It was a lovely Monday morning precisely 5:00 am. I was at a Mumbai suburban station called Goregaon. I don’t know exactly why it is named so. Any way, I just didn’t happen to be there, because I was suppose to be there or because I wanted to be there at that morning hour, I was there because I was on my way to Pune for my language test.
A little while later about 5.10, I was in Mumbai local, bound to CST. I was suppose to get down at Dadar. “Dadar”!!! what a name every time I hear unique names a bell rings!! once again a fascinating name, I still got to figure it out why they are named so. Well all the stations are named the same way following the principle of “it’s different” “nothing official about it” I guess. Down the line stations are Andheri, Lower Parel, Bandra etc and the list goes on. Real issue is not the names that fascinates me or the Mumbai local bound to CST as I might have given an impression rather it is about the Article 377 of our divine book about which I might have studied in school days but don’t remember a bit now or to be specific I am least bothered.
Any way, I was lucky to get a seat in usually over crowed Mumbai Local, though It was much more crowed than I expected it to be at that hour. I could see the motley of co-passengers, tall, small, young, old, men women, boys, girls destined for their different fascinating stations/locations for their fascinating jobs irrespective of whether the liked, disliked or abhorred.
I could see a lot, Bleary eyed, tensed, some curious like me and remaining phlegmatic to a celebration which I was witnessing. There were two guys, a gay couple I guess, definitely males, to best of my knowledge and observation, I am ready to take an undertaking for that. Amazingly one dressed as a female and other a male. Though there was hardly any distinction. It was difficult to distinguish who was “he” and who was “she”. Was she “he” or was he “she”. But definitely “He” was she, for whom a man would really love to die for, if she really were a she. I admit that I was one of few odd men out who were staring at them, may be with different reasons and perspective, and occasionally looking at each other for support, that made us individually feel that “I am not the only idiot”. I was amazed by the reaction of the people around them and me. Very few people even bothered to look at them. It wasn’t interesting, funny or serious for them. They behaved as if it was something very natural for them. It was even so when the couple engaged in kisses and hugs. It wasn’t natural for me; It wasn’t history in making, by Supreme court judgement on 377, celebrating LGBT rights, it was a Mumbai local, Mumbai, India. I don’t know whether it was a post celebration event for them or a celebration going on since Mumbai become the capital of Maharashtra after later being separated from Gujarat or it has been happening here since eon.
Truly speaking, I was feeling happier, who the hell there cared for Article 377, nether did I, I don’t think many people there even bothered what article 377 meant and dealt with, what it offered, what it denied. None bothered, I guess. This city is different really very different, very different from smallest or the largest.
I have been to East West North and South of India, indeed “Mumbai is different”
That’s the spirit, of MUMBAI meri jan
That’s the spirit of MUMBAI, meri jan
A little while later about 5.10, I was in Mumbai local, bound to CST. I was suppose to get down at Dadar. “Dadar”!!! what a name every time I hear unique names a bell rings!! once again a fascinating name, I still got to figure it out why they are named so. Well all the stations are named the same way following the principle of “it’s different” “nothing official about it” I guess. Down the line stations are Andheri, Lower Parel, Bandra etc and the list goes on. Real issue is not the names that fascinates me or the Mumbai local bound to CST as I might have given an impression rather it is about the Article 377 of our divine book about which I might have studied in school days but don’t remember a bit now or to be specific I am least bothered.
Any way, I was lucky to get a seat in usually over crowed Mumbai Local, though It was much more crowed than I expected it to be at that hour. I could see the motley of co-passengers, tall, small, young, old, men women, boys, girls destined for their different fascinating stations/locations for their fascinating jobs irrespective of whether the liked, disliked or abhorred.
I could see a lot, Bleary eyed, tensed, some curious like me and remaining phlegmatic to a celebration which I was witnessing. There were two guys, a gay couple I guess, definitely males, to best of my knowledge and observation, I am ready to take an undertaking for that. Amazingly one dressed as a female and other a male. Though there was hardly any distinction. It was difficult to distinguish who was “he” and who was “she”. Was she “he” or was he “she”. But definitely “He” was she, for whom a man would really love to die for, if she really were a she. I admit that I was one of few odd men out who were staring at them, may be with different reasons and perspective, and occasionally looking at each other for support, that made us individually feel that “I am not the only idiot”. I was amazed by the reaction of the people around them and me. Very few people even bothered to look at them. It wasn’t interesting, funny or serious for them. They behaved as if it was something very natural for them. It was even so when the couple engaged in kisses and hugs. It wasn’t natural for me; It wasn’t history in making, by Supreme court judgement on 377, celebrating LGBT rights, it was a Mumbai local, Mumbai, India. I don’t know whether it was a post celebration event for them or a celebration going on since Mumbai become the capital of Maharashtra after later being separated from Gujarat or it has been happening here since eon.
Truly speaking, I was feeling happier, who the hell there cared for Article 377, nether did I, I don’t think many people there even bothered what article 377 meant and dealt with, what it offered, what it denied. None bothered, I guess. This city is different really very different, very different from smallest or the largest.
I have been to East West North and South of India, indeed “Mumbai is different”
That’s the spirit, of MUMBAI meri jan
That’s the spirit of MUMBAI, meri jan
