Salute the Spirit, A Homage

Jessie covered her hands tightly around her bent knees; her head slumped as she gaped elsewhere. She didn't recognize the alteration of twilight into the crack of dawn. She had a woebegone expression and looked out apathetically. She had aroused early in fact she had not slept a wink last night. She and her sister Nancy consoled each other but some happenings cannot be over and done so easily. Nancy envisaged how blissful they were a few months back. Nancy was my close friend and a colleague, who resided at Nallasopara west with her sister. Both were married and owned two apartments in the same housing block. Their spouses were employed in Saudi Arabia and so would visit once or twice in a year. They belonged to Mangalore and spoke Konkani. They lived in Nancy’s flat and had sub-let Jessie’s flat. Mumbai is a metropolis of dreams and people state it is the grace of Mahalakshmi and Haji Ali which contributes to prosperity.  Jessie worked at Church Gate for a multinational company.

         In the year 1993 a special train catering suburban services called ladies special train had begun for women and children below twelve. It plied in the peak hours in the morning and evening for the office goers from Virar to Church gate. Women attuned their timings to embark this train as it was comfortable and secure than the ordinary train. The usual local trains encompass two second class ladies compartments and a first class compartment for women. These are by and large jam-packed in the peak hours and boarding a compartment common for all meant giving lease to pervasive minds who abuse women. Jessie loved boarding the ladies special train in the morning from Nallasopara and in the evening at six from church gate. It had become a part of most of the women travelling this stretch. Husbands, fathers and brothers were assured of the well being of their women, and they would never try to hasten them to amend their schedule. It was a dreary cold day, must have been in the month of December 1993, the weather conditions changed significantly and a rainstorm raged, displacing lives, uprooting trees, dismantling electrical wires. The ladies special train chugged and halted a little away from the yard in Borivali. Due to the storm and black out it had turned pitch dark. Tenuously they could see a few lights. Although there were many women they were despondent with the proceedings. It was growing darker; suddenly the audacious ones persuaded the timid ones to leap out and move to the station as they could board a different train. There are numerous railway tracks at Borivali. They began crossing the tracks. Jessie was in one of the compartments, she considered the decision. After reflecting she persuaded a friend and went back from the doorway to pick her bag and was about to leap out when she heard an annihilating sound of bodies being slaughtered. She froze as she saw another local train without headlight moving silently had run over the women who were crossing the tracks. The train came to a stand still but more than sixty bodies were lying on the tracks lifeless, battered, beyond recognition. Blackouts in Mumbai are for a very short while, lights were restored but lives mislaid. Jessie didn’t know whether she should have rejoiced and thanked God for saving her own life or feel sorry for the deceased. She clamoured through the crowd and reached home. She didn’t want to travel by the local train. When I met Nancy at the station the next day she narrated the loss .She looked at me beseechingly. She did not have the courage to board the train. I was alarmed, so was she. We held our hands as we noticed the local train approaching the station and gradually boarded it. Life moved on. People voiced their opinion against the Railways. Compensation was paid to the families of the departed. We saw Jessie a few days later, she had begun working and life changed despite the sorrow. This episode is a salutation to the spirits of the people of Mumbai who are determined, valiant and strongly believe that miracles do happen in the lives of individuals who lay their trust in God who dispels darkness and fills delight in their lives.