Uniting to celebrate Khande Navami, commuters garland locomotive, offer coconuts, flowers, pedas, and shawl to motorman, guard
Passengers garland the Dombivli-CSMT slow local on Wednesday morning. Pic/Shrikant Khuperkar
While daily commuters on Central Railway’s (CR) suburban line often express frustration over delays and overcrowding, this Wednesday morning brought a refreshing display of unity and devotion on the Dombivli-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) slow local.
On the occasion of Khande Navami — the ninth day of Navratri — regular commuters from Dombivli organised a special pooja on platform number 2, turning their everyday train into a space of celebration and spirituality.
Wearing matching kurta-pyjamas, the group awaited their regular train. As the Dombivli-CSMT slow local arrived, they stepped onto the tracks in front of the train to perform a traditional pooja, placing a garland on the train’s front, and offering coconuts, flowers, pedas, and a shawl to the motorman and guard. Inside the compartment, they also performed a Saraswati pooja, with a proper aarti in honour of the goddess of wisdom.
Special contribution boxes had been prepared for each member, and women commuters actively participated as well. The celebration took place during a 10-minute halt at platform 2, coordinated peacefully with the support of fellow passengers and railway staff.
Ganesh Kadam, a social worker and daily commuter on the 7.28 am Kasara-CSMT fast local, took the lead in felicitating the motorman. As this correspondent took photos, Kadam approached the motorman’s cabin, requested him to step out, and honoured him with a coconut, shawl, and flowers.
“Please wait just a moment while I return to my compartment with my friends,” he said.
Social worker and commuter Ganesh Kadam honours the motorman of the train. Pic/Shrikant Khuperkar
One woman commuter standing at the train door remarked, “This is the kind of bond we’ve built with our motorman — it’s truly special.”
Meanwhile, commuters from the 7.40 am Khopoli-CSMT fast local joined in with a different gesture. Wearing custom-designed green T-shirts featuring a suburban train logo, they stood out with their coordinated attire.
“This idea came to me four or five days ago,” said Nikhil More, who helped organise the initiative.
“These shirts represent our journey together, and the logo reminds us of the trains that carry our lives every day.”
The celebration saw participation from commuters hailing from Badlapur, Ambernath, Kalyan, and Dombivli. Despite the daily grind and the usual service issues, the event stood as a testament to the unity and festive spirit of Mumbai’s rail travellers — where devotion rides alongside determination, even during the morning rush.
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