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A Journey to Madh Island - Part 3

I started walking through the narrow lanes that had small buildings on either side with an occasional departmental store on the ground floor. I could see a temple on the road, it was a temple of Goddess Durga. This was largely a fishing village. The air smelt of sea and fish. Fishermen hurried around the road. The demographics seemed to be divided between Malwani, Koli, and Catholics. I came down the road it forked into the distance. I started walking towards the left.

Knowing nothing about the destination I kept walking but the sun was too relentless for the luxury of wandering around in the open. I fired up my GPS and was searching where the road was leading. Having made the sense of place I understood that I was now in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t want to travel all the way back to the jetty it was too dull a prospect. And then suddenly a rickshaw came my way. “Andheri Station – Twenty Rupees.” He said. It was great a deal at that moment. So I hopped in.

The Rickshaw was soon packed with my co-passengers. We soon left behind the coastal village of Versova and headed into the city. The city was pleasant as compared to the village. The sprawling apartments and high rising buildings lived up to their billing. The street was filled with Cafes and Restaurants that were amazing on the outset.

After getting on to the Juhu Versova link road. We traveled quickly towards the Andheri station. I got down near Andheri Station. It was crowded with people. I was looking out for food. I could see a Jumbo-king outlet and a McDonald’s outlet. But I preferred the roadside Chaat shop. I gorged down a plateful of panipuri and then washed it down with spicy mint water that goes in the puri. The enterprise was a fiery affair. I decided to cool down my food pipe with a glass of soda.

I went inside the station and got on the train to Dadar. Coming back to Dadar I sat in the train heading towards Thane. I was gazing past the window into the platform that was being left behind by the second. The journey was completing its circle. The sun had lowered down in the sky. The breeze was more pleasant. I dozed off reclining back in my seat. I slept quite a lot on the train and woke up as the train entered the Thane station. The sun was setting in leaving behind its vermilion hue in the sky. I came walking down the road and took a rickshaw towards my home.

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