neither will you get any boon.

don't consider yourself lucky if you manage to somehow get a seat. First of all there will be 4 people sitting on a seat meant for 3. Moreover, 3-4 people will be standing between the little space between seats. And yeah, forget about the fans working. Try to give a slight hint that you are about the get off at the next station and you will notice every person standing around you becoming alert and ready to grab the seat which you vacate. I sometimes do this for fun :)

If you thought getting into the local train is difficult, try getting off from it. I once managed to get off 2 stations after my desired destination. Not that I had a choice. I realized that if you want to get off at some station, be sure to come near the exit door atleast 2 stations before it. That is however easier said than done.

There is entertainment too. You will most definitely find a street urchin trying to earn money by displaying his singing talent. Then there are the enterprising salesmen who will try to sell anything from a pen to a ear bud at ridiculous rates.

I want to go on and on writing about this topic, but a very long blog is seldom read by anyone. As it is my writing doesn't attract a lot of comments. I hope people will share their interesting experiences regarding the Bombay local trains.