I had been out of touch with
Mumbai and its local train journey during rush hours, for few years. But fortunately I got a chance to do it once
again recently. I could not help compare
it with Ashtanga yoga session I did recently with it. In Ashtanga yoga, you take a yoga posture and
maintain that pose for few seconds, and then change.
After I pushed myself in and
was pushed by people rushing in to the train, even though it seemed impossibly
full of people, the local-yoga session started.
There is another thing – you don’t do these yogic postures on your own,
but it’s a group thing – everyone does their own postures, but since everyone
is so closely packed together, what others do affects you as well. It goes like this –
There is a steel bar above,
and steel hand holdings as well.
But, as
soon as I got in, the train started moving, but postures also began. I was pushed ahead from waist above, and had
only enough space to stand on my toes, and to maintain my balance, held on to
the steel bar above. On my sides, 2
people doing their pose, also press me from both sides. After sometime, I realize I cannot hold that
pose anymore… I gently and not so gently push around, and move my feet at the
same time to change. A more comfortable
pose now, where my back is straight, and weight is on my feet. But next railway station arrives, and a group
of people leave the yoga session and jump out without any goodbyes, and another
group jump in unceremoniously.
Everyone’s pose change. I am pushed to my left side, and my back on
one side is pushes to a strange angle… I
try to straighten up, with help of my hands on the steel bar on top, and have
to push with my fingers with all my might.
I realize new muscles based on my fingers and am pushing myself to the
limit. But am pushed beyond my limits
and there is a feeling of relief as I realize some hidden strength from inside,
and that I can keep on going for few more seconds than I ever thought
possible. I change my feet, and the man
next to me also helps by changing his pose. I bend my knees and put my weight
on feet again and push back my waist and relax my arms.
Another station arrives. This keep going on, and the station where I
am supposed to get off is nearing. I
move towards the door and prepare for departure. Near the door, there is more wind and it
cools down my sweaty body a lot. Just
before the station arrives, vigorous push from inside by all those who want to
get out makes me change my posture and I have to put all my strength into my
hands to keep myself inside the train… the next crowded station appears in a
blur of faces, and as soon as the train stops, we jump out of the yoga
session. I walk a few more steps, and
then stand and look around at people rushing past. After a half a minute calming down stance, I
start my walk towards an apartment near the station.
Another free Mumbai local yoga
session is over.
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