Salam Mumbai - Yesterday Night experience on Local Bus on my way back to Home

Vibhu Jindal

Now...

it was in my office when the bomb blast took place...
I decided to stay back in my office and at 9.15 i caught bus no. 83 from Colaba....which goes to Santa Cruz dipo via, Opera House, Peddar Road, Worli Naka, Siddhivinayak, Hinduja Hospital, etc.
With the Western Rail Line shut...it was evident that Buses were jam-packed...

This was the start of what i consider an Epic Journey that took me full 2 Hrs 45 mins to reach my Destination ( which by the way takes max. 40-45 mins in peak hours)...

With the bus full to its hilt, on a normal days the tempers might have flared and scuffle might have broken out but not that day..it was as if the worst situations are meant for best behaviours..peole in bus co-operated and some how adjusted to accomadate not only who were already in the bus but also for those who wanted to ride on the already full bus.
The roads were jam-packed and traffic was moving at snails pace..
the commmon commutter, in absence of trains, they had no other option but to go by road transport.
Seeing the condition of my bus and roads i thought this gonna be a long ride home and a helish one indeed.

Seldom did I know that i was about to have rondevouz with a totally different side of Mumbai...
The moment the bus reached the start point of Peddar Road ...it seemed as if the Locals of these localities were out on the streets ..be it kids or elders or women or men...all were out with water bottles and biscuits in their hands to distribute it to the commuters on busses and taxis and private vehicles..

It was lovingly insane...kids, youth, girls, boys , Uncleji's, Auntyji's ...all shouting "water","biscuit" in order to distribute it to people trapped in road jam. Locals helping traffic police to control traffic...

On Peddar Road Near Sterling Apts. a very old Marwari lady from upper economic strata of society in her traditional attire was directing her whole family to help out people in busses and vehicles...her two sons were old enough to be my grandfather, she with her whole family and house help was involved in relief work. She shouted at one of her grand son, in typical marwari - Re chora ...bathe pani de un loga ne" meaning " give water to those people , boy"

The whole road was full of such scenes...full families were out of their houses tearing out packets of biscuits and filling water bottles to be distributed....

Worli which had the worst traffic jam ...had more to offer with people helping traffic police with traffic administration...
a Prvt. Car stopped working ...immediately it was helped by locals to be removed from the main road and brought to the side.

People in bus were at their best too ...people sharing seats and taking turns at sitting...cracking jokes like -"Khao Parle, Pahucho Ville Parle" meaning "Eat Parle-G biscuit and reach Ville Parle".

In Dadar and Matunga i.e. the whole stretch from Siddhivinayak temple to Hinduja Hospital...similar scenes were abundant...Marathi households,Hefty Sikh uncles, Old Saree clad Gujarati Aunty's, old Parsee couples, Catholic families ...everybody was out of their houses to help the people on road..

Finally at 11.55 PM i reached my stop at Hinduja Hospital...it was an epic journey back to home...in between it felt that we are being pelted with bicuits and water bottles...

A newspaper editorial post 26 July, 2005 flooding commented that - " Mumbai reserves its best behaviour for the worst situations" .............yesterday night it was proved to be true... whoever said that Mumbai is rude...go to hell...for if this is rude then i take pride in this rudeness...

I realized this yesterday that who-ever was trying to hurt and bleed Mumbai, haven't been succesful because this city has an amazing healing capacity and the moment it is hurt or scarred , the healing proces starts with the aid of its antibodies i.e. its people..

I am often told that "Mumbai is the city that never sleeps"..........well they forgot to tell me that its also the one that never bleeds.

amarshah

Well the following morning things are back to normal. The western train line which was shut yesterday after the 7 blast is more or less back on track with a few delays in some sections. Roads clear and things moving again smoothly. The stock market is UP too ... PROUD to be a citizen of Mumbai

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Cheers

Amar

Year 2008 Trips - http://amards14.googlepages.com/

gautam

Salute to the true spirit of mumbai

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shahronakm

Good you reached home safely.
A nice narration of situtation on the road.

Ronak.

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anindya911

Salam Mumbai!

Being a Delhi Boy for long, I have been sceptical of Mumbai. We have had bomb blasts in Delhi too. But yesterday's experiance shown a new side of the city (Mumbai). Guess its due its rich cosmoploitan background.

The city may be old but its heart is just like at 10 year old boy. Who on getting hurt, stands up on its own, scarps the dust off and carry on. Bleeding or not...

Cheers

Anindya

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aadil

Good to hear from you Vibhu, glad to know you were safe, I tried to go to work at night but had to return since there was nothing working on my street, I returned from the railway station and could not reach work so made my way back home sadly the buses were just parked all along the road with the drivers and conductors having tea at the roadside stalls in Dadar, nothing moving not even at a snail's pace, You were out at a much later time so I guess it was somewhat better but then I had no option but to take leave from work. Not one who usually does that so it felt a bit strange yesterday night sitting at home when most of my colleagues would have been out at work on the airport.

Aadil.

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Vibhu Jindal

hei Aadil how r u??
thanks for the wishes...
trust me i feel who-ever wasn't commuting by one or the other way yesterday night has missed something...i am over-awed by the generosity of Mumbai....yesterdays scene cannot be seen in any other city....have been in my hometown Kanpur and Delhi on such occasions but nothing ofthis sirt couldbe seen there..

I consider it my goodluck to be able to get a chance to travel in that over crowded bus caught in a traffic jam on that night as it enabled me see this city bare its heart.

amarshah

It was very similar like July 26 rains last year. I still remember driving back to town on 27th afternoon via SV road, residents were offering tea / medicines like asprin / biscuts etc.. to all drivers as many were stuck over night.... It was the same last evening too

CHEERS TO MUMBAI

Mangogirl

Hi all Mumbai-IM'ers!
I'm happy to hear that you're all alive. My thoughts go to all the people in Mumbai!
Mangogirl

aadil

Thanks Mangogirl. Your thoughts are much appreciated.

Aadil.

rab

Good post Vibhu

Percy

To all IMers living in Mumbai,

A prayer goes out to you all. Am really looking forward to visit this resilient city later on this year.

Cheers...

mridula

Glad to hear you all are safe. And a thought for those who were not so lucky.

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mridula

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aadil

Hi Anneke, Percy and Mridula,

Thanks for your good thoughts and hope peace prevails. Mumbai is a very resilient city and it sure springs back to life as you have all seen today.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Nick-H

Still so sad for the tradgedy that has caused this, but my heart is warmed by the reactions you describe, Vibhu.

The main thing is that peace seems to be prevailing. The damned terrorists have failed to start violence on the streets. Rather than driving people apart, they seem to have only brought them together. Please, please let it remain this way.

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