Life in a Metro (Train)

Ever Since we have shifted to Delhi, my husband has taken over the role of the self-appointed brand ambassador of Delhi Metro. He always prefers to take the metro to office rather than car; though It's another matter that the Govt accommodation we are staying in is just one stop away from his office. Even though the metro is usually extremely overcrowded during the office hours,  he doesn't mind standing absolutely still,not even being able to move his little finger during the entire ride, as the ride just takes two  2 minutes. According to him,  Delhi Metro is the best thing that has ever happened to Delhi and he is of the opinion that taking the metro is the best mode of transport in this city. It often happens that when some guest visiting us asks for directions to a particular location, he suggests t: you walk down from here to metro station A, then take a metro for station B. From station B, you change for another metro line for station C. From station C, take the metro for Station D. Then come out of the metro station, and walk for around 500 meters to your destination. Unable to handle so much information in a 1400 gm brain wired to handle only small town transports, the guests often leave for the metro station but hire an auto rickshaw mid- way directly for the destination. 

 My opinion regarding traveling by the Metro is a complete 180 degrees from that of my husband’s. Maybe it's because when I rode the Delhi metro for the first time a few years back, I had a completely different experience. It was a few years back, when on a visit to Delhi I decided to take a metro for my destination rather than a taxi to avoid traffic and save some time. While I knew about the automatic functions of metro,  little did I know the automated mode of transport from platform to coach.  I was standing on the platform amidst numerous travelers right at the spot where the ladies coach was supposed to stop.  Though I was nervous as to whether I would be able to board the train, my fear was baseless. Upon arrival of the train, I was automatically transported into the coach by the crowd without putting in any effort. I bet that even if I would have lifted both my feet, there was no chance of me falling down! Though this automatic system is great for boarding, getting down is a tough challenge ,  as you have to battle the automatic transportation systems moving in and out of the metro at every station. If you don't clutch the handle firmly,  there is a high probability that you will be moved out of the metro and thrown out at a station much before your destination.

After we shifted to Delhi, one or two more such incidents were enough to deter me from taking the metro. Though with the company of Metroman and also a newly emerged metro-girl ( my daughter had joined college in Dwarka and used to come home on weekends by the Metro. She was giving a tough competition to her father in glorifying the Delhi metro)  in our home, it was not possible to avoid metro rides  completely. However, I always made sure that the metro rides were a family affair and never took the ride alone, that too on non-working days, so that even if I had to stand in the coach, I  could at least get to breathe without my breath touching other passengers and vice-versa. These rides allowed my husband and daughter to take the role of self-appointed guides in the metro stations, treating me like some village girl  who was traveling on the metro for the very first time. They kept guiding me on how to tap the metro card while entering and exiting the platforms, how to recharge the metrocard, which elevator to take to the platform etc. On such occasions, they completely forgot that during our foreign visits, I am usually the one playing the role of a guide for the family. When reminded, they would say: don't talk about foreign countries, this is the Delhi Metro!  In a way, they were right also. In other countries, the empty platform and leisurely attitude of people gives you enough time and space to read the instructions and make a decision on which train to take. Even missing a train doesn’t seem any big deal, as you can stroll on the platform till you  board the next train!  Compare this to Delhi where everyone seems to be running to catch the train as if they are stranded on a lifeless planet and the only rescuing vessel is about to leave! That's why, even after having traveled alone many times via public transport in other countries, the hustle-bustle of the Delhi metro was a nightmare for me.

 Still, there was one thing in the metro train which always fascinated me. While traveling with my daughter in the ladies coach, I used to envy the “cool” girls, hooked to the videos playing in their mobile phones with their ear phones separating them from the outside world. How carefree these girls looked, I thought, in complete contrast to the conscious me, clutching my bag tightly and eyes glued on the station indicators, for the fear of missing my station!

 Maybe this miserable fearful  Avatar of me made the metro god show me some mercy, and give me a chance to experience the same carefree ride like those “cool” girls! It so happened once that  I had to visit a relative at Fortis Hospital in Gurgaon. I had to go alone in the evening. As going by car  would have taken me at least an hour and a half in peak traffic time, the two Delhi Metro brand ambassadors of our house convinced me to take the metro to my destination as the hospital was barely 100 meters from the metro station. I was told that since the evening crowd was mostly moving in the direction from Gurgaon to Delhi,  I could easily get a seat in the metro going in the opposite direction. The mere mention of getting a seat brought a twinkle to my eyes! Here was my golden chance to sit comfortably in the AC and have my cool girl moment, being cut off from the rest of the world completely engrossed in the content of my phone. I obliged them by agreeing to their suggestion and began my preparations to welcome my cool girl era. One day in advance, I downloaded a video ( long enough to last my metro journey) to my phone, to ensure seamless entertainment even in the event of signal loss. On the day of journey, I charged my cellphone to the fullest keeping no stone unturned in my effort to enjoy the ride. 

 On the D-Day,[read metro day], I took the metro from the Jorbagh metro station, with my cellphone and  earphones in my bag and a thousand instructions in my little mind! As expected,, the metro was not crowded and I easily got a seat in the ladies coach. Hiding my smile and excitement from my fellow passengers ( a futile exercise, I soon realized, as all of them were so engrossed in themselves, they couldn’t have noticed even if a dinosaur mounted the train, let alone the smile of an ordinary passenger like me), I  took out the earphones from my purse, fixed them in my ear and started watching the video! Wow, I was on top of the world! I didn't remember the last time I had watched a video in such a calm and composed environment,  without being disturbed by my husband, kids or house-help for some trivial thing!

 As time passed, the feeling of fulfillment started to prevail; that's right, why should people waste one-and a half hour in a car, when they can easily travel the same distance in less than 40 minutes, with a cell phone in hand and peace in mind! 

 The feeling of contentment and pride soon subsided as I got engrossed in the video, occasionally glancing at the station indicator to estimate my time of arrival. The metro stations were passing by, and I was sitting calmly at my seat without any concerns, slowly getting closer to my destination. The metro was moving fast and so was the time. It must have been just over 30-35 minutes, when I casually glanced over the station indicator and was shocked! The train had halted, the light above HUDA City Center was blinking in the station indicator and everyone was getting down! I had very nearly missed my station (though I knew it was the last station on the line, I had no clarity on the fete of passengers remaining seated in the last station). Taking a hold of myself, I quickly wrapped up my phone and earphones, put them in my bag and came out, patting myself for the quick reaction in time. Calmly, I headed out, now only a small walk towards the Fortis Hospital was left, as I had successfully completed the metro ride like a “cool” GIrl or so I thought. 

 As I came to the exit gate and looked outside to see the direction I had to walk towards to get to the hospital, I was shocked! I mean, I agree that the whole world conspires against me whenever I head out for some adventure, but this time the conspiracy seemed to be otherworldly.   After all, this must be the work of some supernatural force that made the complete 10 acre Fortis Hospital disappear from where it was supposed to be just to make me miserable! I clearly remembered that the Fortis Hospital was a large establishment distinctly visible from the HUDA City Center metro station, but where had it gone? I asked a passerby and when he replied that it was a little far away and that I would have to take an auto to get there, I was puzzled. How was it possible that within a short span of time since my last visit, the hospital had shifted?

Maybe there was some other exit gate, I thought.   But as I turned around to find out, my world turned upside down! Lo and behold,  the signboard facing me which ideally should have read “Huda City Center” had “IFFCO CHOWK” written on it in bold letters! My God, even after taking care of every small thing, I had gotten down at the wrong metro station! I later came to know that when the train stops at a station, the blinking sign on the station indicator promptly changes to indicate the next station.  See the fault lies with the mero experts of my family, for not telling me this.

 All the coolness I had gained during the metro ride quickly evaporated, and I had reverted to my original avatar of a naive traveler, standing  on the platform to catch the metro for the next station, with flushing cheeks and sweating palms, holding my bag tightly with both my hands!