Mumbaichi Life Line.

Mumbaichi Life Line...

Commutation has become the most Important Activity of our Daily Lives. Globalization has made World a Smaller Place to Live in. However in India still there are very limited options for Inter city travel. Airways are out of reach for a common man. In Mumbai, there will hardly be any1 who has never been thru a Local Train Compartment. Ordinary Mumbai Worker, who stays in outer skirts, spends almost a complete day from a 6 day working week in a local Compartment, Let me Explain how.... Badlapur to Borivali takes 2 hours a journey, hence around 4 hours a day, most offices work 6 days a week, hence it becomes 24 hours a week, which equals 1 complete day.... Hence Local Compartment has become a kind of family group to many.

During my school days, I used to go up to Byculla where my grandpa was admitted in JJ Hospital; I daily traveled by 2.35PM Fast from Ulhasnagar. Being a kid and not so mature, I wasn’t familiar with Railways, I had an impression that Either Ropes on the train Roof makes it Run across stations, or the tracks down are moving like an elevator. He he he... Also I was of the opinion that Train @CST or @Ambernath takes the U-turn to come back, I dint know Train can move in both ways like a worm does. All this happened until I happen to see CST Railway Station. I still remember those days, when me & my Dad used to board train from Byculla, my Dad somehow pushed me up to the Window, so that I don’t get pissed off in ocean of people. I being bit smart, if any1 gets up from window, I used to absorb the place immediately & call My Dad there. I still remember about CST, when me & my Dad dint board the Karjat Fast train @ 7.30PM, only coz there was no place to sit & I wanted to sit desperately on an Window.

It’s almost 7 yrs now I am a daily Local Train traveler, I have seen a lot. During ma college days, I use to curse small stations why those useless stations exist, as they weren’t useful to me. Today, there is hardly any Station anymore which is not crowded or is meaningless, I doubt if there is any Station left on Central Railway where I haven’t got down in last 7 years due to some or other Reason.

Speak of any Odd Time 6:34, 7:07, 8:33, 8:55, it mean a lot to local train passenger as some or other train starts at that time. In India We can expect train delayed by Minutes and sometime by hours too. But trains Running Before Time can leave you stranded for hours…… Most people even drop to go to Loo to catch the train, and suddenly train running late leaves a weird expression on thy face.

I never thought of train as a Social Network, but Today it has been so. I had been part of few groups in different trains at different times. I enter those groups by catching same compartment at same time daily, so people nearby each other become familiar and somehow communication and relationship build. The Social Network beings... Business, Trips, Picnics, Family bonding, Even marriages too happens… Biggest benefit of being into Group, you get the seat half way up to your destination. Or even you get the seat, as you board into train. Gents compartment almost share this maturity, after half the way the seat is given to other, while in Ladies the destination is asked and then the seat is booked.

I still remember the excitement amongst people when the new Purple-white Trains were introduced by MRVC; those trains initially acted as new Bride to a common man. Many people were desperate to catch only those trains, as they had good ventilation. But now those have become the common ones with Brownish in color due to Pan Spits, Useless advertisements, Poor maintenance... Thanks 2 Mumbaikars...huh...

Best time pass for a train traveler is to Witness a Group Discussion happening around in the compartment. Any common Issue - Which Government will come up next? What’s the loophole in our Indian Functional Systems? Will India Improve on Population, Corruption, Government, and Infrastructure? Sport person who played Well last night from Indian Team...(GK can be improved from this - as sometime Dhoni, Raina, plays well), most interesting part is even those people participate who have come in that compartment for the first time... PEOPLE SPEAK BECOZ THEY WANNA EXPRESS, THEY WANNA BE HEARD, I simply enjoy listening, and often the scene ends with Laughs, Abuses, and sometimes Tears...

I salute Motormen for their presence for 24/7. I am proud and very happy that railways even work on weekends and holidays. Many people lives in Mumbai from hands to mouth, who survive only coz Railways work - coolies, Station Side Hawkers, Local Train vendors, etc. I have experienced worse in Railways, I have seen heart attacks due to heavy crowd, have seen suicides, have seen Body in pieces due to railway crossing. I wonder whom to blame to - Population, Ruthless Motormen, Person who willingly took the risk to cross the track, even when its warned and against law. Since then, Yes I fear Death.

Even the most Precious Moment of Life is celebrated in local compartment - New Baby's Birth, Marriage Anniversary, New job, etc. are celebrated with Sweets, Samosas, Vada Pavs which are favourites for all on such occasions. Train Compartment look like a New Bride during the Dasheraas. Many Groups decorate the compartment with all the colorful ribbons, flashy stripes and with Goddess wallpapers everywhere and even sing the Aarti then. I enjoy this part the most....

Most amazing part of Local compartment is a Door and a Window… Not only children are desperate for window, most people are, So AM I J … Window doesn’t just serve the purpose of letting u with a cool breeze, it allows you to see the beauty alongside railway tracks, greenery, high sky-scrappers, mountains, parallel slow/fast train running along with, etc. I like the most when a Fast Train crosses any intermediate station, running with almost 70-80km/hr and almost giving like a tease to that station. Every1 is mad about getting seat in compartment when the train is crowded, but u will find most seats vacant when the train is empty actually, all die for getting on the door then.

I see Life as a very precious gift made to us by The Creator. I see all the roles in a Local Compartment which I can’t see outside it, Young giving away seats to old aged people - HUMANITY, Fights between two due to Small Push - ANGER, Way one board into the crowdiest local – AGGRESSIVENESS to get in. I wonder what will happen without Railways and Local Trains. I do question Infrastructure development over railways, but still I love with what we have. I recommend Maintenance and Monitoring needs more Attention and Investment then new Implementation. However cleanliness, GRP & Travel Law also needs to be tightened.

There’s too much to talk about Mumbai Life Line, but experience can never be put on Paper. - It’s truly a Life line, I love it…

D-20

I sometime wonder how actually D-20 happened in my life.  After Diploma I had an option to choose between TSEC and VESIT, most of my friends choose TSEC and few dint get VESIT, I was tempted to opt TSEC(Mithibai & National attracted me). A day before Final Admission I choose TSEC and to be with friends.  But my DAD and Dinny stopped me & recommended to go for VESIT as it was a winner’s choice over TSEC and the Career is more important than friends, etc, etc. I was trapped into their words. Finally I got into VESIT.

@VESIT, Starting days weren’t so enjoying, as new friends new atmosphere takes time to adjust. All USA guys even were not so familiar with me, but it took no time to get into the gang. I remember the first day I encountered with the class, I think few reading this will recall very well and will have unstoppable laugh. I entered the class @ 8.15 am and asked 1 of the person on the last bench, whether that classroom was for 2nd Year IT? He answered yes, and I joined him directly at his desk, without introduction and even without confirmation for that vacant seat. lolz... Guys nearby desk were starring to each other and were buzzed.... (I too was feared of Ragging, but I never came across any), they questioned amongst themselves Whose the new guy?.lolz... But then many new faces joined in the Class den they realized for direct 2nd yr joiners.

As few days passed, I realized the class was actually divided into few groups, Gujju Gang, Mahila Mandal, Bheed...  Me any ma friends introduced USA Gang (there were 9 people from unr)... Those Groups had no bias with each other; the group was just divided for fun and nothing else. Event Manager was common amongst all groups. He doesn’t need any introduction - Modi. Event collection, managing any Bday, Planning trips, picnics, Organizing meetings, etc. everything was taken care by Modi. We just need to be there to enjoy & celebrate the event. He used to take care for the rest.

I somehow joined into Bheed too. And became a key member for fun, entertainment and timepass. There was hardly any mischief that Bheed dint do in the college. Bunking classes, abusing professors, making fun of professors and many more. There are even more Moments which I cannot put into words. I still laugh on the moments that we spent with Prof. Rizvi...... We discussed Sachin, Politics while bunking the class. lolz...  We even celebrated the bday and made the Maths professor to join us and even clicked photos with him during the lecture time. lol...  Bheed being the naughtiest gang of the class, had toppers too from the gang only. The MANTRA that the group had was to Top any subject you just need a PL (Preparatory Leave) and 3 days gap between 2 exams. Cramming, or taking over any subject within a night was the most beautiful art that the gang had.

As Time passed, I realized not just the BHEED, even rest of my class mates being so mischievous were the toppers as that of the Comps batch.

D-20 actually made the bonding stronger between all 60 bunch of kids. Being the final year of graduation, we were all aware that what will come up after BE was a question, so we enjoyed the year at our stretch. D20 taught us how to Enjoy and have fun when u have got limited time. Btw forgot to introduce what D-20 is actually. There’s a classroom number which is allotted to a class every year. D-20 was a classroom dedicated for Final year IT batch. D-20 will always be there, with different set of students every year, but Replica of D-20 '07 can never be made.....

D20 changed the life for most of us; Ranga became the Man of the Match after he made us Win Football cup. Although his goal was simply a fluke, coz he was standing at wrong position and Ball suddenly hitting him, went into the Net. But there was hardly any Quality which Ranga dint had; he can even do things what Rajnikanth can’t do. Even Viren acted as a DON in the dance sequel created by Dhara. He never resembles any DON..

Most important thing that D20 had was a huge collection of dialogues. I still laugh at all those dialogues & statements that happened over that year:

Just Cutting..........

NHRH...........

Ho raha hai kya ??

Sada mat....

Khatarnak.....

aada teda gaya...

H@g@, even D-20 galz used this word to express frustration over a stupid joke

Dil mein jagah hai...

Pakk raha hai..

Dimag mein jaaa raha hai....

I never liked the Golmaal song, unless it became the D20 Prayer..... Kch b hooo golmaaal karne ka.....

In Corporate Life too, why don’t we still Copy assignments from the first who wrote it... During College days we all copied from Viren and Vaibhav. Assignments were not to be written from home, it was always completed during Lectures and by late sitting on the college Floor. Library was not for all, it only belonged to few toppers.

My Final year Project experience was extra-ordinary, I still Question, which project we started with and with what product we ended with…. My Project team comprised of other 3 USAiites, during those project days we actually planned for being entrepreneurs and opening a MacD in my city... but neither our project worked nor the Entrepreneur idea. We wonder still how actually our Project Supervisor rated us and gave us a good score. To be frank our project being a dynamic website, at the end was completely Static just to show a demo to our external.....lol

The Farewell party at the end of year was again the most memorable one. Dance Floor, Video created by Dhara, MMS-Lab celebration with Lab Assistants, etc.. Every1 must have loved it. At Chembur Sports Club, Dance floor where all were driven by free dance was again an cherishing moment of one's life. The way people Cried was another most memorable moment of my life. Few people busted so badly, that the rest of them made fun out of them. Event being managed by Modi, at the end of the show, he deliberately made the sad songs to be played across the deck. Yaaron - KK, Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan, etc, etc.. Which recalled all the moments we spent and made every1 to lose emotions.

Few people leave such a strong bonding with you, that even after years, even if you just hear the name, you get the person in front of you. Although I missed few trips in D-20, but the ones that I was part of, has made the everlasting place in my Heart. Goa Niteout is the everlasting and can’t be made again. I wonder if there was any discussion about those last 4 years engineering that wasn't remembered in that night.

If I try to introduce all the 60 characters from the play, a book can be published onto itself. Also expressing All the scenes and drama into words, that happened inside D20 will leave you puzzled and in question whether what I am saying Actually Happened or just an imagination of any Engineer.

Every character made a very strong role-play in that classroom D-20. You can never get that school & college days back again, you can cherish memories with pictures taken and talking to those role plays.

Yes I Miss D-20, yes I lived a life in D-20.......

Toll Plazas...

Yesterday I came from Borivali to Ulhasnagar through a roadway in one of my friend' car. Being an Working weekday, I expected to reach by 75mins or so using Ghodbunder Highway. Usually a hour and half is more than enough on an Open Highway.

We started our journey at 3pm after lunch from a South Indian Restaurant in Borivali. I rarely approach a roadway, as I travel day and night using public transport. Hence Railways are Faster and Cheaper mode of transport to me.

We reached home @ 6.00 in the Evening.. We never expected it will take so long to travel only 55kms. We travelled long distances in very small span of time but Few junctions made us wait for hours in Traffic Jam. It was not due to any Road Accident or some road blocks, It was due to TOLL PLAZAS.... Few Toll Plazas gotta multilanes which is OK and hence traffic jams are rarely to see at those places, but few are like YUCKS, no Multilanes present, and a long jam appears in a few hours..

First Question that comes to my Mind, why do we have Toll Plazas? We already pay so many taxes, Why this Road Tax too for using an Government Road... Highways Development and Infrastructure is taken care by central government which collects Income Tax.. Billions & Trillions of Amount is received through Income Tax yearly. Where's the huge amount being Invested ???

Even this Toll Plazas which are in operation since Years, Road development in those areas are poor and Pathetic. Where's the huge Amount Collected since years is Invested in or its just an Simply an Source of Income for the Toll Owners..Some Toll Plazas are still operating as their operational date is also expired...

I came across 4(Four) Toll Plaza while travelling from Borivali to Ulhasnagar.. Single passport stamp would have taken me across Border. Why 4 different Toll Plazas in an single District Travel?

Most Embarassing moment was when I realized Wastage of Tonnes of Petrol and Diesel due to these stupid traffic Jams.. Shucks....... Even So much Energy is wasted there, Petrol, Time... Today Time is the most Expensive item to buy.. Temples even have VIP zones...  BEST buses and ST buses aren't spared from these Toll Plazas, they get some monthly discounted coupon. Why does State buses need to pay?.. SHUCKS again...

For a simple 4-wheeler Santro Car, First Toll Plaza collected 30 bucks, then 20, then 38 and then 25. so a return Journey costed around 225 bucks for 4 people... Rather an train journey would have costed even less than 100 bucks for the four.

I cursed Government the most, as usual. Few people who had Siren on their car or had POLICE written at their front number plates were only spared from toll else all other were made to pay unnecessarily. I am not against paying Road Toll, but If a traveller is charged, we do expect High Quality roads to be present, which are not. Hence I dont favour Toll Plazas.

I doubt if Developed countries have an concept of Toll Plaza.. Infrastructure Development in India has gained pace in last few years, but still Connectivity between Cities needs to be Improved. 4 toll Plazas in a same district that too, few on narrow roads can lead to huge Jams. When will Government understand what actually an Common man want?

To End up I am not against Toll Plazas. I am OK to pay the Road Tax, provided there's no traffic jams, Road Infrastructure should be top class, and mechanism of collecting money should be faster and simpler. Emergency mechanisms should be provided viz Ambulance and Fire brigade., at proper distances for public safety. I understand Maintanence of Road also Costs hence I am ready to pay, provided Government First Implement such high class services, then start collecting Money for Maintenance.

Devil Within Me...

Last night I couldnt sleep well, I was awake till 3 in the morning, there were many things that were disturbing me. Last week was one of most horrible weeks of ma life. I Shouted on ma Parents, I Misbehaved wid ma Colleagues, I dint took any of my Friends call. I was almost out of ma mind completely.... Over Last nite I gave a thought why actually all that Bad happened to me.

I analyzed, it was simply due to Tiredness, things I dint expect to happen but happend, and hence made me to loose temper.

Overcrowded trains, Less Salary, and an desperate break from routine life led to my all those Misbehave. I don't know if this happens only wid me or happens wid generation, I freak out my temper on some1 else, rather than to who actually the Culprit is.

Overcrowded train in the last Evening, led me to talk Hard to my Mom and asking her to leave ma Room and lemme Sleep. I although realize at the same moment, but you cant control as you are in the tempt of anger and Abusiveness. Words Speak Harder than Actions. Those hurt too much, I understand and feel the same.

Ideal mind is also an Villian to me, It takes me to those extremes which I never expect for. Comparison with other frnds in terms of Sal & Roles, Abusing my Leads for the stupid IT we do in our org. and in the stupid way we do actually(Policies and Coding Standard exists).

"Karna Padta Hai" often leads to an Frustration... Karna Padta Hai, mean Copying and doing Those Stuffs which leads ask to do, even if those Statements doesnt hold any Justification... Team Lead needs it to be that way, leaves developer with no Creativity in code and no boldness to handle complex tasks. And hence an Confident Indiviual is suppressed.

I cannot live Life as per Directions, and just to gonna impress any beauty. Generation too say "Who Cares". We set our own attitude and style... My ex Sr.mgr made a statement long back, "Abusing some1 @ his back is one of the most simplest thing one can do to release anger". I do agree with it and I often apply whole heartedly. Although there is hardly any1 on earth who has never been abused at his back, Even GOD is not spared with this.

There are so many Problems we come across daily, but those problems cant be shared coz some of them are due to individual perception, or some are so common that cannot be shared openly. Those hidden Problems within Me sometime lead to Silence, no Communication within ma Frnds, keeping mum most of times, almost takes me out of Social Network.

I have Realized All these Problems do have a solution. But achieving Solution needs Patience and extreme courage to say Sorry to, I did so wid ma Mom. Best practice that I do to Overcome my problems, is to give time to myself in Silence, Sit back for hours on the Sea side and speak out with oneself. Abuse people who are not so important in life. Communicate with older and loved ones. I tried with Beer and Smoke once in ma Life, but dat dint worked as any solution. I dont recommend either.

Actually I spoke of hidden devils within all, these devils grow due to jealousy, desires, tempt for more, desperate Break from Regular Life, etc etc. I dont recommend Meditation or Yoga, but its independent call what one wanna do with their own life , how do one wanna take those devils ahead.... Its WE only who feed such devils inside..............