I have been a regular commuter on Namma Metro, Bengaluru for a while
now. Most of my journeys last at least 40 minutes, one way. In fact, I look
forward to them even if I had to stand cramped up during the entire journey.
After all, it gives me uninterrupted reading time! Despite the crowd around, I let
myself be immersed into the world of the characters. I have laughed and cried during
such times, unmindful of my surroundings and the discomfort and the distance. Of
course, some books have made me yawn and feel bored. If I am lucky and seated, I
have even succumbed to a blissful nap. All of this and more only made my metro journeys
eventful. Kindle and me, that’s how it has been. In fact, I have reached a point
where I can’t step out of the house without my kindle.
During the initial days when this was far from being the habit that it
is now, I was the only one reading. In those rare instances when I look up and
observe my fellow passengers, I see them mostly immersed in their phones, some doomscrolling
with the music changing every few seconds. Many watching K-Dramas, which makes
me wonder how incredulously these series have become a part of many people’s
daily lives. Some middle-aged women would be watching regional serials too. I also
see students studying, flipping pages and memorizing. Especially in the mornings.
There will be some napping and some talking on phones. Of course, Bangalore
being Bangalore, sometimes I see people working on laptops, even attending meetings!
I absorb these scenes like a sponge while
still being focused on my fictional world.
I have read while waiting for metro. I have even read while walking
along the platform because the book is simply unputdownable. Often, I have felt
like an outlier, “a nerd”. Absorbed in books while the world around me was
engrossed in phone.
When I was in Japan, I noticed that almost everyone was reading a physical
book in the metro. People usually don’t talk and the silence within the metro
helps us to focus. This was eight years ago and they inspired me to carry a
book wherever I go. And also wish that I find more readers around me.
But that’s a thing of past now. I hope.
Today, I saw three girls reading books; physical books, mind you. One
was reading Thursday Murder Club. Another one was reading The Vegetarian. And the
third one was reading The Palace of Illusions. These three were in the same
compartment as me and I felt glad for them. Well, glad for me also. I wasn’t alone
anymore in the magical world of books. In fact, I felt a little ashamed to be reading
an e-book. But that’s just me. Substance over form matters. These three girls even
inspired me to let my thoughts flow along the rhythmic tapping of my laptop
keys.
I recently read an article that the number of readers in India is a lot less compared to the population. It was cited that people don’t have time for such luxurious recreation while they are struggling to make ends meet. But then, what could be more soothi/ng than a world of fiction that could guarantee an escape ticket from harsh reality? It could also show us the suffering is universal, hope is inevitable and wishful thinking is a way of life.
I am already looking forward to finding more readers in my metro ride back
home.
PS: I was reading Pachinko 😊
PPS: I have read the books that those girls were reading :P
