35 Comments
User's avatar
Bing Tashkent's avatar

really puts me there, love it!

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Ah, I'm so glad! thanks for reading

LeeAnn Pickrell's avatar

This like a prose poem. Love it.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thank you LeeAnn!

Heidi White's avatar

Wow! Intricate! It transported me there and also back to my days being transported on a train pressed together like sardines.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thank you Heidi! I really appreciate this.

Aditi Taswala's avatar

Beautifully written. Love it. Reminded me of Bombay local trains

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thank you Aditi! And yes, Bombay locals are such an experience

Harshal Pawar's avatar

Your vivid descriptions manage to hold us till the end... It felt claustrophobic and also felt the joy of finally getting fresh air.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

I’m so glad that the descriptions held you! Thanks for reading Harshal

Karthik Ballu's avatar

Wow! I was taken on the metro ride I'd never want to take! Splendid writing, Anagha!

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Hahaha! Thanks for coming along with me in spirit - and for reading. I appreciate your comment ☺️

Ted Holzman's avatar

Really good! “Wriggling like a bad meal inside the metal belly of the train” is particularly vivid. The same visceral feelings work for the NYC subway, though I think it’s less cosmopolitan

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thank you Ted! Your support means a lot. And I love how the same feeling can echo in different parts of the world - it makes writing extra special for me 💜

Danny R.'s avatar

After I read this, I imagined what If as a form, this writing would be better without paragraphs and let them become a rush hour-ish. It must feel like words are melding.

I am amazed by the vivid image of a train and station in the most crowded and hectic time. I feel like I am inside that metal belly of a steel dragon

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

That’s a really cool idea, Danny! Thanks for that. If you ever attempt a rush hour piece without paragraphs, I would love to read it.

Thanks for reading and for your comment!

Emerson Kam's avatar

I LOVED all your descriptions in this piece! Especially "wriggling like a bad meal inside the metal belly of the train." In the handful of minutes I was reading, I felt like I was breathing the same air as the narrator.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Oh my gosh! Thank you for this generous comment, I’m really moved ❤️

Amy Elizabeth's avatar

Wonderful writing, I felt dropped right into the scene and my senses felt it all.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Wow thanks Amy! I’m glad I could take you there

Karen E Sandberg's avatar

Good description. I'm right there, claustrophobic & overwhelmed. I'm with Don - ready for the book!

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Omg, too kind Karen!

Dru's avatar

loved every word of this, i genuinely felt as though i was there!!

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

thank you dru! means a ton!

Don Boivin's avatar

Wonderful writing, Anagha. I'm proud to witness your writing career as it grows. I will be first in line for your first published book!

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Oh, I'm so touched Don! This is a huge, huge compliment.

Sandolore Sykes's avatar

Beautiful described.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thank you so much Sandolores!

rabiah's avatar

when are you writing a book because ADSAKHGLSDGH

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Whenever I:

a) overcome my severe lack of discipline

b) get an idea that i am convinced isn’t boring or incomplete or half baked

…. So looks like it’ll take some time 😭 BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR FAITH IN ME!!!

Turning Magical Moments's avatar

This piece vividly captures the chaotic yet intimate experience of riding a metro during rush hour. It successfully immerses the reader in a visceral environment, painting a dynamic portrait of the crowd—its push and pull, the tensions, and the fleeting, unspoken connections between strangers. The descriptions are vivid and poetic, turning what could be mundane into a sensory overload of sounds, sights, and emotions. However, at times the rich detail threatens to overwhelm, making it difficult to focus on a central theme. While Anagha Smrithi beautifully evokes the physical and emotional entanglement of commuters, it could benefit from sharper pacing in some sections to maintain the reader’s engagement. Still, the writing’s strength lies in its ability to bring to life the paradox of public transport: the simultaneous isolation and connectedness we all experience in shared spaces.

Anagha Smrithi's avatar

Thanks for reading!