Essel World🎢 and Mumbai Local 🚎 (click to read more)

“but papa, I really want to go. You never let me do anything on my own. I am not a kid anymore. Even parents of Nikhil, Tushar and Saurabh do not have any problem. I don’t want to be a party spoiler. I want to go. Please, let me go”, Sanav- 14-year-old kid cried.

It was all part of a plan. Sanav, Nikhil, Tushar and Saurabh decided to narrate the same story to their parents. No one had permission in the first place.

After efforts of 3 days and buttering up maa- Sanav finally got the permission and so did everyone.

Back then- ‘Essel World jaunga main, ghar nahi aaunga main’, was an emotion for kids from a small town and a plan was to go to Essel World post summer exams.

Plans were made and discussed with everyone’s dad. It was a one day trip. Boarding a bus from Dhule (district place in Maharashtra- 400 km to the north of Mumbai) at 11 PM- full day at Essel World- bus from Mumbai to Dhule at 10 PM.

With all the excitement four of them packed their backpacks and took a bus as decided.

They reached Dadar (business hub in Mumbai) early morning and rented a room at a nearby lodge to freshen up. Strict instructions were given to them not to get into Mumbai locals and to take only cabs whenever needed.

Kids had breakfast at the adjacent stall and took a cab to Borivali (nearest town for Essel World). Back then, it cost them Rs 412. Everyone was in awe as a ticket from Dhule to Mumbai cost only Rs 300. Tushar was the cashier for their first adventurous trip.

They enjoyed each ride at Essel World and were the last one to leave the park. It was already 7 PM then.

Plan was to leave the park before 7 PM, reach Dadar before 9 PM, to have some bites at Dadar and to catch a bus at 10 PM.

They knew- it will cost around Rs 400 for a return journey. So, Nikhil suggested- “Cab is too expensive, let's take a local. We can save some and have an ice cream later”. Everyone denied but later agreed for the sake of ice​ ​cream.

They never estimated the crowd at such peak hours.

(There is an insane crowd in the locals and that too at peak hours. Imagine, 9-10 people of your size standing in your small workplace cubicle)

They never estimated this and somehow, managed to get into a local from Borivali. Everyone was pushing them inside; poor and weak kids had no other option. After all, it was the first time for them in a famous Mumbai local train.

‘Next Station: Dadar’, this announcement gave shivers down the spine to all four of them. It was impossible to get out of the local and the kids started to panic. A passenger of the size of a bouncer noticed this. He first laughed and then later agreed to help after noticing that they were not from Mumbai and never been in a local train before.

He helped them to create a way. Now everyone​​ was standing in front of a bouncer guy. He said, “Don’t think about anyone. Just push the next person standing in front of you with all the power you have. I’ll do the same”. He did push hard. Sanav was the last one to get out of a train.

Each one of them sighed, laughed at their adventurous and horrific experience, and decided to never board into a Mumbai local ever again.