Life in a Metro - Part 2

Life in a Metro – A Different Story!

I am a new bee or a new traveler in the famous Delhi Metro, in a way two hours of my life every day are spent in this revolutionary transport system which was introduced a few years back in the capital city of Delhi and its region around. It has been the most successful of all the transport options one has in India. It has been successful to motivate people to leave their own vehicles and travel with the public in a convenient and comfortable way, thus reducing traffic and pollution. Bollywood is a craze for Indians, and not to deny the fact that I am also a movie buff. But, now I don’t have to visit theatres or takeout time at home for television. My daily quota of entertainment is met convincingly in the metro. 

There is a rare breed of humans that has come into existence fairly recently. It looks like a normal self generally, but transforms into a wild show-off species under special circumstances. Their behaviour is controlled at one time, but becomes awfully loud and vicious, few minutes later. This breed is present all around, but you can only see their true colors only in the most used public transport - Metro. These are the women traveling by the metro in the ladies compartment (the pink ‘Women only’ section, don’t know how guys miss this signage and entre).

Walking on the road, they seem perfectly normal women, but the ladies compartment of the Delhi Metro casts some spell on them. Of course there are exceptions, and that’s the reason how I am here to observe and now write about them. So, well, here I pen down some unique and interesting characteristics of these ‘Metro Species’. Earphones…. I had never seen soooo many people and all with earphones in there ears… wwooo, incredible invention I must say. Listen to music or chit chat till your stop comes… looks quite tempting. I haven’t tried it though.

It’s not that simple infact coz if they are listening to music, even with the earphones, it will be so loud that you might not need any music for yourself. Their songs will be enough to keep you engaged. If that’s not much of entertainment, just stand and their conversation will keep you occupied truly when everyday you will hear numerous stories of villain relatives, boyfriend not giving enough time or a new baby in the neighborhood etc etc.. you will have some experience for every sense – for eyes – notice the best dressed or worst dressed, see a lady in an abaya sitting beside one in shorts and staring at her bare legs or the colorfull nail art of the college goers or one almost getting into the window to secretly have her packet of wafers or peep in and read through neighbours newspaper or book etc. 

For your nose, smell the best of the fragnances like the Guccis, Channels & Elizabeths or the weirdest of those who just entered the metro after eating some chat or samosa… For your skin, feel the pain when someone gets on your feet like it’s their personal Persian rug or get sqeezed on a seat area for six, when the extra 3 try to fit themselves for an inch space (don’t know how much comfort does that inch gives them.)

There is one new experience almost everyday. Not leaving myself behind, I also add a few experiences for others, when my iftar time clashes with my travelling time in metro and I have my samosa on board.. (truly we cant follow all the rules, sorry government I cudnt control as the clock strikes 7:15). It’s the time when all tired office/college goers crave for their beds and warm tea at home, when I tempt them with my samosa.

So Delhi Metro adds a new facet to our vibrant Incredible India!.. and the fascinating part is that all this will happen only in INDIA!! And that’s what make it unique …. a day in the life of Indian. All my above details may sound weird to those who haven’t travelled in this amazing public transport, but all the ladies who do, they can empathise and enjoy reading through…I can now say, I don’t know how my time passes by when in metro and I am starting to like it now.

Cheers to metro women & Cheers to Metro!

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan Mubarak! 

"Unlike prayers, charity, and pilgrimage, fasting is an invisible act. Only Allah and the person who is fasting know whether he or she is fasting or not. One may quietly eat or drink something and no one will notice and no one can find out. However, the fasting person has made this commitment for the sake of Allah and he or she wants to guard the purity of his or her fast for the sake of Allah. Fasting thus teaches sincerity, and it helps a person learn to live by the principles of his or her faith regardless whether others know or do not know. This is the very purpose and essence of taqwa (God-consciousness)."

I love this little note. While fasting is often seen as something that involves community-building, it is truly a personal act. At the end of the day, all that matters is your individual relationship with Allah (swt), regardless of what other people see or think of you. The key point is that sincerity derives from living by your values, regardless of your surroundings. As we are inevitably bound to sway (however subtle) with the movement of others, perhaps faith is ultimately best expressed when you are in solitude. 

Because of fasting being an "invisible" act, it is a perfect time for personal reflection and contemplation of your beliefs. In this quiet, answers or questions will rise to the surface.  In this regard, you then have the ultimate power to choose how to manifest those beliefs in your everyday life and principles. In this spiritually charged time, Ramadan can serve to awaken the soul, or keep it in the same condition. It is for each person to decide how much they want to search inward. Through the tough way but now I truly understand that consistency and good intention, however small the acts, can reap great rewards, inshAllah.