WYD

Living in Mumbai is like living amongst a perpetually growing multitude of people. It’s almost as if swarming hordes of fellow creatures are an integral part of your life. I have always disliked crowds but over years I have perfected my own way of dealing with them. The moment I get out onto the streets, I slip into my own reverie of daydreams and fantasies. I may be getting shoved and jostled by the masses around me, but in my head I’ve just scored the winning goal at the Soccer World Cup and the crowd is cheering for me. The woman sitting next to me on the bus has fallen asleep on my shoulder, who cares…I’m dreaming of how I can use my secret superpowers to zap that annoying kid that’s bawling his head off. I know it makes me sound like a regular Walter Mitty, but this technique has worked pretty well for me. I can just tune out the craze and noise around me and escape into my enchanted little world. Anyway, over time the daydreams have progressively become more and more realistic to the point of tiresome monotony. I guess that’s just one of the many dreadful losses of growing up…the mediocre adult rationale begins to see through to the absurdity of childhood fantasies.

Anyway, not one to give up, the daydreams have been replaced by two little earphones blaring music into my head when I’m out on the streets. Yeah … I’m being squashed in the train by a bunch of chubby women…doesn’t matter…coz I’m in the land of rock n roll…yo man!! Over time, cheap FM radio (but a good one I must say…stuck by me for over a year before falling to shambles) was replaced by a mobile phone with an inbuilt radio. Years later, I still use the same trick…retreat to my haven of music when I leave the house…except now, the radio has been replaced by a snazzy mp3 player.

Well, the reason for these reminisces on such a peculiar subject, is because, for probably the first time in many years, I’m enjoying going out into a crowd.
It’s the week of World Youth Day in Sydney and the city is bursting with pilgrims from across the world. I’m standing at Wynyard waiting for the bus back home after work when I see this huge group of young pilgrims making their way to the stop. Lamenting to myself about how the bus would now be overcrowded I continue listening to Enrique crooning into my ears. At some point I realise a low humming that’s gradually getting louder. It’s a while before I realise that the group of pilgrims have begun to sing. Intrigued, I pull out the earphone from my ears…the youngsters are singing…it gets louder and rhythmic as one of them starts playing a little drum. Soon they have formed a circle next to the bus station and are dancing to their song. I realise that everyone at the stop, even the surly looking guy in the business suit, is watching, listening and enjoying in the cheerful spirit that’s spreading across.

Over the week, the city has been bustling with World youth day participants from god-only-knows how many nationalities, with their colourful bandanas, caps, and flags breaking into song and dance at every possible opportunity. There’s just miles and miles of Christian spirit all around and what with the cold weather in Sydney, it’s almost starting to seem like Christmas to me. The vibrant hues of colour are a welcome change from the dull drab corporate shades that I usually see on the trains and buses. Their banter is so infectious that I invariably tend to shut down my mp3 player just to listen and to be part of this crowd. Too bad the festivities end in another few days…the city would go back to its normal routine and the earphones…yeah those would plug back into my ears.