My train journey was never so interesting

I started traveling in trains after my dad met with an accident and I took the onus of the shop on me. That’s when I first stepped into the 8.25 Panvel to Andheri local from Chembur. The first few days were really bad as I hardly could manage to rest my toes on the door of the train. But as and when time passed by I learned the art of pushing people and make my way in towards the seats. However, I still could not manage to grab a seat until I made friends; I call them by train friends. This post is not just about my experiences in the train but also about the people I met.

I first met Sonali, let me introduce you, Sonali; a quite Chembur girl working in a bank but trust me she is not like one of those boring bank executives we find behind the cash counters who don’t even look into our eyes and can count only money. Sonali is a good MBA student and worked in the corporate office of a multinational bank, I guess she is in the knowledge processing unite. Anyways I first met Sonali and the only thing common between us (apart form boarding from the same station) was that we both barely could manage to get into the compartment. Soon we started talking and became friends. We were so engrossed in our talks that we hardly looked around us and within no time would reach Andheri. To be honest our giggles were so loud that people around us were amused.

Then one day Sonali missed the train and I was alone, much to my surprise I saw a girl smiling at me, she introduced herself as Akshata I call her Akshi, akshu, aki etc etc…. for some reason we started talking and we struck like house on fire (blame it on our guju connection). However I think the main reason for this were our professions. Akshi was an IT geek while I am a journo, she was totally amused by the way I spoke and the stories I had to share. Let me tell you a few things about her first, this girl, was a quite timid kid just out of college and on her way to her first job. Being a hosteller for long she had few friends in Mumbai and was not as out spoken us ME. Nevertheless the girl has mastered the art of traveling in a train and also chatting loudly just like me….

So now we were three, since Akshata got in first (from Mankhud) she stuck to the extreme corner of the train and every time we got in from Chembur I waved out to her as if we were long lost friends. People in the compartment were so use to me screaming out Hi to Akshata that they automatically made way for me to go to the other end of the train. Eventually days passed and by that time we three were predominantly the only ones chit-chatting and giggling in the whole compartment. So much so that people even in the other compartments especially the general fist class compartment close to the door started giving us bad stares.

As time passed by I made new friends (through Sonali) one of which is Sabiha, a cute B-school girl. Since she is a student she kept us busy with some career talks but I was not really interested and always looked for a chance to change the topic. Sabiha is an on and off visitor in the train and keeps in touch through messages. In fact it was she who made us realize that we haven’t even exchanged mobile numbers in the past two/three months that we had known each other. Funny but true there are still so many people in the compartment I don’t know by name but can have long conversations with, without any prejudice!

Soon Sonali opted for the free car ride offered by her uncle as against to the pushing and pulling of the train (I miss her, especially the analysis she made for everything and anything). Then it was just Akshata and me left, for some time we stuck to the door and dint bother to get involved with people around us. That’s the time Bharti came in, we often saw her reacting to our stupid comments and soon within no time we all were engrossed into a long conversation. I had seen Bharti sometimes on my way back home in the night after I shut my shop at 9 and so I knew she was a regular train traveler.

Let me introduce Bharti now, she is a media professional (television industry) and has been in the business since a long time. Bharti initially was always engrossed in her books however she would often throw a sixer in between and we would all burst out laughing. Nevertheless now I have managed to force Bharti dump her boring books and talk more in the train. She is also part of a trekking group, they do weekend treks and adventure sports camps and we all envy her for that. She has an astonishing sense of humor, she often is flabbergasted by her own sense of humor and keeps smiling to her self and Akshata like a curious mouse keeps nagging her to talk her mind aloud. Along with Bharti I made friends with quite a few people in the compartment; Rashida was one of them.

I was introduced to Rashida again my Sonali but had spoken to her only once. After Sonali took the car Rashida once asked me about her and that’s how we started talking. Rashida was again from an IT background but unlike other IT geeks she was surprisingly a chatter box and had a good sense of humor too. Rashida later introduced me to Neha, a HR consultant Maru girl. To be honest after seeing her sindur and mangalsutra I thought she would be like one of those bhabi’s but I was wrong. Once I was standing near the door and Neha was at her station platform (tilak nagar) and I leaned out of the train and shouted, “Come on Simran” just like Shah Rukh Khan did in DDLJ. Neha was shocked to see this and was stumped for a moment while others burst out laughing. However, now Neha too has opted to other means of transport (we miss her too).

A few days back I was going back from work early in the evening when I saw a familiar face in the train. Since I was talking on phone I dint pay much attention to her but as soon as I finished my talk I saw Dharshna approach me. The first thing she asked me was “Where do you get so much of energy from? I have always seen you chatting and giggling in the train! You really cheer everyone in the morning with your comments and giggles.” I dint know what to say and just said “This is the way I am” I am sure I looked like an idiot that time. Darshna is married and stays with her parents-in-law while her husband is in the U.S. She is a strong follower of a babaji in lokandwala and goes to him to pray everyday for her well being. She has immense faith in this man and calls him dada. To be honest it was she who tough me to believe in prayers and have faith in god.

Now let me tell you about other people in the train, I don’t really talk to them much but they are worth a mention. First let me start with Hemangi we call her sleeping beauty, that’s because we have always seen her sleeping in the train in all the three months that she was there I have spoken to her just twice and once just a few monosyllables. She sat on the long seat right in the center and slept with her mouth open. To be honest we were all green with envy as she everyday would occupy the prime seat in the compartment and sleep to glory and would only wake a few minutes before the train stopped at Vile Parle the station where she got down. But I must say she had an amazing sense of dressing, she would wear stylish clothes and chunky fashion jewelry and carry a huge branded bag. I later learned that she works for Westside (I am sure she worked in their fashion designing section). I always wondered what she carried in that huge bag. Some times Akshu, Bharti and I would play a guessing game on what all she would be carrying in her big bag…. Until once luckily she woke up early and I promptly asked her what she carried in her bag … any guesses …. ? Well no she dint carry food or make up (as jointly guessed by Akshata and me) but had her gym clothes and shoes in that bag.

Once I was fortunate to get a seat and happen to sit next to Hemangi and like always was talking about some thing to Akshata. Our sleeping beauty just woke up and instructed (actually annoyingly) me to talk softly as she was getting disturbed. Since then I always avoided sitting or standing near her as I genuinely dint want to disturb her. Then after a few days again I happen to sit next to her and she woke up early. I thought I had infuriated her again and immediately apologized and to our surprise she said, “I can see you talking even in my dreams” since then everyone teases me that I haunt them even in their dreams.

Another lady to worth a mention is Aditi, we call her sexy aunty…. (No offense) she dresses really well and boards the train with Aki. According to her Aditi is her mom’s secret spy (only because they stay in the same colony and Aditi happens to know her mother.) Aditi works in BJN group and once she offered me a discount at Firangi Panni one of the restaurants owned by her company. I was overjoyed and jumped to the opportunity, I asked her to book me for one of the restaurants and she suggested Nawab Gunj Safari in Chembur. Both Akshata and Bharti teased me a lot that day for going on a date with Rahul and not inviting them (I guess they were just J about the fact that Aditi offered me a discount and not them he he he he).

As I talk about Aditi I must mention about Charusheela (for some reason i thought her name is Harshada) she is again a HR consultant. We often met in the evening on our way home. Mostly Akshu and I would try to go home together. We also met Aditi and Charusheela on our way back in the same train. I must tell you this, one evening Akshata was not there and I was with Sonali (we met in the evening train some times) sitting on the other side when I saw Charusheela giving a Peda to Aditi, instantly (almost like a greedy pig) I asked her to share the good news with me too (obviously I was more interested in the Peda than the news). Charu smiled and gave me one and told me it was Siddhivinayak Prasad I popped in the peda as soon as I got it and dint even bother to offer it to Sonali or even say thanks to Charusheela.

One more character I would like to mention here is Mohini (its not her real name) she is an elderly woman and since we don’t know her name we call her Mohini (again no offense) actually Rashida gave her this name as we think she dresses ten years younger than her age. But honestly I love her for that, if we put it in Rashida’s words she looks sexy in anything that she wears. We really adore her for the attitude she carries. Seriously, it takes real gusts to dress in a sleeveless top, Jeans and sports shoes at that age. She is often accompanies by a young girl (I don’t know her name) I guess she is recently married. This young lady is famous for her (extremely) low waist jeans and (short) sporty brandied T-shirts.

We often look forward to her as it gives us another reason to gossip.. ha ha ha …The once gloomy train has turned into one hilarious ride we all enjoy…. I love to travel in this train now … its become my space … we talk about so many random things….. this one hour our is really hilarious and we all look forward to it …. Thanks girls you all make my life so colorful and bright and the best part is there is no one to stop me or tell me anything. ….