Choosing to forego some (good) money in favour of more time to pursue one's non-commercial interests - conversation with old software techie friend; My Dombivli to Andheri, Mumbai challenging train commute in mid 1980s

Last updated on 28th March 2018

Given below is an exchange on Facebook that I had with Rajendra S. Chittar, an old software industry colleague and friend. Chittar and I both started our software development career in the same company, Datamatics Ltd. in Bombay/Mumbai, joining as trainee programmers. I joined Datamatics in March 1984 if I recall correctly. Chittar was from one batch senior to me and so would have joined sometime in second half of 1983.

Chittar recently shared a 5 year old Facebook post (shared with friends, not public share) of his which was about 'Experiencing a "State of Wonder"' where he talks about life after withdrawing from full-time employment over the past couple of years (as of 2013 to which, I guess, we need to add 5 more years now). He does commercial work for only 2 days a week which gives him time to explore his many varied non-commercial interests and which keeps him busy during his non-work days but free of stress and "in a state of inner calm and serenity". Chittar lives in a big city in India and is married with two children.

The comments exchange was made starting around 21st Match 2018 and is given below (Chittar was OK with public sharing of it):

Ravi S. Iyer wrote (slightly edited): "Leisure time" is the term I have heard in Puttaparthi from foreigners who have enough money to live in Puttaparthi without having to worry about earning money for a living. Some of them are on full-time "leisure time", with many choosing to contribute to some social cause which earns them support from locals in Puttaparthi and surrounding areas of this essentially very poor rain-shadow district in Andhra Pradesh.

So looks like you, Chittar, are now having lots of "leisure time" where you can choose what you spend your time on. Very happy that you have been able to enjoy this. I guess, like in my case, in your case too, thanks have to to given to international software industry which allowed us to lead such lives.

I will never forget my humble roots, including trainee programmer at Datamatics on salary of Rs. 800 per month, half of which would be held back to be given after the training bond period of 3 years. Traveling from Dombivli via crowded suburban trains to Dadar, switching railway lines, and then from Dadar to Andheri on Western Railway line, and then Datamatics company bus, to get to office (in SEEPZ zone, Andheri (E), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEEPZ), and similarly on the way back home!

[Update on 27th March 2018: The time taken for my commute in those days was typically between 1 hr 45 mins and 2 hrs each way! I guess I would have typically started from home (on Ayre Road, Dombivli (E)) at around 7:25 AM or so. Walk from home to Dombivli railway station platform would be around 10 minutes. Relatively inexpensive share-Auto ride would speed that to 5 minutes and which I think I would take if I got out of home around 7:30 AM. I don't think the suburban local time duration for such commutes have changed much from 1984 to now in 2018. Here's the current Central Railway Main Line Up Timetable:
http://www.cr.indianrailways.gov.in/cris/uploads/files/1394620654939-PTT%20UP%20ML.pdf. The 07:38 at Dombivli fast train (originating from Ambernath like it used to even in 1984 if I recall correctly though its Dombivli time may have changed by a few minutes) is scheduled to reach Dadar at 08:18, a scheduled journey time of 40 minutes. The local trains then, which I think is the case even now, had inexpensive second class and significantly more expensive first class compartments. I had no option during my low stipend trainee period than to travel Second Class. The Second Class compartments of these fast trains during this peak time would usually have some space while arriving at Dombivli and get jam packed there. Getting into these peak time fast trains at Dombivli required one to rush in along with many others on the platform, as few seconds later there would be no room for additional person(s) to get in!

The fast walk from Dadar Central Railway station platform to Dadar Western Railway station platform through the crowded but usually fast moving crowd on the foot overbridge would take 5 to 10 minutes.

Dadar to Andheri on Western Line by fast train would be around 15 minutes. This was against the rush and so the fast trains would be relatively empty. So this was an enjoyable ride as compared to the jampacked ride on Central Railway in the rush direction! It seemed, sometimes at least, to be almost a sort-of reward enjoyable train commute for having endured the earlier jam packed train commute :-).
http://www.wr.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1518427344380-DN%20wef%201.1.18%20.pdf shows the 8:40 AM fast from Dadar arriving at Andheri at 8:55 AM.

Then the quick walk on the foot overbridge to get out of Andheri railway station on the East side, and then walk towards the place the company bus would halt, keeping an eye out on the road whether it has already started, in which case we could flag it down and jump in. This total walk till the location where the company bus would be waiting would be 5 to 10 minutes. The company bus ride from Andheri Stn. to Datamatics company office in SEEPZ would be around 15 to 20 minutes if I recall correctly. The office start time was 9.30 AM, if I recall correctly, with the company bus scheduled to reach 5 to 10 minutes before start time.

Sometimes one would miss the bus, in which case share-auto would be available from just outside Andheri Stn (E) to SEEPZ which was not too expensive.

Suburban train delays and road traffic jams were not uncommon which would make the duration longer, sometimes significantly longer.

The return journey from Company office to home would be similar during my trainee days on those days when I did not stay beyond regular work hours. It was not uncommon for me to stay back in office beyond regular work hours even during trainee days. The regular office work day in Datamatics SEEPZ ended at 5.30 PM, if I recall correctly.

Later, as my stipend/salary became better, I explored other options of commuting like local train from Dombivli to Kanjur Marg (slow train journey of 37 minutes as per local train schedule; less crowded and easier to get in; also I travelled First Class which was less crowded and with more comfortable seats). Then Auto or Share-Auto from Kanjur Marg to SEEPZ which would take 40 to 45 minutes typically, if I recall correctly. This cost significantly more, especially if I hired an Auto on my own. The journey was quite comfortable, especially if I was hiring it alone (the seating is for 3 people and so I could be very comfortably seated). The total time for commute from home to company/client office in SEEPZ (most of my software industry career in Mumbai days was for software companies in SEEPZ) did not get reduced drastically from the previous case mentioned above as it took around 1 hr. 45 mins one way. But the degree of comfort while travelling was much, much higher.

Another thing to mention is that there was an option of taking a round-about route municipal (BEST) bus service from Kanjur Marg to SEEPZ. It took around 50 mins to an hour, if I recall correctly. I had tried it a few times but I think I preferred the first commute option mentioned above, to this option. end-Update.]
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Rajendra S Chittar wrote (slightly edited): Ravi S. Iyer I share those same roots :-) 800 mein life jeena [living life on Rs. 800]. It was cutting it too close mostly but fun!
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Rajendra S Chittar wrote: But I guess I was a bit more lucky as I stayed in Andheri so the stress of travel was out.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: And, in the interests of accuracy, 800 was the stipend/salary for the first six months, if I recall correctly, with these six months being, according to Datamatics view, training period, including on-the-job training. After six months, the stipend increased, and similarly increased every six months, if I recall correctly, till the bond period of three years were over.
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Rajendra S Chittar wrote (slightly edited): I do not recall the stipend increase before 3 years - my memory issue. All I remember is the blast of increase at the end of 3 years (I was in Lowell, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell,_Massachusetts, then) and my mom checked the passbook and informed me. :-)
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Yes, after the bond period of 3 years was over, now we were free to take up another job with a competitor. So Datamatics had to pay us good salaries or else we would have jumped ship! That saw us get into proper Indian software techie salaries of those days (late 1980s)!
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Rajendra S Chittar wrote: This decision has not been easy at all. I have had to forego a lot and pay a hefty price. But in the end I have evolved from being just another rat in the race. And that is bliss.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: In my case, it was a choice to lead a simple lower middle class life as a spiritual aspirant in rural / semi-urban India that enabled me to retire early from commercial work (in Sept. 2002). I should also say that I have been single (unmarried) so far.

Today I can say that it was one of the best decisions of my life. That is not to say that there are no challenges. But I was able to pursue my interests to my heart's satisfaction. That makes it one of the best decisions of my life.
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On my Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2116379428578623, associated with this blog post, there was this exchange:

Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Rajendra S Chittar, I have put up the post above. Do have a look and tell me if I got anything wrong. Thanks.
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Rajendra S Chittar wrote: No issues! I have now been completely retired since June 2014 and since then I have been far more busy and have absolutely no time for working and-or earning ;-)
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My old software industry friend and colleague, Chandu Patel, who is now based in the USA wrote over email (and was OK with public sharing; slightly edited):

Good recall of the history, Ravi!  Pretty nostalgic! :-) I too remember my days of commute between Virar to Andheri from late 80's to mid-90's! It was also quite challenging, but not so as compared to commute that involves train change at Dadar!  Life was tough in Mumbai, but memories of those days still give me pleasure!

Thanks Ravi for sharing your experience!
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I (Ravi) wrote back (slightly edited):

Thanks Chandu. I should also mention that overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my Datamatics days which was 3 years under training bond followed by an additional 3 year or so period (totally from March 1984 to around May 1990 if I recall correctly). In this around 6 year period, I spent around 3 years abroad in USA and Europe on assignments, perhaps around 6 months in Datamatics Embassy Center, Nariman Point, Mumbai office dealing with India related software development work and the remaining 2 years 6 months or so in Datamatics, SEEPZ, Mumbai office (the software development services export out of India office of Datamatics). While working in Datamatics, Mumbai offices both at SEEPZ and at Nariman Point, the rush-hour commute for me, from Dombivili to office and back, was a challenge though, especially in the initial period perhaps of a year or so, when I used to travel in the very crowded Second Class railway compartments. I should also say that the non-rush-hour local train commute/travel, which would happen every once in a while, was quite enjoyable, especially when I was traveling First Class.
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