BST buses, are in fact, the BEST

Well, that confirms it. I have become a Mumbaikar. I have become a Mumbaikar in all senses of the word.

Go on, ask me why?

Yesterday, in the searing October heat (to those readers who think that Mumbai experiences a mild winter, or even what some like to call, pleasant weather, sorry to burst your bubble, but that would be you being optimistic to the point of foolishness) I travelled by a big worn out metal container.

Oh all right, i traveled by a BST bus.

Yes, and it was a life changing as well as an insightful experience. Wipe that smirk and that "oh yeah??" off your lips, readers. Read on, and you shall know how.

BST buses are extremely popular in this city, I must say. A popular mode of transport, I mean. You do not see an old woman cross a road without a BST bus nearly running her over. You do not take a shower in the morning without hearing the BST bus honk loudly outside. BST buses are an integral part of all of our lives here in Mumbai. Men may come and men may go, but BEST buses go on forever. On it, you shall see a variety of people, and the stories they carry with them are invaluable lessons.

I arrived at the bus stop, with a spring in my step and a song in my heart. My very first public bus journey! A few dogs lying lazily under the seat, welcomed me by scratching themselves.

Like everything else in Mumbai, BST buses have no time. They are in a great hurry, to be somewhere else. SO much so that it does not matter to the driver whether someone gets on or off the bus, he has to pause, not even stop, PAUSE at the bus stop for about two seconds, and if you plant both your feet on the bus by then, YOU'RE IN! This entire exercise requires cat like reflexes, the minute you see the big red vehicle (read- contraption, for,in all fairness, the worn out state of the bus cannot be called anything synonymous to a machine) you are expected to rush to the entrance and jump in, no time wasted. It is no option for the old, the slow or the thoughtful.

Being a user of only the auto rickshaws and cars, where one has to first convince the rickshaw driver to take them to ones destination, this sort of rush was something i was not acquainted with. However,some miracle took place, and I, the BST bus novice managed to hop on quick enough to ensure that both my legs were on the bus, as opposed to one leg on the bus and the other either on the street or in mid-air(this phenomenon is one that tests the balance and how lucky and individual is, if he is either he will be spared an injury, say loss of limb).

The first thing that hits you when you enter the bus, panting, is someone elses body squished up against yours, as like you, the other person would have just entered the bus, and wouldnt have had time to move, let alone find a seat. After extricating oneself from this position, one gets a better picture of the occupants of the seats while scanning the area for an empty seat, hoping to get lucky.

Fat chance that's going to happen. BEST buses are perhaps the best example of the diverse population, and also a fine example of how accommodating we Mumbaikars are, because of the sheer number of people on the bus. So getting a seat is a rarity.

The next task is to find the bus conductor. To do this, one has to navigate through the bus, while having to endure several curses of the fellow passengers as one steps on their foot,in an effort to reach the front of the bus. On finally locating the conductor, a thin, frail, worn out man, one has to haggle with him on the ticket charges, for more often than not, ones actual destination is in between two bus stops, and BST buses, having slight capitalistic tendencies, will want to drop you off at a location that would give them the maximum money. After convinicing the bus conductor (actually, this is not completely true, its quite rare that you convince the bus conductor, usually the opposite) you rummage through your jeans pocket to find the required change, and then, finally, you get a ticket.

Now one can just stand and relax while the bus jumps up and down on the portholes of the roads of Mumbai, while observing the amusing passengers travelling with you. Typically, there will be the i-just-came-back-from-the-church lady, who's smile will seem kind, but she cannot condone your untidy, dusty appearance. Then we have the runaway boy. Runaway boy is a young, reasonably good looking lad of about 24, who probably came to Mumbai to be a hero, but has decided to start his career as a small time actor, playing the 'audience' in a reality TV show.

You may come across a group of students, who, after deciding to bunk school ("physics test man today!!") are perhaps sneaking off to marine drive.

I could go on and continue telling you about the people i met, but fearing my rambling tongue that does not know the meaning of the word 'stop', I'll just end here. But like all good narratives, I'm going to end with what i learnt from the experience.

Unconsciously, every single person I met on the bus, let me into their lives, and gave me a little perspective on my own. I may have described only physical attributes of the people, but i think it's time t give you the reader the full truth, the aspects that mere physical description does not cover.I realized that while we have so many different kinds of people, we are all connected by a common thread, and I am not the only one who problems and challenges to meet with. I did not converse much with the passengers, but just by observing, i learnt to take life a little lightly when it becomes heavy, to stop worrying so much, because I'm not the only one who has those days when the world seems to turn their back at you.

That is why, dear readers, BST buses are the BEST .

So take some time off your hectic lives and live. Because, in the true filmy fashion that Mumbai follows, 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'

(you live only once)

;)