Any Mumbaikar who has grown up in Mumbai or allowed the city to grow onto them will agree with the claim that life in ‘Maximum City’ would be impossible (unless you are an Ambani) without its lifeline – the local train. Similarly, one ought to have drenched and found themselves in knee-deep flooded streets to have experienced the phenomenon called Mumbai rains. The pains and gains of the local trains and Mumbai rains notwithstanding, the two are an inseparable part of any Mumbaikar's identity.
That Maiden Journey Into The Wonder Called Mumbai Locals I have shared a long association with Mumbai’s local trains. As a proud non-owner of a car or even a bike (when you can’t buy them, hate them) the Mumbai local has been both a necessity and a luxury. I had my first brush with the Mumbai local as a 7-year-old boy when my mother took me to the Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi.
I had no idea of the phenomenon called Dadar station that would years later become the source of a famous meme on social media – “Darr kea aage jeet hai, Dadar ke aage seat hai”. However, that was a one-time occurrence and all I remember from that journey is the memorable wind hitting my face when I dared to get close to the footboard. I would not have dared to step any further anyway.
Maybe it was the early indication of my fascination with flirting with danger. A long time passed after that and I had to wait for over 6 years for my next encounter with the fabled local train. This time, I vi.
