Having stayed 3 years in Mumbai, which is popular for its Rains and Bollywood, this is the most interesting encounter with the former, I ever had. There is a simile drawn to Mumbai rains and Mumbai girls which no one can assure as to when they will come or go. Similar, is the case with Indian Railways which has been notorious for always reaching the destination on the ‘Indian Standard Time.’ If you combine them, you get a ‘timeless’ symbiosis of unreliability.
Moving on to the incident, I was coming back from my hometown Nasik by train. The train which I boarded was Kamayani Express. Although, this train was running really late I was optimistic in not expecting a further delay. As I entered the train I was happy to see lot of empty seats as I didn’t have a booked ticket. Today, the atmosphere had been festive as Anna Hazare had emerged victorious in his campaign of ‘India Against Corruption.’ I was feeling satisfied being a supporter and an agitator. I was anxious to see if the feeling of anti-corruption had dissolved to the grassroots and if the Ticket Checker will ask me for a bribe.
The journey commenced and I started enjoying home food. I was happy that the train was moving at a good speed although the monsoon started becoming fierce with the distance we covered. Finally, We reached Igatpuri and then 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 35 minutes but the train didn’t budge. I was unsure if I was going to make it to my friend’s Birthday surprise in Bandra before midnight. After 40 minutes the train started moving only to stop after 5 minutes and this ordeal continued. Infact, the amount of time the train stopped was more than it actually moved. My friends and family, became worried and I started getting calls and messages. Thanks to the Indian Media for showcasing the downpour as a ‘Breaking News’ as the entire Anna Hazare Episode was over.
My cell phone battery was low now and I decided to switch it off. I thought the best way will be to take some rest and get up at the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus the last station. To my dismay, this time it was the Ticket Checker who woke me up. He asked me for the ticket. I was so sleepy, I just gave him the ticket which I bought to come from Mumbai and he asked me what it was. Then, I showed him the correct one and he asked me for Rs. 40. I gave him the amount and asked for a ticket. I didn’t want to bribe him by any means. He told me if I wanted the ticket I will have to pay Rs.260 as fine. I then asked me to show the rule and he was didn’t reply. Ultimately, I gave him Rs.80 and got a Sleeper ticket.
This dialogue helped to me to divert my attention from the speed of the train. We had reached Kasara and it was 10.30 pm, exceeding by 1 and an half hour already. And now I started with some contingency planning. I wouldn’t be able to reach for the Birthday on time and also the Mumbai Local will stop. So, I decided that I was going to take a rickshaw from the station to Bandra. After, 3 hours of being slow and sometimes not even moving, the train reached LTT at 1.30 am. This had turned out to be the longest journey from my hometown. The song playing on my Ipod was ‘Mumbai Nagariya’ and I was simply agreeing with the lyrics. I was happy to be back to the city of dreams with God showering blessings in the form of rain.
Now, there was a new task of finding a rickshaw. I got one but I wasn’t ready to go by the fixed price. I then decided on a teenager wearing the khakhi taxi driver uniform pleading to go with him . Interestingly, I was wearing my new Reebok Reezig shoes and the were completely drenched with the first puddle. So was I, although I was wearing a jacket. It was raining cats and dogs anymore. It would be the dinosaur and the blue whale. The taxi finally started and I hoped that this was the last task at hand.
The rain was harsh still and the sky dark black. This young guy was sitting in the front seat and an old man was driving it. We left the station which was quite deserted without street lights. It resembled a scene from an old Hindi Movie. I was confident though, having stayed in this metro for enough time to be able to tackle them. And now they started interacting especially this young guy started asking me question about college and at the same time relating his touching story of becoming a taxi driver out of no choice. In India, you can smell something fishy when people try to have such long conversations with you and try to be over-friendly. I decided to go with the flow and sympathized with him as in a way it was passing my time. I argued with them on the first long cut they took. However, they justified with the road being blocked because of rains.
I switched on my phone as I had to get directions for the place. It was 2.30 am already and I entered Bandra finally. I needed to find MMK College, Bandra. Strangely, not even the Rickshaw fellows were aware. Somehow I got through my friend and we proceeded to SV Road. So late at night, with heavy rains in a shady cab driving through knee deep water, carrying valuables, I had to find a place to wish a friend on his birthday for which I was 3 hours late. And the unforeseen happened; the taxi broke down. The brighter side being the place was 10 metres away from it and I saw my friend waving.
I was giving a big smile until the taxi driver told me that the fare was Rs.550. I was baffled and I checked the meter which read 7.90 which translated to Rs.210 with night charge but the taxi driver was adamant on it being 17.90. So, the intuition I had, gave in. I checked the internet on my phone and showed it to the cab driver in vain. As then, he was concentrating his efforts to start the cab. Ultimately, both of them got down and toed the cab to a safe distance.
I started arguing with them to go to the nearest police station and they were arguing on vague points. They weren’t ready to move and finally, I called my friend over. The argument now was not how much the fare is but the way we were talking and both of them threatened to be violent. Ultimately, we sweet- talked to settle it at Rs.250 and left the scene only to see Akhil’s smile when he was shocked to see me and I just realised that his smile was worth it.
So, I would like to wish all of you a ‘Happy Journey’ to the road not taken as at the end of it you will have a tale to tell and an experience to share with the Mumbai Rains and the Indian Railways.
