Train journey in Mumbai

Mumbai life is really hectic for those who travel. But being a housewife and having led a cocooned and protected life, I am dazed at the number of people on the roads at any given point of time. A brief stay in Singapore, where even a line of ten vehicles at the signal is considered a "traffic jam" and is fussed over stood in stark contrast to how Mumbaiites get on with life despite endless traffic jams(in the real sense) and mind-blowing crowds at stations.
The first time, when I travelled by train (despite warnings that the crowds push you and how difficult it is to get in or out of the train of your own free will), I was amazed. We were literally making an "adi pradakshanam"of the station looking for the right platform(I would have garnered more punyam, if I had done that at a temple) and a train with people hanging out of the compartments arrived. My husband, who was a veteran at train travel, urged me to get into a ladies compartment since that, he said, would be relatively less crowded. I obliged, and what a big mistake it was. I had no idea of how far Dadar (the station where we had to get down) was from Bandra and there were no announcements inside the train regarding the approaching station (which again was an expectation after travelling in Singapore) and I also realised that platforms on which the train arrive can be on either side. I felt like a lost child in a mela and was feeling dizzy and nervous, wondering whether I am going to get down at the right time at the right station. Just then, a station arrived and I turned around to ask the lady next to me whether this was Dadar and before I could hear her (I don't even remember whether she answered me) I was pushed out of the exit by a huge crowd as I was standing in the middle of both the exits (a suggestion made by my husband) and was thrown onto the platform. Luckily it turned out to be Dadar station and I triumphantly walked towards my husband and told him that I successfully managed to get out on time and it was really no big deal for me (of course secretly wondering whether he could hear my pounding heartbeat!).
After this episode, I realise how lucky I am to be working from home and really pity the thousands of women who have to travel under the most trying conditions and then return home to do the regular chores. In a city like Mumbai, each working woman must be felicitated for this tremendous feat.
The biggest positive I see in this vibrant city is that people are still courteous, honest and have their sense of humour intact. A great city with great people (there's definitely room for improvement-they could start by giving up spitting chewed paan or gutka all over the place!).

Month of festivals

Every year, July and August are full of Hindu festivals and as a traditional housewife, I like to celebrate all of them with enthusiasm. But , somewhere , I feel I am caught between being traditional and orthodox and also having modern views about celebrating them. On the traditional side, I like to wear my "Madisar", prepare all the items, I like the smell of agarbathis and fresh flowers and like to admire huge rangolis.

But on the modern side, I don't like the "Madi and aacharam"associated with these festivals. In my opinion, "Madi"for a traditional Brahmin family, in the olden days, was to keep away the huge number of family members to maintian cleanliness while preparing large quantities of items during the festivals and this has lost its true purpose somewhere down the line. Now, with nuclear families and small flats , these "Madi"procedures have become more of a shouting and screaming custom to keep the children away from us, scolding them not to touch us or the items prepared before the naivedyam is done. All of this , I feel, finally end up in a scene where the charm of the festival is lost and everyone is fuming, brooding and want the pooja to get over before the rahukalam and grab whatever that is prepared and get away. To add to this , the children have to rush to school and my husband to the office. Gone are the days when we had holidays for these festivals and we helped out Amma with her preparations.
Despite all of that, inviting women over for Varalaksmi Vratham, Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations in Mumbai and "seedai" of Gokulashtami are things I would not like to miss at any cost nor do I want my children to miss them.