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75

Poetry

JOURNEY IN A MUMBAI LOCAL

Sheetal Agarwal

She blazes into the crowded railway station, adding to the hustle, declaring “on your marks, get set, go”. Eager eyes spot her from a distance, arms and legs brace up for the action sequence. Those far, sprint to reach their position, crossing bridges, and tracks alike. Few passengers alight and onboard her, even before she halts completely. “Avoiding the crowd”, “seizing a preferred seat”, they reason. Once she halts, herds of people wrestle each other, some alighting, some onboarding, some newbies just swaying away with the crowd. Heart beats race, temperatures swell, cuss words and fist fights fill the space. Once inside, the situation is no different. Sweaty bodies drip the crisply ironed clothes, hair combed nicely often comes undone. Comfort zone, all passengers seek, whether they stand or find a seat. Hawkers sell everything under the sun, musical melodies of the blind – belittle the noise.
The wise ones stand out, like oases in a desert. Spreading small smiles, helpful gestures. Nudging a bit more, accommodating the fourth seat passenger. Giving up their seat for the weaker, the older. Quelling others’ thirst for water or local news. And then there are the dreamers. Escape route from this noise they find. Their neighbour nudges them awake when it’s time.
As passengers prepare to alight, they have created impressionable marks in many minds, unbeknown to them. These memories are cherished for times prolonged.

dhobi ghat*
hanging from trains
autumn leaves

*Laundry bay

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