Secret Spy Diaries #Wattys2016

Churchgate

India made me realise how busy and crowded railway stations can be. I f I had to to write a book on the different types of personalities , I would definitely choose these railway stations as my observation centres. Plus, since India is an extremely diverse country,as Rupali cited this morning, writers of all those personality improvement books would definitely find a lot of soup for their souls in India. And who knows, they might even discover a whole new personality type here.

Anyway, as me and Nat made our way through the surging crowd on Churchgate railway station, it made me realise that local trains were a major means of transport in Mumbai.

There were trains almost every minute. It would come chugging downto the platform, when all the people holding on to their dear life ;by clutching just the handle bars near the doors or the ones standing on the aisle between the two continuous rows of seats;would pour out like coffee beans pouring out from a hole in the sack. After this continuous outflow from th etrains,the people on the platform would surge in to grab a seat. And then, when the train is packed to more than its capacity, it takes off again. And the surprising thing is that this entire process is completed in less than a minute.

We should probably call the Guiness book of world records.

These trains seem to erase all the class-related boundaries in India. Corporates in grey suits travel in the same compartments as clerks do. People are so busy thinking and worrying if or not they will reach their destinations on time, that they forget the actually non-existent but otherwise obvious class related boundaries.

It takes me a while to figure out how this place works. And the ever increasing amount of crowd doesn't help either. All the doubts I had regarding India being a populated country vanish. But most of the time, I concentrate on not letting Nat's hand go, which, inspite of the crowd, I have managed to keep holding. I am sure my death grip is cuttinf her circulation off, but I dont think she minds. Both of us are too busy too busy to bother about such trivial things.

Note the sarcasm.

Then suddenly, another train comes up on the platform, and I feel myself being pushed towards it by the people who want to board it. Now its even harder to walk, as now we are going against the flow. I am praying to all that is holy to give us the strength to overpower, I dont know, maybe two hundred people?

After what seems like ages, me and Nat are out of the crowd, still miraculously breathing and alive. While I am panting for air, Nat's eyes are shining with excitement. I know she has enjoyed this.'

"Well, that was fun.." I say, dryly.

"Oh come on! you are overreacting. You are just afraid of the crowds because of the little incident at your dad's office. But Jen, that was ten years back! grow up! " she admonishes.

The thought still gives me creeps. I was barely 16 and was at my dad's office, trying to lnd up on a summer internship. And then suddenly, there was a fire alarm and everyone started rushing out, almost causing a stampede. Even though my dad assures me that there were not more than fifty people in there, I am still a bit scared of crowds.

Snapping back to reality, I look back to Nat. "It wasnt a little thing." I say "There were fifty people in there! anything could have happened! And here there are much more! How can I not feel claustrophobic?"

Nat seems a bit taken aback by my sudden outburst. But her composed eyes bore into mine, and she says in a calm voice "Alright, now can we go investigate?" 

I nod, quite sheepish of my sudden fow of emotions.

We go to this counter which has 'ENQUIRY' written over it. It probably means railway enquiry, but Nat gives it a shot.