Everyday is a new day! Live with surprise!

                The early morning I found my maternal uncle with whom I headed towards the station. When we arrived and started climbing the bridge, he suddenly saw a local standing on 2^nd platform. He said,” Hahaha! Chintan your train has arrived so early.”

I said, “Don’t worry. It’ll be empty enough.”

               

                When I started moving towards the local, I found it wasn’t mine. It was actually an extra  Churchgate bound fast local that was allotted for today! It was empty! When I saw it, the motorman whistled and started it. I ran towards it and caught the last coach of the local. Found a peaceful window seat and kept reading the Mumbai Mirror. There were few people in local and I was wondering whether it would go to Yards. Soon it reached Mira Road. Mira Road is another place of human fair where the biggest job is to catch a train and to alight from train. When they saw this local, they went mad seeing it empty. They were laughing, they went crazy. One of them said,” Oh yes! Come and have seat. It’s totally empty! Hey you, come down. Even window seats are empty!”

                Surprised commuters were happy to travel by sitting after a long time. Meanwhile the commuter sat in front of me said, “It is from Bhayander, isn’t it?” I replied,” Yes.”

                He said, “It’s a first occasion in the last 10 years when I have got seat here.”

                So sad! The people are used to the condition they’re living with. No worry, no complains and no excuses. The people of Mumbai are known to get themselves adjusted in any situation. Why not? Mumbai local is the example of it. The comments continued after Mira Road, Dahisar, Borivli & Andheri.

·         Is it Sunday?

·         No, Even Sundays have more commuters than today.

·         Is it a National Holiday?

·         Is there a curfew?

·         Was there any Blast?

I got a surprise on a comment when someone said, “Has the world ended already? This local is empty!”

All good things to those who wait. But who waits and who gains?

                I believe the Mumbai Mirror as my best companion, except the column it publishes, Ask the Sexpert. Have you ever read it? I bet you will laugh reading those stupid questions. Pradeep is one of my morning local friends who showed me the captioned picture of the question today in his WatsApp, asked few days ago to the expert sexpert. It was asked by a boy. And the question was…

“I heard that something like citric acid prevents birth. Can I squeeze a lemon and pour the liquid in my girlfriend’s vagina before sex to prevent pregnancy?”

                I went out of control today morning and started laughing. Passengers started staring me with surprise! But still I kept laughing again. I am very loyal to the news paper, not because of the particular article Ask the Sexpert. I believe they all are imaginary questions raised by the answerer. I am very much addicted by the newspaper. Constantly keeping an eye on to the events taking place around the city. Good news hit my eyes today when I read about the Vashi GRP police nabbed a bag snatcher. Remember Aarti Gholapkar??? A 42 year old woman who succumbed to her injuries a month ago when a bag snatcher tried to pull her bag from moving local and she fell from the train, colliding her head with the electric pole, and went brain dead. She died within two days leaving her only 20 year old daughter behind. Now the criminal is under the custody of GRP railway police. The police are forced to make several changes after the incident of Aarti Gholapkar. They are feared whether the incident will be repeated and another Aarti Gholapkar loses her life. I believe they must be happy nabbing the culprit. Here is the rest about him.

                The man lives in a slum area. It has been almost a month since the incident has taken place. He stole Aarti’s mobile and didn’t switched on for a month fearing about the police. But he didn’t know that the police were still on a run to catch him. Yesterday when he switched on Aarti’s phone, the cops knew immediately and tracked the location. The team reached the location within no time and arrested the man and charged with a murder case. The man was surprised to be charged with murder and his statement was, “I haven’t killed anyone. I did not know the woman was died. I pulled her body because I was feared if she would run over by other train passing by near tracks. I stole mobile phone because I have no money. I had been searching for job here and there but couldn’t succeed. My six year old daughter was starving. I needed food for her & I promised her this would be my last robbery.”

                I remember the Mother Gothel from the animated Disney movie Tangled. Do you know her famous dialogue, “All good things to those who wait”? So here, who waited and who got the benefit? Did some patience of a man, whose daughter was starving, could survive him doing a robbery? Or the cops who waited and successfully nabbed him finally. Good thing to the cops, bad thing to the six year old daughter, bad thing for Aarti Gholapkar and worse thing for Aarti’s 20 year lone daughter. May god bless Aarti’s soul resting in peace and let’s pray for her 20 year old daughter who has to survive with immense struggle.

                “NOBODY WAITS AND NOBODY GAINS…..”

Lost time on a "Fastrack" local

Madam is away from city and made me pretty busy in my business. My owner called me in office and requested me to prepare a report. Getting myself involved in the activities makes me very happy. As a Monday was quite busy, I usually left office at 6 PM to catch Bhayander bound local. It was huge crowd and I really do not know from where people are coming? I don’t know what is gonna happen to Mumbai after 2 years? People are increasing immensely yet no option is provided except locals and BEST. Well Metro is still a dream for us!

I boarded the local pushing all the passengers to get the seat. I easily got it. But someone from the right front shouted, “Someone has lost his watch. It is lying on the floor near the door.” I kept listening and thought, “Oh! A poor guy has lost his watch. Now it is stolen.” Again someone shouted, “Anyone who has lost his watch, collect it.” Suddenly I checked my wrist and said,” Oh! It’s my watch. I have lost my watch!” I could not believe that I was so eager to get a seat that I wasn’t even thinking about it. Not just me, the commuters who saw the watch, didn’t want to get up to collect it or steal it fearing the loss of their seat! I went and picked up my costly Fastrack watch lying on the floor with broken belts, got run over by many commuters. I was not in mood to get upset, and so I decided to go and eat “Gaanthiya” at one of the most famous Farsan Marts in Bhayander names “Patel Farsan Mart” He sells typical “Gaanthiya” which are made only after order. He serves them hot with green hot chutney and red sweet chutney along with semi fried salted green chilies. I, Sunil and his little daughter joined there.

The monsoon has gone but as I told before, “It hasn’t been stopped.” Indeed, it hasn’t been stopped yet. As soon as I came from West to East, the rain started heavily. Like the auto drivers turn into the Gods in the evening, I waited for an auto. I got it but the rain left me in spoiled situation once again. It’s hard, Mumbai rain is unstoppable! Now it has been a nightmare of mine. I see horrible dreams while sleeping how the rain is disturbing the city. Back in Gujarat which is having sudden rainfall, has definitely harmed the standing crops, trains are cancelled and one of a boy who passed away last day in Gundlav GIDC coming in contact with High Tension line which burst his body, it’s very sad knowing that. It’s a rare occasion when rain is continuously falling even after its official season is over.

Next Station, Andheri.

Andheri is another place where you can see 24 hour human fair. People do not enjoy but remain busy in the streets or near the stations. If, you’re stopped, either you’re pushed or you may listen Maa Bahen, unless you’re a girl. You know towards women, men have such mentality. I believe. I was taking the Andheri bound local from Churchgate at 6:38. I was waiting for it on platform No 2 of the Churchgate premises. Far away, someone raised hands in the air on platform No 1. I saw my maternal uncle calling me to come there. He asked me in the sign language where I was going. Instead of shouting and being the object of an attraction, I raised my hand towards the large indicator showing “A- 6:38- S”

               

                He knew where I was going. He along with my entire friends took 6:33 local and I caught 6:38. As soon as their local departed, he immediately called me,

“Chintan. Why are you going there? Come in 7:05 local, I am arranging for you what you are searching here and there. If you go Andheri, you will not able to come home due to rush.”

I said, “Anything for dad.”

He said,” Okay Chintan. Take care.”

                Dads are very important in life I must say. Sudden illness of my dad has made everyone worried. I believe it’s all because of the chaos that had created in past few years in my hometown Gujarat. It is worst place to live on earth. The people living there, their thinking, their mentality have been destroyed. And that is the only reason why dad has put himself in such condition deliberately, under the treatment of Mumbai based doctor whose advised medicine is unavailable in Gujarat nor I am able to find in any store based in Fort and even in the Byculla Pharmacy, one of the biggest chemists in Central suburbs. So I went to the place where my mom instructed. I got down and went towards the direction. I found them and later returned to the Andheri station.

                There was huge crowd outside the premises of the station. I bought a Vadapav to satisfy my empty stomach and headed towards platform No 8, where Vasai Bound train was arriving at 8:25. You know Vasai Local, my girlfriend, blah? I saw a man selling LALBAUG CHA RAJA’s idols in just 10 Rs which was lightning in the night and many people were gathered to buy it, saw an old blind lady playing harmonium and begging, few women selling vegetables and arguing with customers over bargain. Yeah Democracy! I saw huge crowd even on platform number 8 when I reached there and waited for it. When it arrived, people rushed into the local pushing everyone who was coming in their way. I aboard it last and stood near the door quite peacefully. Soon, it was jam packed. I thought I could not be able to get down in the Bhayander, but I made it easy again. I reached home but Pavitra Rishta was over. I was watching the stupid serial named Qubool Hai, a rubbish TV serial in the entire nation. Being away from Facebook, I accessed it last night whether any message was arrived. I was surprised to see one message was blinked.  It was from Pamela Sinha Mathur! She is no one but the author of the novel “Of Love and Lovers”. Well after reading the book, I left her message on her Facebook profile for giving her my compliment. And she thanked me for the same.

I got so happy that I even forgot how I was tired roaming here and there since the day before Visarjan. Being messaged by one of the biggest authors is quite big thing for me as they all are my idols!

Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya

Now it's time when we finally say 'bye' to the Lord with trunk. Obviously for this year. He will come next year with more joy and peace. Today is my holiday on Visarjan. Many MNC units have full working day today. My excitement for Ganesha wasn't over and last night I decided to visit more Pandals near my office. Meanwhile I sent SMS to Deepika. Asked her to meet in the evening time. As soon as I left office, I called her. She told me she would leave office around 6:30 and her mother had called her to come early to finish their last rituals in Pandal. You might think who is Deepika? Okay let me describe the lady with a diamond heart. If you have any doubt in mind about this girl, then you're a complete piece of crap. Yes. She is no one but god gifted daughter. I met her as my junior colleague in ex office. She was the simplest girl who never came out from her home until graduation. She doesn't like crowd, noise, food, chocolates, smartphones, western wardrobes. When she was selected she got doubt whether she could continue job or not. She lives near the reputed Sidhdhivinayak Temple in Dadar West, from where she completes the walking distance to Parel to survive from the huge crowd of Dadar! She doesn't know what is WhatApp, what is Facebook. When her phone rings, she annoys. If her mom calls she says,"Mummy. I am all right. Please don't keep calling me. I will throw this phone." For a couple of days, she commuted by ticket. She had pretty worrying face, confused, lack of self confidence was clearly seen on her face. Within the two days I assure her to make her a stronger girl in the city. I gave her enough energy and assured her to save from any trouble. And third day, finally she got a seasonal ticket from Dadar-CST. She came to me. She was a little girl but I always treated her with immense respect and love. 

I asked,"What happened Ma'am? Is there any problem?" She was the first girl who never called me with respect. Instead of an employee, she considered me as friend more. She always called me only "Chintan". That was the best thing for me. 

She said,"Look Chintan. I have got a season ticket from Dadar to CST." 

"Oh! ma'am I thought you were in trouble or something." I replied. 

She said,"No Chintan. This is the first time ever I have bought a season ticket. I have never commuted in locals before. You know I am so happy and excited today." I was seeing her with surprise and told her not to worry about anything. I was always there for her and she agreed for this job because of me as I was caring her like a child. Deepika is a pretty little girl with huge heart. I can not describe her in few words but I am feeling proud of her parents because they have got such a diamond like princess as their daughter. I bet you might find a girl like Deepika in the entire Mumbai city. God gave me an opportunity to treat her, make her strong, bring confidence in her soul and able to walk in the busy streets of Mumbai city. Today, I am successful doing it. She is always a blessed child, nothing can happen to her. That's my wish that one day, she will be a part of any government office like her dad. And she will do it I know. When I left that office, she gave me a piece of paper on which she had painted beautiful design. I always keep it with myself. I miss her but never call her because I know when her phone rings she annoys. And I really do not want to be the reason for the same. But she calls me often and taunts," Chintan, you forget me. You never call, everytime, I have to call you." 

So I was busy going into the Pandals and suddenly my phone rang,  

"Rangin parodh aavi, khushiyo sang laavi, harkhaye haiyu haaye, haaye.." 

I saw Deepika was calling and said,"Chintan, I am on my way to CST. Please tell me where do I come?" I got sad as I was at the Bombay Stock Exchange. I told her to go to home as she was getting late. And I kept on visiting. The beautiful idols were to be immersed next day and the devotees were coming to see the lord with faith in their heart. I visited Fort cha Raja, Fort Cha Chintaharan Ganesha, Fashion Street Cha Raja. As it was the last day, the pandals were arranging various programmes in the night. Bhajan Mandlis, little children dance competition etc. I took 8:41 pm Virar bound slow local from Churchgate thinking that I could easily get down at the Bhayander station. But soon, there was huge crowd gathered. When the local reached Borivli, the people came in like a storm. Somehow I manage to go down towards the door and easily got down at 10:30. Again I was starving and I went to the well known hotel near station "Prashant". It was my first lone date in Mumbai after constant visits in Gurgaon based dhabas on NH 8 accompanied by Anil, my Delhi base friend. I ordered Paneer Masala and Tandoor Roti. Completing the dinner, I went towards home thinking that the biggest festive season is over. Even though he is going, but he will keep protecting the Mumbaikars, keep blessing them and make life of each person proper. People will keep watching the pictures, videos of their own Ganesha till the next year and faithfully pray the God. The people, the police, the politicians and the god have again successfully completed the festival today. Millions of devotees are going towards the "Chopati", will immerse their lord into the sea of Mumbai. The god will disappear in the waves of Mumbai sea. But will never disappear in our hearts which is saying, 

"Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya"