Mumbai Diary

How are you all?
Hope everything is fine at your end. Decided to write mail telling about my Mumbai experience...Its worth writing that's why..... Mumbai is place which will define life in a more broader perspective to all of us who go there from different parts. I came here by Netravadi express which reached Lokmanya station at 4: 45 pm, Augustine told me, he will come at 6 clock which eventually become 7 30 pm. I sat at the station bench for literally 2hours 45 mins...longest wait i ever done. But I was not annoyed with Augustine, because that long hours provided a great insight to the culture and life of people in Mumbai. We heard about people living in platforms in Mumbai. I did saw people sleeping at the top of shops situated in the platforms with stoves, dresses, cloth lines, beds. All platforms are covered with police with .567 rifles ( may be after 26/11) which will induce a security feeling for everyone. When the train comes, you cant imagine the rush..its like honeybees coming from the hove when disturbed.

Auto people in Mumbai is the best compared to all the other metros. They only take the meter charge and moreover give one rupee back, its a custom here.. (cant think of implementing that in Kerala). But for me..my first auto guy charged me 350 rs for the ride without meter... (exceptions are there everywhere). Reached Augustine's house at 9 30 pm, had a peaceful night. Next day woke up at 6 am because Augustine leaves at 7 30 train to his office which is in Bandra quite a distance from his home in Dehisar.
Rush in the bus was manageable, it was early so no problem with that. Reached station, Augustine told me to care about my wallet and phone...because this is Amchi Mumbai...people rob your shirt even when you were wearing it in local train. I was scared a bit and was very cautious. Augustine himself has lost his mobile in train..and today is my first day in hell...(i thought)....

When the train came ....Augustine was like a monkey, the next thing I saw is our Augustine hanging in the rod of the moving train and jumping in to it...I stood there simply with my mouth opened...For your info, every local train will stop in a station for just 30 sec..in that 30 sec, u may lose your wallet, phone or even your life....That 30 sec decides the many lives of Mumbaikars, reaching office at time...reaching the business places..so cant complain folks.

I was somehow pushed to the train,,,by some generous 6 foots was relieved with the thought the first step is over...But the biggest and the riskiest is to alight from train...:). My station was before Augustine's station,, Augustine told me to move to the door before reaching my station...seriously folks..in the full fledged rush in the train..you cannot literally move you finger and if your two foots are on the ground, you are really lucky.

I was just 2 feet away from the door...but still couldn't reach it. But somehow i was pushed to the platform by some sanyasis who do their prayers of no other place than this local trains....

I was rouged, nearly mutilated..my tuck-in shirt barely lost its last ordinal button.. But I was Happy that I am Alive....

Love

Das


Next: Getting a place to sleep in Mumbai Nagariya....

PS: My new mobile no in my mail signature..please save it..don't have enough money to call everyone..my new home robbed all of it. :)