Friday, October 24, 2014

Life in a Mumbai Local

Mumbai breathes and lives by its local trains. Locals say that a trip to Mumbai is not complete without indulging in the local experience. I have been to Mumbai many times, but never got the opportunity to try the Mumbai local. However, that changed on my recent trip to Mumbai and I ended up experiencing this mode of city traffic. This experience was pretty special as I felt closer to the Mumbai culture. And it was also a great way to beat the atrocious Mumbai traffic and still cover long distances.

Churchgate Station, Mumbai 
During peak hours, the train is packed all the way, especially the men’s compartments. And it is quite an experience to travel during the peak times. All you have to do is standard near the door and you will automatically get into the train. And if you wish to get down at a station, you need to make your way towards the door 2 stops before. If you make it to towards the door before by any chance, you will end up getting down from the train at one or two stops before your actual destination.

People from all walks of life can be seen in the local trains. People meet each other almost every day on the local and make friends here. They share sweets on the birth of a child, a wedding in the family, their kid securing a good rank in the exams, on festivals and for other important life events. They share stories together. In fact, the local trains act as an extension of the life of the Mumbaikars. I would definitely recommend you giving these locals a try at least once during your trip to Mumbai.

1 comment:

  1. It looks amazing! I specially would like to go to that theater.

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