Train Travel

A train travel can be quite experience, something I don’t think you will experience anyway other than our very own country, or to be more specific our city of Mumbai. There are so many things that actually bewilder me. I normally take a starting train from Malad station. Every time the train enters the platform a couple people standing in the front will wave their hands in front of the train as if they were hailing a cab. I wonder whether the train would actually halt there for them.

Well getting into a Mumbai local at peak is another event itself. It quite reminds me of the famous Bull-Running in Pamplona, Spain. The mad dash to get in to the train for either a seat of a comfortable standing place is something quite unworldly. If you are getting into starting train then you can just wait for the mad dash to settle and get into the train. But if you are in the train and trying to get off it then God save your soul. If you don’t use every ounce of your strength you’ll find yourself being pushed deeper into the compartment.

One thing about travelling by train is that you may not require to visit massage parlour or a sauna. The compartment so packed like a can of sardines. Bodies against bodies. You have to contort your body in ways you didn’t think would be possible, just get some space. And to top it all you will still have people complaining or making noise or picking a fight with someone because someone is not giving them enough of space. A train fight can be an interesting place to learning all the A-Z of Hindi gallies. Well getting in to the train takes up so much energy that by the time you are in the train you are one mass of sweet. And to top it all you have hundreds of commuters breathing together, making the compartment one big steam/boiler room.

Well you also get some free entertainment while travelling. You’ll have these guys leaning out of the train or trying to do some daredevil stunt, like catching the train from the tracks, getting off the train and catching it while in motion, leaning really out of the train, touching every pole they pass. Wonder if they are trying to impress the females in the passing train (who actually don’t seem to give them any attention)? Then there are those who travel on the roof top of the train, wonder if they are aware of the peril in travelling this way. Then saw a guy standing on top of the roof top and in spite of the warning of the passenger, continue to stand while the train was in motion. Maybe he thought he was surfing on the beaches of Goa or the US.

Then there is this fat gentleman who gets in at Jogeshwari and wants to stand at the door. And when Andheri comes he’ll move from one end of the door to the other and even fight with the person standing on the end if he doesn’t give him space. Sometime I really want to applaud his act everyday.

Well there is more such thing that happens while travelling that you need to actually travel to experience it.

How Different???

Well I work as an Instructional Writer for an eLearning company (for those who didn't know about this). One of the course that I am working on is on Terrorism. This includes the IRA, from Ireland and who can forget the Al Qaeda. In the course we have mentioned about these religious fanatics like Abu Hamza, who conducted religious meeting in an attempt to recruit people to their causes with their fiery speeches. These fanatics have been arrested on account of trying to spread and recruit youngster and trying to incite communal violence.

Just yesterday (or maybe today) I read in the papers and on websites about the Shiv Sena's political rally for the upcoming muncipal elections. This was attended, obviously, by Mr. Bal Thackery and Mr. Narendra Modi. What caught my attention was one of the things that Mr. Thackery said in his speech with regards to separating Mumbai from Maharashtra. He said that the city will burn if taken away from Maharashtra. Another statement he asked all Hindus to break all the linguistic barrier and unit to create Hinsutan of Hindus (which was his dream) and that would bring Islam in this country down to its knees.

Reading this made me question what is the difference between one Abu Hamza and one Bal Thackery. Both use public gathering and meeting in trying to get people to their cause. Both use fiery speech which has soo much so as to incite a communal violence. So if Abu Hamza has been arrested for his speeches, makes me wonder why the same hasn't been done for Mr. Thackery. If Abu Hamza has been branded radical leader and supporter of Terrorism, how different is Mr. Bal Thackery????

Innocence of Children

While attending mass this Sunday happened to hear a small girl sing the Alleulia. She must be just over a year old or may be two. Though she was off key (well you don't expect a two year old to be on key) there was something beautiful about the way she sang. There was the innocence in her voice, she may not have know the meaning of words of the wing, but yet she sang it. Defnitely she must have caught the attention of the people sitting next to her, if not she definitely caught my attention. There was something wonderful and fascinating about her as she sat on her grandmother's lap (who I assume is). WEll really admire her, when I myself was stuggling with my singing voice.

WEll for the 26th January, my Godchild Clyde's building had a Fancy Dress competition. His mom sent him as Nemo (the fish character from Finding Nemo) and made him say the Hindi poetry Machli Jal Ki Rani Hain. Well he managed to get a second prize in his age group (0-5). Well yesterday his mom made him say the poetry on the phone. And trust me he said it beautifully and every line (may not be too clearly) But he said the entire poetry. Mind you this little guy is just 3 and half year old and its a big deal for him to say this poetry on stage and comepete with children older than him and manage to win a prize. It was really sweet and prud moment for me to hear him on the phone.

WEll these two incident made me long for their innocence, their purity of mind and beliefs. Made me long to return back to my very own childhood. Made me want to have children of my own.

Can we really consider ourselves as educated gentlemen and women????

Well today while travelling (thats when my mind is the most creative and soo many things are there to observe), a group of woman labourers wioth their children, some infants barely months old, and some elderly ladies, got on the bus together with me. These ladies were struggling to get their balance in the bus along with their infants (you knwo how travelling by buses in Mumbai can be). What was disheartening there were soo many educated, well dressed people in the bus, heading to office. They could have been kind enough and given their seats to these ladies, but they see to be soo oblivious about the presence of these labourers. Though someone eventually did give one their seat.

Well in school, as a kid i learnt tahat we should offer our seat to the elderly and ladies. But does this lesson only applies to wel dressed women only??? Would these ladies have to go through the same ordeal if their situation were different and they were not labourers but woman from affluent families????

Doesn't this make you wonder... What example are we setting????

Obessed with a song???

Have you gone through this phase where you have heard this song and it somehow stuck in your head and you want to hear it over and over again. You become so obsessed with it. You assoicate it to situations or events that occur in your life. Well after my friend introduced me to Don't want to say Goodbye by Teddy Thompson from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, I too went through all this. Though this isn't my first time.

But somehow I was able to apply this to my life, to my losses and sadness that have gone through. To the hearbreak, pain of loosing someone you care so much about. Whether it your friend or your pet.

Wedding Cards

Had been to David & Co. a well known dealer for all wedding related items, mainly Christian and Parsi. And for ocassion like death aniversary, moths mind mass, First Holy Communion, christening, and all such momentoes. Was there for Dada's first death anniversary. But couldn't stop admiring people picking out their wedding cards and momento. Hoping that one day I would do the same. Actually already picked out the momento for my wedding. A couple standing near a blue horse carriage.

Iranian Cafe

My friends and colleagues Ghazala, Neil and Vinita and myself have an habit og talking about the different eateries we have been to. And somehow we talk aboout these old Iranian restaurents that they have been to in and around South Mumbai. And the food they severed there.

Well this Saturday had a pleasure of visiting one such place at Dhobi Talao (Near Metro). There was something sweet about this place. It something of a rarity that is seems to be fading away in the modern world. There was an old world charm to it, elderly gentlemen taking your order, round tables with red checks table cloth, those chairs, and people having mawa cakes, puddings, sandwiches. You will not see such structure anywhere now.

Had a sandwich, didn't like it too much, but was enjoying the place soo much that i didn't mind it. Had to have the pudding thinking about my friend Ghazala's recommendation. And it was worth it.

All in all it was wonderful experience. To be transported to another world. How wish this world wouldn't fade way and find its place in the modern world without loosing it's charm :)

Friends

I wonder what life would be without friends????

It would really be pretty empty and gloomy. I would have been in the depths of dispair an dsepression if wouldn't have been for friends who pulled me back up :). They my support system, the crutches that I lean on when situation cripples me. Someone who I can lean on in my darkest hour. Someone who makes me realise my folly, spank me, correct me, but have my best interest in their heart.

I know I am blessed with the best, after all I have found these gems. The funny thing is some I have recently met, maybe a month back, but it seem I have known them for ages. Lovew talking to them, though I may have never met them. Chat with them for hours on messenger. Spend time with them. share my interests, makes life worth living.

Then there are my old friends who I can't do without. I may have fought with them, screamt and abused them. But at the end of the day I care too much about them.

I really care about all my friends, they are my baccha and soo dearly love them.

Well this is for all my friends, new and old, I want you'll to be a part of my life. Be there for joys, and support in sorrows. I wnt you guys and gals to be my friends for a life time.

From the bottom f my heart I THANK YOU ALL....

Yours forever
Roddie

Wish.. Wish.. Wish

How i wish to wake up in the morning and all my mistakes are no more. Rubbed off and there is a clean slate. I how I wished I could undo the mess I have created. How i wish I had a time turner to turn back time.


How I wish.....

How justified are we in the things we do????

I travel to work daily by First Class from Malad to Andheri. The other day a man dressed in rags and his child was trying to get into the compartment at Jogeshwari. The people at the gate tried to block the person from entering the compartment saying this was the first class compartment. The poor person may not have been able to get into the other compartment as it was peak hours. And he was actually pleading. Are we justified in doing so??? Could we just allow him and the child in to the compartment on a humanity basis. After all there wouldn't be a Ticket Collector in the Train???

Well it was shocking to see the video of Sadam Hussein's execution being broadcasted in one of the big new channel. This was an absolutle shocker, especially from the news channel. We condenm the news channels for flashing the hostage execution videos. How justified was this news channel in showing this footage????

How justified are WE????