"THODA ADJUST KARIYE!"

Ever since September two o one one, I have taken public commuting a little too seriously. It has almost become a daily challenge; convince myself day after day to get accustomed to the very fine Delhi metro.

Every now and then I question my own sanity considering my new found commitment to the metro. Thanks to the women's compartment, every 24 minute and 32 seconds journey is full of discoveries and learning. A new character (or many more if I get lucky that is) is waiting to be noticed.

One thing that I have continually failed to understand is India's disrespect for other's privacy. The occasional times when lady luck smiles and I manage to get a seat; it'll only be about a minute of luxury until a mob of ladies enter at the very next station and come running saying "thoda adjust kijiye". Adjust with what? Leave my one ass cheek at work and travel? My inability to argue after 7 hours of work eventually leads to the "very adjusting" person get her own seat as I get up and stand at my very own corner(yes I have found my very own shady corner in the metro).
Expect a thanks or atleast an acknowledgment? NO way. You might actually be laughed at like me for being incapable of standing up for yourself.

Winter has set in; so has the ultimate Indian dressing to stay warm. While having nothing to do, I notice fine details of what Indian women consider work apparel to be. Some very interesting, others trying too hard. The impact of luxury brands is so evident yet unknown. Bangkok's overflowing markets and cheap prices have done the trick. Unimaginable tweaks to the native luxury products, one can see flashes of non-existent sizes of the Lady Dior or never seen before Chanel head bands or even burberry headphones! Its wonderful how it can make you doubt the authenticity of your own purchase for a second amidst so many labels while traveling from work!

While walking through the aisle, you can literally be scanned top to toe by every women occupying the "fit for the queen"seats. So busy on their phones making conversations with god knows who, they will continue to scream "hello", "hellloooo", "heloooooo" even though they know that the train has entered the underground path. And keep trying the number again and again until they get through for a second to say Indian connectivity na, completely sucks. I want to literally go upto someone and tell them that there will be a world outside the train to talk!

It gets even more annoying when in a jam packed metro with literally just enough place to breathe; someone takes out a big fat novel to read. Jeez there isn't place to set your feet on the ground and you want to be reading? I really appreciate those making this unnoticeable effort of brushing up their reading in the free time but not when someone's book slams into my face as the train stops unexpectedly.

Even better is the love for rucksacks, as if everyone in this train is waiting for this woman to keep her bag aside so that we can attempt to steal it! It is so funny how no one is ready to part with their property so that others can get a place to stand. NO, infact I wouldn't be surprised if they stole a seat for just their belongings.

sigh...Moral of my journeys: In Delhi if you ain't trying to get ownership of anything even a metro seat, you are useless material !

I just pray literally PRAY that everyone realises that public transport is called PUBLIC because everyone travels in it equally.