It had been ages since I last commuted to work via metro. One of the perks of paying a bombshell as rent - maybe money cannot buy happiness but it definitely can buy some “time”.
But then this Friday morning I decided to become a bit adventurous and commute to work by metro. It was a 1.5 hr commute from my parents’ home to work (yeah, I had decided to crash at my parents place for some work) and it all came back to me. Back in 2018-19 this was my frequent mode of travel as I had to visit multiple places within Delhi due to the nature of my role (No I am not in sales and yes even HRs work contrary to the popular belief)!!
One may keep complaining about traffic, heat, waterlogging and infinite number of things but one metro ride is enough to keep you grounded. As I stepped down on Rajiv chowk, I felt it was quite empty for a workday morning. “Maybe it’s due to the hybrid work culture post covid,” I thought. But a second later, a swarm of people rushed towards me like a towering wave trying to catch the very same metro I had just deboarded. I tried to navigate the crowd – left, right then a bit centre. “My fellow friends, that ship has already sailed,” I mused while I steered myself through the crowd to reach the escalator to yellow line. My journey till Rajiv chowk was smooth. I got a seat at golf course to my surprise since the metro was fairly empty. After all it was only 7:30 in the morning - what did I expect?
But the yellow line was a different beast altogether. The first train I saw was full to the brim, so I skipped it, hoping the next one would be better. Spoiler: it was not. When the second train arrived, I didn’t even have to make the effort to board—the crowd simply pushed me in like a wave carrying driftwood.
And then it was me, my thoughts, and tonnes of people.
A college student clad in short Kurti and blue jeans, earphones playing the latest trend, scrolled through endless reels – a carefree attitude in her persona. There was the formal suited business woman, giving some instructions to her colleague or reportee. A young mother tried to soothe her cranky toddler with a packet of chips, while across from her, a schoolgirl dozed with her heavy backpack sliding off her shoulders. Some were lucky to grab a seat and comfortably dozed off, while others navigated the journey waiting for a seat.
Everyone had a story and today I was part of their story and they were part of mine.
From people to thoughts… my mind wandered like the metro itself, stopping briefly at one station before rushing to the next
Thought 1:
A toddler decided to test the acoustics of the metro at 8 a.m. with a full-blown meltdown. I realized tantrums aren’t just an adult privilege—kids simply express them louder, with zero guilt. Honestly, I envied the freedom. Imagine crying in the office pantry because Excel crashed—what a stress buster that would be.
Thought 2:
As we passed Qutub Minar, the burst of green outside the window felt like a cheat code for sanity. Trees swaying, sunlight peeking through—it almost fooled me into believing Delhi was calm, quiet, and close to nature.
Thought 3:
The lady next to me stood so close, I began to wonder if we were long-lost relatives. At one point, I was tempted to ask if she would like to hold my bag too—since we were clearly sharing everything else, including oxygen molecules.
Thought 4:
The carriage turned into a live experiment on how many fragrances one human nose can endure. A variety of floral perfume and deodorant mixed into a concoction so potent, Dior would’ve quit the perfume business on the spot.
Thought 5:
Somewhere between Qutub Minar and Hauz Khas, I realized breathable air was the rarest luxury item. Forget gold—Delhi Metro should bottle oxygen and sell it as a premium product. I would be a loyal customer.
Thought 6:
My smartest decision of the day? Borrowing my sister’s shoes. If I had worn heels, standing for an hour in heels would have been a death sentence for my feet.
Comfort has its own price and economy has its own pleasures.
I am glad that I took the ride. It gave me food for thought and motivation to do something I like - writing.
What do you prefer? Drop in your thoughts in comments.
Read other posts in this series here:
No comments:
Post a Comment