In the so-called 'Maximum City', the denizens battle daily
for the bare minimum - a window seat in local trains, which function as arteries
of the city keeping the city's economy ticking, rattling 6 million of
its 18 millions inhabitants to their offices, shops, factories and
sundry rat-holes. Mumbaikars regard the local trains as "life lines of Mumbai" and one can see origin of the term when one sees people hanging on for their dear life, as the train rambles along the well worn tracks. Every bit of space is taken up by the human specimen. Even the roofs are not spared.
Watching the city commuters leap onto an arriving train is a
tragicomic sight. In less than 20 seconds after a local train arrives
on a platform, all the window seats get occupied. Commuters rush at a
frantic speed knocking down any one and anything that comes in the way
between them and the limited number of empty seats available. Only a
lucky few, trained specialists in the art of grabbing window seats,
manage to seize the prized seats, while the rest are left in the
lurch. Unless the provider of luck, the mighty Jupiter is in exalted
position in one's horoscope, the window seat is out of the reach of lesser mortals.
The lure of the window seat
For a Mumbai commuter, the window seat is the ultimate catch, a sort of
nirvana at the end of a hard days work. The enthusiasm and energy with
which every train commuter chases the elusive window seat, when a near
empty train arrives at the terminus is a sight to behold. Those who
fail to gain this all-important vantage position despite trying their
best, experience severe trauma, feel sullen for the rest of their
journey, the scars of loss lingering long enough to wreck their inner
peace.
What makes the this ordinary looking piece of furniture posited adjacent to a window so alluring to the commuters of the city? Psychologists and the sociologists have long been puzzled by this strange phenomenon, by this incredibly bizarre attraction that the humble window seat holds for the commuters of the city.
Among all the window seats, the ones facing the direction of the motion of the train are considered the most prestigious ones since those who occupy these seats enjoy maximum breeze. Apart from the soothing current of air that hits your face immediately evaporating the sweat incurred in the process of stealing the seat, the window seat allows you the pleasure of turning your eyes away from the ugly faces of your fellow commuters and gaze meditatively at the beautiful scenery outside.
The scenery is of course not at all beautiful. In fact, most of the time it is damn ugly. During the morning rush hours, it gets even uglier since that is the time when a quarter of Mumbai's slum population descend on railway property to defecate out in the open, beside the railway tracks, forcing you to watch them empty their bowels.
Despite the dreadful sights that await the occupier of the window
seat, he is expected to stare outside. Someone occupying a window seat
and not starring out is considered a sadist who is out to deny the
pleasure to the others. The scenery may be same, unchanging and dreary which
you may have seen any number of times but having occupied the prized seat it is your
duty to look out and do justice to the seat.
The window seat facing the tail end of the train compartment is a sort of
a runner-up trophy. The seat next to the window in a train is a tricky
one. It has a potential for upgradation or may turn out to be a
damp squib. It is like working as a deputy to a boss who does not
reveal his ambitions. If he quits or retires you may get promoted and
if he doesn't you may have to quit or retire.
The seasoned hands, however, know whether the commuter occupying the
exalted seat will quit or stay put for the entire journey. Several
intricate calculations are required to be made to forecast whether the
seat will get vacated or not.
- First, one has to carefully assess the posture of the man seated near the window. If he is sunk deep in a very comfortable relaxing posture he is probably no quitter and will go all the way.
- Next if he is reading a newspaper, the angle of the page he is holding and the column he is going through is important. If he has spread the paper fully, the guy will most likely flit through the headlines in a hurry and depart very soon. It is worth placing ones bet on this candidate. But if he has folded the newspaper into three folds, he will minutely read every column. Obviously he has plenty of time at his disposal and so is a bad choice to pitch one's hopes on.
If you are unlucky enough to not only not secure the window seat, but even the 4th seat, then you can take solace from the fringe benefits of traveling in Mumbai locals.
- Commuting by Mumbai locals, literally standing on each other's feet fosters universal loves as it brings us closer to every specimen of the society.
- With your nose either reaches the hair or the arm of the person standing in front of you, you come to know the latest brands of oils, shampoos and deodourants and perfumes.
- You become a linguist sooner than expected, showered as you are with abuses in multiple languages when you step on someone's toes.
- Jumping in and out of running trains develops your athletic skills. Mumbai locals provide good training ground for future Olympic games stars (Can you possibly beat someone who can charge into an incoming train, overcoming all hurdles in the form of hundreds of other commuters attempting the same feat, to grab the window seat. If grabbing-the-window-seat is introduced as an olympic sport, it would significantly improve our medal tally)
- With one hand holding the bar to support yourself, other your briefcase, listening to music on your ipod, reading the contents of newspaper of the person in front of you and at the same time retaining your foothold, you learn to develop the art of multi-tasking.
- And last but not the least, you learn to respect others' space (When standing on our toes, you wouldn't want anyone to step on your toes.)
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Thursday, 10 July 2008
In the so-called 'Maximum City', the denizens battle daily for the bare minimum - a window seat in local trains, which function as arteries of...
