Traveling in local trains is an unusual experience in Mumbai. Everyday Lakhs of people travels in the local trains to reach their destinations. This experience of mine is also related to local trains in Mumbai.
It is about 5 years back, i.e. 2011 when I got a job in Bandra School. I had to travel every day from Thane to Bandra in Local trains. Though I had the first class pass, still the compartment used to be jam packed during peak hours. There was an adjoining Second class ladies compartment.
No Hawkers or Beggars are allowed in the first class compartments but they are regularly seen in the second class compartments. From vegetables, fruits, samosa, artificial jewelry, flowers to even clothes, purses, and handbags, all at a very cheap rate are available inside the train. Sometimes the fisherwomen carrying fishes would spread the stinking smell all over. A lot of yelling and loud noise entered our ears. But amongst it, a very soothing, pleasant voice would also delight us.
This was an old blind beggar who along with his daughter, would enter every day at around 11:30 am on Mulund station. He used to sing and beg for his livelihood. This had become routine, every day he came at the same time and would sing. They never missed this train. The father - daughter duo sang so well that all loved their voice. They sang a variety of songs from old Hindi Bollywood Classics to the latest New Songs, to Bhajans, Kirtans and Artis also. They hardly earned enough .
My friend and I loved their voice and were eager to catch a glimpse of them. So one day we decided to travel in the second class to see them. The poor blind guy, medium build, held a stick on one hand and the other on his daughter's shoulders. But I must say the girl, aged around 11 years was very attractive with large eyes and long black hairs. As I had imagined both were very shabbily dressed in dirty, half tore clothes.
It was more than a year now and it had become our daily routine to hear him. Diwali was approaching, so my friends and I decided to take out a share and buy new clothes for both the father and daughter. Week's time was left for our vacations to begin, so we decided to hand over on Monday itself. But to our surprise, the whole week passed and we did not hear them at all. Every day I carried their clothes in the hope of meeting them, but in vain. Our vacations started off and when we resumed back after a month, now I eagerly started waiting for the duo.
I was on that day in the second class in the hope to meet them and hand over their gifts, which was with me for a month now. Yes, I heard the girl sing and my happiness had no boundaries and I rushed to hand over her, the bag of clothes . I gave her the bag and said that these are new clothes for her and her father. The little girl started crying loudly and said in a very low voice...
---''baba mar gaya, gaadi se gir gaya,''( ''MY FATHER FELL OFF THE TRAIN AND DIED")..............
I had no words, I was shocked and sad. I got down to my destination and in our own busy life just completely forgot about everything and resumed back to our hectic, routine ,THIS IS LIFE......................................