Chug Chug Chug... My Experience on the Mumbai Locals

Hmmm... actually it was a zoom and not a chug with which the train embarked on its journey - my first one on the Mumbai Locals...
Lemme start at the beginning...

I threw myself mercilessly into the throng of human bodies marching its way towards the station while I was still a few metres away (only then could I hope to enter the station, you see...). As I was automatically carried along by the human conveyor belt, I managed to spy the ticket counter out of the corner of my eye and detached myself from the crowd just in time and joined the line. A regular traveller behind me in the queue rightly guessed that it was my first time on the locals and patiently explained the fundae of train schedules and signs, while I listened with rapt attention. After a wait of 15 minutes at the seemingly never-moving queue, I suddenly found myself at the front of it, wondering what I was doing there, in a bit of a daze due to the pollution, the crowds and the pleading faces of 'money-requestors' a.k.a beggars who seem to close in on me from every side leaving me no space to breathe. The kindly counter-guy asked politely for my destination, sensing that I was a newbie who could do with some kindness and sympathy! I blurted out a name, got my ticket and exited in a FIFO manner, to join the mass moving towards the platforms like a zombie, amazed at the capability of human beings to get packed so densely in the barest minimum square inch of space and still managing to look the least bit worried or hassled.
The state of the station, the overbridges and the platforms left a lot to be desired, though I must say that considering the countless breeds and numbers of living things that lived on them and/or used them regularly, the place was maintained decently well...

To continue my story, I glanced above at the heavenly guiding star that was the neon display showing the train schedules near each platform (thank god for small mercies and the kind-hearted guy at the ticket queue) and managed to decipher that a train was about to leave from Platform 4 that would take me to my destination quickly (there was this funda of fast and slow trains too, you see).
With a 90-degree change in my direction, I was able to effect a turn and proceed down the stairs despite the crowd hurrying on ahead as one mass, trying to bear me away along with the current.

Standing majestically on the platform was the many-carriaged snake-like vehicle ready to zoom out of the station, with people hanging out precariously from all the compartments... It dawned on me that the train was almost leaving - and I managed to propel myself into the nearest compartment through a small gap a kindly guy was good enough to leave, sensing my despair.
As the train sped out toward its destination, stopping at few more stations along the way, it never ceased to amaze me how more people could somehow fit in a train that seemed too full even when it started. Ya - you guessed right - I failed to see any kind of outflow of people - only more and more people embarking at every station...
My amazement reached its zennith when, at one station, almost everyone on the train began to disembark; People spilled out of the train in a seemingly never-ending flow - scattering out in all directions from the narrow confines of the train and going their own way, unaffected, as I stared, incredulously gaping at the number of people who had been packed like matchsticks in that matchbox of a compartment.

The train, devoid of most of its occupants, seemed like a lifeless empty monster, making me a bit apprehensive, while countless dark stories flashed past my mind-eyes and my mind started analysing the n number of things that could happen. I firmly stopped the processing that was going on and, glad to finally get a seat, sat down and started examining the 3 co-occupants of the compartment, cursing the circumstances that forced me into this compartment instead of a ladies compartment in accordance with the thousands of pieces of advice that had been hurled at me. Thankfully, the last leg of the journey proved to be quite uneventful.

However, things suddenly took a turn for the worse when there was an unimaginable influx of passengers as soon as the train screeched to a halt at one particular station. A hefty guy plomped down beside me and mumbled sumthing that sounded like 'Get Up'! Scandalized at his impoliteness, I spontaneously got up and sat two seats away, only to find him staring at me peculiarly. Thats when the truth dawned on me - the train had pulled to a halt at the very last stop - my destination - and these were passengers who were going back on the return journey ! I hastened to clamber off the train, pushing my way through the throng of people trying to get in. I managed to somehow emerge unscathed and victorious out of the station, despite the throng of people trying to elbow their way in, slowing down my exit. The sun shining kindly down on me proved to be the sweetest thing on earth, despite my hatred for the 47-degree heat.

I triumphantly made my way home, proud of myself and my achievement - my first trip on the infamous Mumbai locals...