“Ladies Special of the Mumbai Local” by K. Dhanania

Kriti Dhanania (she/her) currently lives in Mumbai, India. She is interested in books, movies, and art. She dabbles in various forms of expression from poetry to paintings. She can be found on Instagram @kdhanania.

ladies special of the mumbai local

there’s a dog on the platform
and I almost miss the train.
only the sound of women
snaps me out of my reverie.

these women are entire universes…
some wear anklets, while others get a chance
to put their feet up,
a sari-clad mother keeps
an eye on her child trying to stick
his face out of the moving train,
a teenager – is shyly conversing on the phone
and blushing,
a nervous fresher prepares for an interview,
students open books,
adjust clothes, buy bangles,
or a gajra to adorn
their hair.

you spot wrinkly fingers deftly knitting a hat,
women singing and giving blessings,
feet adorned with mehendi tapping to the same beat,
the person beside her is making a grocery list
and brushing the curls away from her eyes,
near the edge, a puny lady sits with
at least 15 kilos of laundry,
while the girl covered in tattoos gazes outside.

in these carriages, women are
eating
praying
laughing
resting
being

the mask of togetherness is back on just as it is time to step off
and face another day

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