A dream came true in the city of dreams – MUMBAI

On this very day of April 16, 2007, here I am, born again in a new world – world of BLOGGING (thanks to Anshul & Niraj). It has always been one of the fantasies of the so called FANTASY MAN (thanks Nishant for the name).

It might be one of the most common things which all of you might have heard several times, and I am no very different. It talks about a dream, which most of the engineers (includes me too) have even before getting admitted to an engineering college – “APNE PAIRO PE KHADA HONA (to stand on one’s own feet)”.

After 87 days of actual struggle, finally I have got an offer from one of the leaders in finance domain in IT – in “Mumbai”, and I was supposed to join from 7^th of November 2005. My fate brought me to the city of dreams – MUMBAI.

I departed my place on 5^th of November and have reached to the city on 6^th noon. I was told by my cousin , to get down at kurla station and take a taxi to his place, as the place was new to me. But trying to be smart to save some money, I decided to talk to the people in my compartment and try to understand to take a cheaper route – THE LOCAL TRAINS. After consulting to a few, I finally decided to get down at kalyan station. I have been told “Get down at kalyan and you will get a fast local for dadar in the same platform, from there you will get a local to bandra and finally from there you take a rickshaw or a best bus”.

I did the same I was told. I got down at kalyan around 3:20 PM, and enquired about the things told to me. I was happy when it was confirmed that I will get a fast local from the same platform. After that I came to know that one need to get tickets for the same, from outside the platform. With a heavy heart and heavy shoulders too (3 bag of luggage), I came out of the platform, and could not believe to what I saw. The queue for the tickets was even more than the queue at the ration stores at my place.

I waited there some time and then decided better to take the second heavily used public transport – BEST BUS. I came to the other side of the platform from east to west, and some how make up to the bus depot. After a little enquiry I came to know that there is no direct bus for my brother’s place. I need to first go to borivali and then from there I will get a bus for bandra. And for borivali the route was very simple – take a bus for bhiwandi first.

After hearing so much unfamiliar names, I finally boarded a bus after confirming from the people that it will drop me to bhiwandi. My 2 piece of luggage were in the stairs of the bus and I was hanging out with a traveling bag on my shoulders at the door of the bus, somehow managing to keep the grip. Just before the first bus stop, I was told that this bus will not go to bhiwandi. I somehow managed to get out of the bus with half of my luggage and the bag left in the bus was thrown out at a distance, by a gentleman.

Now I had to start my journey again from the bus depot. I decided to take a rickshaw to the depot. After reaching there, carefully this time boarded in the correct bus. Safely reached bhiwandi and got a connecting bus to borivali. With the hope of reaching in about an hour, I took a nap in between. My watch said its 6. Then I started finding a quicker way round. Beggars are not choosers and no choices for me too but to again rely on the telling of the people around.

I was told to take a local train from borivali to bandra as again a rickshaw would take much of my time and money. So I decided to take a local and dragged myself to the railway station which was “just 5 minutes away”. As I entered the platform, I saw a local train waiting for me and welcoming me to a ride. I confirmed from people sitting in, that it will drop me to the destination. Now again I realized that I need to get the tickets first for the ride.

I randomly entered a compartment (which I later realized was a first class compartment) and relieved my shoulders, very innocently asking an uncle sitting next, where do I get the tickets from. He said go get it quickly the train is about to leave. I was so exhausted that like a kid I said to the same guy “Would you mind taking care of my belongings, till the time I get myself a ticket”. He said fine and there I go, running for one.

After looking at the queue, again I realized its better to take out my luggage from the train, in case I could not make it up to. Somehow I managed to get a ticket in 5 min, and I ran back to a compartment, and got into the rider. After getting down to the bandra station, I knew either I have to take a rickshaw or a best bus numbered 220 for carter road. I decided to save a few more bucks. So I was there for another about half an hour waiting for the bus numbered 220.

Finally I get into the bus, and my last travel for the day started. In about another 30 minutes I reached the place. I had to walk a few meters to finally halt. I covered the distance as a lethargic and finally to my brother’s place. Huh finally I reached.

It is not the end. My watch said its 9 PM. There I find a big lock hanging on the door, and a piece of paper saying “Collect the keys from Mrs.…….. from house no. 501 and have your dinner, we are at a friends place and will be late.” It was surely not my day.

All I can say to conclude is ‘ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD’, same applies to Mumbai also. And finally it gave place to one more struggler, but finally I was happy coz Mumbai gave me what I wanted –‘A JOB’.