Sunday, August 17, 2014

Of Trains,Buses,Cabs and phew a train

Wow,

It has been almost two years, Since the last time i wrote a post. Lots of things have changed which has contributed to this, i moved out to Ahmedabad from Chennai 18 months back and have been living on my own, which is giving me truck loads of learning.   

Ahmedabad's proximity to Bombay has often tempted to me make the overnight journey and enjoy the sinful desire known as Bombay City. A city which still fascinates me every time for its ability to contort people and then yet show a straight line. The city has too many memories etched with me, There have always been great incidents/stories every time i have had to leave Bombay. The first one 12 years back was when i reached the station ahead of time for the train but my parents could not come due to traffic to the one last year where i realized people in Govandi forget traffic rules after 10 PM  and ensured i ran into the station with 3 mins to spare and boarded a moving train.  


This time it was even more interesting, I had gone to Bombay for performing the essential rituals of Yajur Upakarma over the Weekend((9th,10th and 11th August), I like to put myself through a period of abstinence leading up to these three days, essentially trying to cleanse body, mind and soul. The three days of Upkarama where extremely fruitful and under the guidance of learned individuals i was elated that i could do it properly. The third day which was Monday i had taken off from work and planned to finish the rituals in morning and board a train in the afternoon so that i could reach Ahmedabad by Night and with a proper sleep i could be fresh for work on Tuesday. 

Things were all going as per plan and my Train was at 1.40 PM from Bombay Central and i was in New Bombay. I planned and left from Nerul station by  boarding the 11.30 am slow local hoping to get down at Sandhurst road by 12.30 and from there take a Taxi to Bombay Central. Things were going as per plan when suddenly my intuition stuck that something is not going right and Viola, the train stopped just before the Mankhurd Station for 5 mins and then later reached Mankhurd station where there was an announcement that because of a power cable cut all trains were stopped. There was my reality check and i came out hoping to catch a taxi, None of the taxi drivers were ready to come and then to compound the misery the clouds opened up and it started pouring. It was 12.15 and i still did not know what to do, By God's grace i spotted an NMMT bus going to Dadar which was caught in traffic at that junction, i sprinted like if there were 3 rabid dogs behind me and did not bother about the rain  my hope was reaching Dadar quickly and from there taking a taxi to Bombay Central. I was then praying to all the god's (Do note in Hindu Mythology there are 330 Million Gods :D) who could help me in reaching quickly, i was hoping for no traffic delay at Chembur and then at the dreaded Sion Junction, Thankfully it was clear and i reached Dadar by 12.45, this gave me reassurance as it takes only 20 mins from Dadar to Bombay Central and in 5 mins i found a Taxi and things were are all going as per plan till we got on the Flyover Near Grant road which was 3 Km Long flyover when suddenly the driver from the nearby taxi yelled at my driver saying that the rear right tyre was punctured. 

Boom suddenly the fear came back, i asked if he could drive till the end of the flyover from where i can get an alternate taxi, he reassured that he could change it in a jiffy and thus he took the tools and started working on the car and i had the ominous job of Indicating people that it was a stationary vehicle and they needed to take the nearby lane (Please note vehicles were cruising at 60-70 Km/Hr in that stretch) with the prayers i got my invigoration's, i did my work and was unscathed for the 10 mins in which the tyre was changed. The time was then 1.20 Pm and i was racing against the clock. I asked him to drive quickly and he raced through the lanes of Byculla streaming past bulls and goats and reached the station at 1.34 Pm i quickly gave the money and ran towards the platform just to realize that my seating compartment where i had a seat was the first from the locomotive meaning i had to cover at least another 1500 meters to check if my name was there on the list and then board the train. I ran like never before and reached the compartment and checked my name, i looked at the watch and it was 1.39. I quickly boarded the train and as i sat down it chugged and started on its way, I took a sip of juice to quench my thirst and reduce my tension, there was an immense happiness in catching and a chuckle remembering the experience.      

Amongst all the chaos there were frantic calls coming from Work and Home which i answered showing little insight of the stress.

P.S: I believe it was divine intervention which helped me catch the train. When i was stuck in Mankhurd in the downpour, i was standing outside a shop and they had a fairly large Sai Baba statue. I prayed to Sai for help and he surely did help me. 

Cheers 
Arvind !!

Thank you for reading my blog

Thank you for reading my blog