And i am still alive!

this is one of tags assigned to me by none other than rayshma!She gave permission to add some mrich masala,but this one is spicy enough,so this one is dished out san spices, as in no exaggerations!

It sends a chill down my spine even as i write it almost one half year after the incident occured.It was Diwali time and coz Diwali is all about get-togethers and family we decided to travel to Bhopal, where my in-laws are based. Bhopal is not well connected to mumbai on flight route,only jet and ic fly to Bhopal, and tickets rates at diwali time were well outside our budget.Hence we booked a train ticket to Bhopal, trains were also over crowded so ashu booked on some arbit train which leaves Mumbai at 4.30 pm from Lokmanya tilak terminus (kurla) and reaches Bhopal early morning. We had to leave on thursday.

And that year SRK starrer don was to be released during diwali and the cult had tied up with one of the leading operator and my client for mobile promotion of the movie.I was in office early that day,knew it would be a bad day as the issues on the promos were getting bigger and bigger - ads not getting approved,copy not in line with the brief,print ad getting cancelled and so on and so forth.Had decided to leave office by 2,so that i reach in time and avoid getting delayed because of Diwali rush.But as expected,had a concall coming up *unplanned one* frm the big boss and THE client - and it was all about giving a nice thrashing to carrot,AH,MO and last but not the least me!I managed to leave the call half-way and rushed out to get the first cab to station,it was 3.50!

Mumbai traffic was at its peak!Slow moving traffic,signal not working,accident on the way...and time was flying by as though it had wings!Panick calls to ashu continued endlessly,didnt know what to do! it was 4.30 and i was 5 mins away from the station.Ashu suggested that i go back to work and take the flight next morning*at watever cost* to bhopal,though i had my doubts on the availability of tickets!

I rchd kurla terminus and i could see the train moving out of the platform.I called ashu and asked him to pull the chain!Ashu refused! Ah! wat a time to follow values!well i thought i was smart enough!i jumped out of the cab paid him some money,didnt bother to check how much the fare came to...and started running...well guys only kajol and kareena run after the moving train and get to meet srk and shahid...in reality its bit different!

Two guys came with thier rick and said "madam aap hume 600 rupaiya dena,hum train pakdwa dege"!without thinking*actually thinking it will be cheaper than spending lots on the flight* i hopped into their auto and they said "madam paisa ready rakho" i could see the train coming to a halt...i thought i will give ashu a surprise!! i pulled out Rs.600 from my wallet and handed over to one of the guy!!he turned back to me and said "aapne to Rs.200 hi diya hai"...and i saw what he did! and that is when i realised ...i am dead...my battery was low...one side was the train other side was jhuggis *small township*!my life was in hand of these two guys!Anything could have happened and very easily,they could have robbed me,raped me,killed me...almost anything...the train started moving again and i was still in the auto...

I called up ashu and said "ashu pls save me...i am with goons,if you want to see me alive u have to pull the chain"!train came to a halt again,i had baggage and i started running on tracks this time *first and last time*...two guys behind me asking for money...more money...i had given them 1500 till now! i rch the last boogie and the train started moving...last call to ashu - pull the chain again,i am near the last boogie which is a woman general compartment...get down and the next station and pick me up...my battery gave up..

Managed to climb the train,those two men were behind me and kept on asking for money...had given them 2k by now...Indian women are really strong,realised it that day!As soon as the women in that general compartment realised that these guys were bothering me...they shooed them away!For the first time i realised how vulnerable I am!i sat in the compartment praying all the time and thanking God for the women compartment...ya i actually did!

The train reached thane in 45 mins and i jumped onto the platform...ashu and advika were on the platform...i ran and hugged them with tears rolling down and some scratches here and there because of all the jumping and running i did...it was blessing to see them again and to be with them after what seem to be life after death!!

Somehow the rendezvous with that particular station has been always been scary.We went to nagpur this time around for my cousin’s engagement and jst to reach in time I left office early to board a 8.00 pm *it turned out to be 8.30* train. I reached that damn place at 6.30!! I called up V and just asked him to join me there…ashu wld have taken atleast an hr to reach,since he had to pick up advika. V and M came all the way just to accompany me ...friends do make a lot of difference to your life!!