A Walk down the familiar/unfamiliar path
As I sit down on the swing planning for my trip to Mumbai and scrolling down through Instagram, I come across BombayBookies, a silent reading community based in Mumbai. I see their videos, and there is a sudden jump in my stomach; I wish I had Doraemon’s Anywhere Door to take me right to those sessions.
I quickly fill out the registration form, hoping to get in before my trip. I wanted to attend it. I love these communities/places where people come together and read silently.
Fast forward to last Sunday, when I finally got past the registration and was all set to attend.
It was 1:30 AM on Sunday. I quickly set an alarm for 5:30 AM, all excited to experience it. I woke up at 5:30 and quickly packed my bag with the book I had been reading and the new highlighters I had just gotten from Muji. The session was going to start at 8:00 AM. I had to catch a local train at 6:30 AM for Churchgate. I wanted to be there on time to avoid missing part of the experience. It would be my first time traveling on the local train in over a year.
I hurriedly walked to the railway station from my home, got my ticket to Churchgate, and made it onto the train just in time. The platform had changed so much that I had to ask a police officer for directions to the ladies compartment. As I sat in the local train on the same window seat that used to be my favorite when traveling to and from college, nostalgia hit.
As I looked out the window, I noticed that while some things were the same as before, a lot had changed. Through these paths, I have seen different versions of myself over the years. At that point, I realized that sometimes a walk down familiar lanes offers a gentle reminder of how much potential lies within you. The paths we've taken soon become a part of who we are.
An hour later, I arrived at Churchgate and took a 15-minute walk past the Mumbai High Court and Oval Maidan to reach the garden. As I entered the garden, I saw hundreds of people, all dressed in blue, which was the theme for the day. After registering, I found a spot and settled in with my book. At 8:00 AM, the garden went completely silent. The only rule: no phones for two hours. I doubted it could work but was amazed that everyone followed it. For an entire two hours, no one used their phone; everyone was silently engrossed in reading.
As the session drew to a close, the silence gradually gave way to gentle murmurs. People stretched, exchanged shy smiles with their reading neighbors, and gathered for pictures, chai, and bun maska. Took this picture after the session ended.
As I started walking back to Churchgate station in the scorching heat, I saw the Air India building, my favorite spot to sit at Marine Drive. I quickly changed my path and started walking toward the building; five minutes later, I regretted it due to the heat but kept walking and finally reached there and stayed for some time.
With no energy left to walk further, I started looking for a taxi to go home. Finally, one taxi stopped with an old uncle driving it.
Me: “Uncle, Churchgate station chhod denge?”
Uncle: “Beta, baju mein toh hai, chal kar chale jao.”
Me: “Uncle, garmi bohot hai, chala nahi jaa raha.”
Uncle: “Acha baith jao, but 30 rupees cash hai na?”
Me: “Haan, uncle. Aap UPI nahi use karte? Aaj kal sab wohi use karte hai.”
Uncle: “Nahi beta, sirf Sunday gaadi chalata hu, apne shauk ke liye, isiliye sirf cash use karta hu. Lagta hai tum bhi Sunday ko college ja rahi ho bag lekar. Achi baat hai, sabko apna kaam pure mann aur mehnat se karna chahiye. Lo, station aa gaya. Dhyan se jana beta.”
I gave him the cash and went to catch the local on my way back.
As I sat on the local train, a feeling of warmth and comfort washed over me. It was a day filled with small yet significant moments: the train rides, the silent reading session, and the taxi driver’s kind words.
Maybe sometimes, all it takes is stepping out and letting these paths, both known and unknown, remind us of our potential. The familiar ones show us how far we've come, while the unfamiliar ones push us to recognize the untapped strength and possibilities within us. Growth often lies in the space between comfort and challenge, and that Sunday was a perfect reminder.