ATM-Aunt,Train and Music

Well,my aunt had promised that she would show me 'The Gateway of India' the next time I came to her house in Mumbai.Unfortunately,I reminded my aunt about her promise.The next thing I knew,I was in a Mumbai local with my aunt.

Now,if you've ever travelled by a Mumbai local,then you'll surely understand my problem.Even before the train arrived,many people were already waiting on the platform.

"Surely,so many people will not board the same train,"I told myself.As it turned out,I was wrong.

I was standing on the platform.In the distance,I saw the local curving like a serpent and coming towards us.It slowed down to a crawl.Even before it had stopped completely,people who were on the train started disembarking.All the people who were on the platform started to get on the train.I stood rooted to the spot,wondering how so many people would embark the same train.The doors of the train were so narrow that only two or three people could get through it,simultaneously.According to my estimations,there were hundreds of people,if not thousands,who had been waiting for this local on the platform.I was dumbstruck.

"Quick.Get on the train,"said my aunt and shoved me from behind.That cut me short from my reverie.I stumbled and miraculously,landed in the train,somehow.

As soon as I set foot in the train,it started moving.Soon,my aunt got on the moving train.The train had hardly stopped for a minute at the station.

"We are used to it,"she told me.I nodded.

"What did you think? We were going to see 'The Gateway of India' in a limousine?"my aunt asked me and chuckled.

Before I could even answer,she said,"we are travelling in a mode of transport that is ten times longer than a limo."

"And a hundred times more crowded,"I wanted to say but,instead,thought the better of it and decided to keep my mouth shut.

I glanced out of the door of the train.All the people who had been standing on the platform were now inside the train.It was amazing how so many people had entered the train within a minute.

Many men were hanging from the door of the train.They seemed to be enjoying the effect of the cool breeze on their faces.Some were holding on to the pole that stood near the door of the train and appeared to be doing some sort of weird pole-dance!

Mumbai locals are dangerously over-crowded,especially on weekdays.As a matter of fact,a large number of people perish after being bludgeoned by track-side poles while hanging out of overcrowded trains or electrocuted by power cables when they sit on the roof of the train.

I turned my attention inside the train now.As expected,there were no vacant seats.All the seats had already been occupied.We would have to spend the better part of our journey standing.But,believe me,there wasn't enough place even for standing.Just like us,most people did not have a seat and were standing.I'd heard that the Mumbai Suburban Railway had the highest passenger density of any urban railway system in the world.But now,I'd experienced it.

Now,even in such crammed places,only one thing comes to my rescue.My earphones,of course.I carry them along with me,no matter where I go.

So,standing in a compartment with more than a hundred people surrounding me,I took my earphones out of my pocket with a little difficulty.The coach was awfully crowded.I plugged in my earphones.Then,I hit the 'Play' button on my I-Pod and started enjoying the music.

My favourite band,Linkin Park,started off with its song 'Bleed it Out'.

Yeah,here we go for the hundredth time
Hand grenade pins in every line
Throw 'em up and let something shine
Going out of my fuckin' mind...

Out of old habit,I started whistling to the song.Soon,I realized that two or three women who were standing in the compartment,were staring at me.Before they could have wrong notions,I stopped whistling.

Instead,I started humming and tapped my feet in the little place that was available on the floor.

I bleed it out,digging deeper
Just to throw it away.
I bleed it out,digging deeper
Just to throw it away.
I bleed it out,digging deeper
Just to throw it away.
Just to throw it away.
Just to throw it away.
I bleed it out.

I was enjoying myself very much now.

I've Opened up these SCARS,
I'll MAKE YOU FACE THIS,
I've PULLED MYSELF SO FAR,
I'LL MAAKE...YOOUU...FAACE...THIISS...NOOWWW!!!

Now,almost all the people in the coach were staring at me.Clearly,my humming had turned to shouting.Let me tell you very frankly,that I am no good at singing.So,I flushed and removed the earphones from my ears.

"I've never understood why these people shout so much,"said my aunt."As if there isn't enough of shouting and screaming inside the train already.What's the need for more?"

"It's rock music,"I told her.

"They scream and shout so much and finally call it music?"

"It's absolutely cool."

"They speak so quickly and expect us to understand it?"

"That's rap.It's fun."

"As if there isn't enough of it in India already..."my aunt said.

I wondered if she had confused 'rap' with 'rape'.Finally,I decided not to ask her.

"Oh!Forget it,"I said.

The train had stopped at a station.I simply plugged in my earphones and started singing again...