Metro kadhal

Metro kadhal

Usually my Chennai trip would be ultrashort, I will be landing in morning and departing the day evening, occasionally an extended one night two day trip. I usually have a fear of traffic while travelling to Chennai. During the past two or three of my visits to Chennai, I had been using metro. So this time, once I landed up there in Chennai Egmore, I went straight to the metro station and there I got a tourist card for rupees 150, of which rupees 50 is a refundable deposits, with which we can travel multiple times in a day. After a quick scanning of my belongings and myself, I was allowed inside the station. The hanging hoardings directed me towards the platforms with numbers one and two. A quick glance made me understand, to which platform I need to go. From Egmore to Teynampet, we need to switch trains from green line to blue line at the central metro station. The transit between Egmore and Central was within blink of an eye. At the central metro, Looking at the destination station in the line list of stations of that metro rail towards airport, after double confirming, I went to the platform. It had a digital board display stating that next train towards airport will be arriving in 3 minutes. Staring at the glass partitions and doors, I could hardly see 10 to 15 people standing at a little distance from me. Wondering where to stand I could see a green light blinking above some of the distant doors where those people were standing and no light was blinking above the shut door in front of me. By which time the announcement came that the train towards airport is arriving on platform. With a jerk of understanding that only the doors with green light will be opened for boarding, I rushed towards the place and by the time metro rail arrived and doors opened. I dragged my luggage and went in and found a place to sit, by then the doors closed with the warning beep and the rail started moving. By the time I set all my bags under my legs and over my lap, the next station arrived and the announcement said next station is .......and  doors will open on your right. Please mind the gap. As I was sitting I was wondering what they mean by right as the right side for those sitting opposite to me is just the opposite but my little mind understood that if I look along the course of the rail, the doors on the right  open, as my mind open up, so are the doors. Looking at the blinking indicators display along the list of station map, I was waiting for my station. Meanwhile a young chap with earphones entered and stood without holding any support, it reminded me of vadivel standing in a bus without holding the rails or anything and the sudden application of brake, he falling out of the front of the bus but this guy could stand and maintain the equilibrium. Maybe his inner ears are adapted to all type of such motions, in all directions. Wondering whether he could hear the announcements amidst his earphones, I stared and looked at the station line whether my station has arrived alas the announcement came, next station is Teynampet and doors will open on the right please mind the gap. As the doors opened I fumbled with my baggage and stepped out and realised that the gap in 'mind the gap' is that between the rail and the platform and not the gap between individuals in social distancing as COVID preventive measure. Accusing the rotten mind that has not yet come out of this COVID pandemic, I walked towards the exit. It showed bi directional exit, each opposite to each other, A and B. To add further confusion, it showed, A1 A2 B1 B2 and B3 with the symbol for differently abled. I could exclude B3 as a ramp. So I had to decide among the leftover four exits. It had a small description that B is towards Indian oil corporation and A is towards some Bank side. For persons who are new to Chennai or occasional visitors like me, I don't know where to go. I took the Google map and tried to match the place I had to go and the landmarks displayed in exit boards but couldn't. Going by conventional method of asking I went to a housekeeper and asked, she said that she doesn't know those places. Wondering whether she is telling the truth or avoid talking to strangers, I asked the security officer standing there in his uniform, he looking at my luggages directed me towards B3 exit, as I went there the arrow button to operate the lift was plastered and had a foot operated pedal beneath it. As I stamped over it, the lift with display 'S' Street was moving downwards and as it reached me it displayed C, wondering what the 'C' is, the doors automatically closed and I went to the panel to press the button to reach the street but it had a display stating that this lift is in automated mode, so no need to press any button. Looking at the buttons, I could find out that C is concourse, not knowing it earlier I opened up Google and found the meaning of it to enrich my vocabulary. By that time the lift reached the streets and the doors opened. The scorching sun reminded me its presence and gave a very warm welcome. Staying so long in the comfort of cosy metro zone, I felt little uncomfortable under the bright Sun. My place of stay was hardly 50 m from the metro B3 exit, I went there by a short walk. Refreshing myself, I had breakfast and again started to serve the purpose of my visit. Early days, I had to book a cab in ola and explaining my location to the cab driver would be a big challenge. Now the proximity of metro station is really a boon, I searched for the nearest metro station to my destination in Google. It's Alandur metro, from there it's around 3 km to my destination which I managed in an auto. Though there are MTC buses from my place of stay to the venue, time is a constraint. After my work, I felt the ease of returning in metro with just a backpack. I once again refreshed myself in the guest house and with my bags, I returned to Egmore in metro. This time, I enjoyed the posh interior of metro, the clean glass doors, colourful paintings, multiple advertisements displaced, the warm lights and the pleasant ambient temperature inside the metro mesmerized me and the site of wavy motion of the metro rail from within made me hear and hum the Tamil song வளைந்து நெளிந்து போகும் பாதை மங்கை மோக கூந்தலோ in enchanting Yesudas voice. By the time I was engrossed in the melody the announcement came which said switch here to long distance trains and Suburban trains. Bringing me back into the reality, I got out at central and switched to green line to reach Egmore. After reaching Egmore, I placed the tourist card and once the door to exit opened, my heart felt little heavy, leaving the comfort zone with heavy heart, I returned the tourist card and walked towards the Egmore railway Station to board my train. As I left the metro campus, I felt that I lost my heart and soul in the metro!