I have watched more than a few horse races like Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby and other preps for the Triple Crown races, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, and in the second half of the 1980s, Breeder’s Cup – mostly on TV and only occasionally at the race course. What has fascinated me most is the sudden energy in the stands when the gates open. Of course, the track announcer gives an adrenalin shot with his (always ‘his’ when I watched, don’t know why),
“They’re off!”
shout.
I think of this every morning I wait for the metro at Kashmere Gate station. I may be the fourth of fifth in the line, but the moment I sense a train on the tracks I wait for the sounds of the thundering herd. The line, typically about 30 deep at the ends of the barricades, has been silent and orderly for about 2 minutes. The train makes its presence felt, at times with a short hoot, and that is the signal.
Everyone rushes forward, just like at the gates as they are thrown open! It is an unholy mess, those few seconds. Horses out of the gates are guided and driven by jockeys, but here no such control. It is winner-take-all, and the pot of gold is empty because the train pulls in with a “Standing Room Only” caveat. You know, fillies in races are given a handicap, like perhaps 5 pounds less to carry. This is done very effectively on the metro too. Ladies trying to get in general coaches are spared all that jostling because male commuters are afraid of being hauled up before the court on charges of eve teasing!
I wait my time and move in slowly, yet not softly. I do my pushing and shoving, just to show who is the boss there! The doors shut, the train moves forward and things are cool. The horses are running and the announcer takes a cool demeanor as the PA system announces the next stop, the things you cannot do on the metro (only to be dismissed casually), on which side the doors will open, and such.
Then come Chandni Chowk (which, for one day, carried the name of “Delhi Moon”, if you can believe it), Chawri Bazaar, and New Delhi. Nothing seriously untoward so far. At the next station, Rajeev Chowk (Connaught Place, for the uninitiated) things get interesting. The coach disgorges at least about half of its load and I move to the nearest door on the other side, as at Central Secretariat where I have to get down, the platform is on the left whereas at the other stations the entry/exit is on the right.
Then, I wait for the climax of the race, but from a different vantage point. I see the crowd surging into the coach and I am reminded of the announcer’s
“Down the stretch they come!”
just as the horses take the last turn and race down the stretch to the wire.
The doors shut, the train moves on.
The race is over, the Blue Ribbon is fixed on the winner.
Every day is a day at the races for me! Such a blessed life!
Raghuram Ekambaram
“They’re off!”
shout.
I think of this every morning I wait for the metro at Kashmere Gate station. I may be the fourth of fifth in the line, but the moment I sense a train on the tracks I wait for the sounds of the thundering herd. The line, typically about 30 deep at the ends of the barricades, has been silent and orderly for about 2 minutes. The train makes its presence felt, at times with a short hoot, and that is the signal.
Everyone rushes forward, just like at the gates as they are thrown open! It is an unholy mess, those few seconds. Horses out of the gates are guided and driven by jockeys, but here no such control. It is winner-take-all, and the pot of gold is empty because the train pulls in with a “Standing Room Only” caveat. You know, fillies in races are given a handicap, like perhaps 5 pounds less to carry. This is done very effectively on the metro too. Ladies trying to get in general coaches are spared all that jostling because male commuters are afraid of being hauled up before the court on charges of eve teasing!
I wait my time and move in slowly, yet not softly. I do my pushing and shoving, just to show who is the boss there! The doors shut, the train moves forward and things are cool. The horses are running and the announcer takes a cool demeanor as the PA system announces the next stop, the things you cannot do on the metro (only to be dismissed casually), on which side the doors will open, and such.
Then come Chandni Chowk (which, for one day, carried the name of “Delhi Moon”, if you can believe it), Chawri Bazaar, and New Delhi. Nothing seriously untoward so far. At the next station, Rajeev Chowk (Connaught Place, for the uninitiated) things get interesting. The coach disgorges at least about half of its load and I move to the nearest door on the other side, as at Central Secretariat where I have to get down, the platform is on the left whereas at the other stations the entry/exit is on the right.
Then, I wait for the climax of the race, but from a different vantage point. I see the crowd surging into the coach and I am reminded of the announcer’s
“Down the stretch they come!”
just as the horses take the last turn and race down the stretch to the wire.
The doors shut, the train moves on.
The race is over, the Blue Ribbon is fixed on the winner.
Every day is a day at the races for me! Such a blessed life!
Raghuram Ekambaram
8 comments:
Raghu, very soon Bangalore is going to have its Metro, the indiscipline here is more than Delhi, I would not be surprised if somebody bangs at the door and asks the driver to open the door because his destination is nearby and possibly some of them trying to travel on the footboard, that ofcourse is impossible in a metro. One thing is sure, Bangaloreans at the door are not going to give opportunity for anybody to get in or get out
Balu, you know Bengaluru better than I do, but I score over you on Dilli! Let u see who wins!
Of course, Bengaluru horse racing scene is better than the nonexistent horse racing in Dilli!
Raghuram Ekambaram
Banglaore is in my opinion more disciplined..but the chaos will be the same.
DS sir, you have to take Balu on that!
Raghuram Ekambaram
Liked the imagery, Raghu......earlier they used to speak of trains and railway stations as a stage of mini-world-drama...the metro ride is no less an opportunity, it seems.
I happened to travel by the Metro a few times in the area you've mentioned and was always intimidated by the immensity of the crowd and its terrible thrust. Yes, they have the horse power, I grant it to you. I'm fortunate I don't have to travel that way often.
Thanks Aditi; the imagery has to change with the times, I suppose. It feels good to be apprecaited.
Raghuram Ekambaram
Matheikal, you wrote, "I'm fortunate I don't have to travel that way often." But, if you do have to travel, in my opinion you could do lot worse than going by the metro, even if it involved changing at three places, as I do twice everyday! It is just that the metro ride is NOT DTC ride - you do not have to strech out to grab a support as the ride is quite smooth. My face, because of my height, or lack thereof, comes at the exact level a person of normal height has his elbows when he or she clings to the hand hold! You can imagine my mental discomfiture.
Raghuram Ekambaram
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