FIERY LIFE ON TRACKS

 This is my contribution to the indiblogger contest...

Sets You On Fire!

My early days in Mumbai
A Wednesday in the winter of November 2002

I had just joined my first job
All that I knew was basic computer controls , fluent Malayalam and bit of broken English...
It was only the second time that I am traveling in the local trains of Mumbai
The first time being my journey for my job interview...
I had very less train traveling experience
All that I knew was
VA stood for Vashi (my destination)...
and K stood for Kalyan.( my home city)...on the indicators

 

Every Mumbaikar must have had  fiery train experiences. Me being a beginner , never imagined the very first day of my job would turn out into a nightmare

all was well till the train reached Mankhurd railway station

At Mankhurd the train had an unexpected halt

Time-6.00 pm

passengers waited for the train to regain speed ....

sources said...there's a severe route problem hence trains will move after an hour or so

Time-7.30 pm

We waited...but still stuck at the same place

Commuters started moving away

some preferred to walk through tracks..then use the roadways

whereas some preferred making a queue at the nearest PCO ,unlike these days very few people carried mobile phones with them...and that too...the big ones locked inside the safe mobile cases..the call rated were not that cheap to lend your phone to the fellow passengers....

I prefered waiting.....

Only human existence inside the train was me...and a young school girl at the window...she was engrossed in some thoughts...she also seemed to be worried....but me...my situation was worst..I didnt even know whats happpening

I felt helpless...betrayed.......and more than that....LOST

I looked around....

The only person to be seen was the school girl...

I was worried.....I rested my elbows on my knees....hid my face in my palms....so that the girl wont see me crying...

yes I was crying...!!

Time - 9.00

I spotted a few ladies rushing inside the train

Dressed in bright colored sarees....polka dotted salwar kammez...dark faces with big red bindi adorning their forehead...big gajras around their decorated hair..

one of them approached me...

her lips were dark red which hid her yellow teeth all...sick of chewed tobbaco...

placing a pan into her mouth...

she asked me

" where do you want to go?"

"Kurla"

come with us....we will drop you there

I was already so stressed..and this lady who assured me to each me kurla safely...won my trus...

I got up from my seat

took my hanbag ...and followed them

uuuuff.....

someone had pinched me

the school girl

she indicated me ...not to go with them

I gave her a very weird look...the look meant...what bothers you? they are trying to save me...and you stopping me?? if you want to reach home take their help...or sit here....why stop me?

she must have understood that I am new...in this strange city...I never knew the dark perhaps the red part of the city.... these women were the prostitutes....for them I was just another prey...to their world of sex,,,money and dirt....

she said 

"mat jao...( dont go )"

By this time one of the women had grabbed my  right hand...she started pulling me !!!!

The school girl ,,she pulled my left hand... I was amidst a tug of war...I did not know what to be done...

  

All that I knew was that somethigs wrong.... 

I decided

Only way out

 I  screamed......at the top of my voice..!!!!!

This gathered many a men around us...

They screamed at those prostitutes....drove them away!!!!!!

perhaps I was saved...

but still trapped.... in the empty train again!!!!!

 Time - 10.30

Do you have money??

My savior asked me....now she wants money for saving me??.

I want to call my home...will you please lend me some money? 

I gave her some money...she went to the nearest PCO....I had no one to call for help...as I stayed as a paying guest with an old couple...I didn't expect them to come and rescue me

Time - 11.30

after some time...a man arrived...her father....

she went to him...said something in tamil...and turned to me

" You can come with us... I can leave you at Kalyan..." 

I decided to go with her....Nitya was her name....

Nitya's father took us to a tata sumo parked near the ticket counter...they comforted me in the vehicle...

I said to myself

" you are gone....they are taking you to a deserted island .....they will demand money from your parents...you are kidnapped"

I rejected the snacks offered by nitya... I doubted anesthesia in it ....

I was tired... I slowly drifted of to sleep...when I opened my eyes.. I found I was at kurla....

they helped me board a train to kalyan...and I reached kalyan safe...!!!!

Time - 1.30

I reached kalyan station....i couldn't take a rickshaw home...for I cannot trust anyone at this time of night....I ran....ran...stopped only when i reached the basement of my apartment.....I leaned against aparked maruti 800.... I started crying... perhaps... the tears that I controlled for so long couldn't stay any more,,,  

Ten years later..........

TRING........TRING TRING TRING

"hello??

Nitya??? hws u ?? "

TILL TODAY WE ARE GOOD FRIENDS..... SHE STILL CALLS ME AND  I AM ALWAYS THANKFUL TO HER...ALWAYS....!!!!