Not so obvious side of the Train journey
Train journey is always a special phase in every one’s life especially when it’s a long one and you will be representing a nomad trying to cover the length and breadth of India in a congested and yet comfortable coach of the Indian railways locomotive. Train journey always has its own tricks and treats for you which you will be least aware or expecting the least. I gulped few down my throat in my last few journeys need not to say that they usually lasted for more than a single rotation of earth in which I tried to invade more than three fourth length of our India starting from Delhi, generally a naïve person may view all this process as simple and comfortable affair, need not to say as I have already stressed in my previous post “The great Indian train journey” it has completely different complexion and contrast when one actually gets in to the shoes of a pitiable individual who suffers not less than Hercules with the burden of earth on his back.
I would like to share my recent train experience in which I started from Delhi in a train that I managed to board in last minute harbinger after struggling with the aloo tikki for a while on platform. I boarded that night with a dream of sound sleep which actually turned out to be a mere dream thanks to the sound snoring of my co passengers who had ‘sound’ sleep. In a train journey girls are another Oasis kind of material or rather one can say mirage that are always there in train and never in your coach, they will always land up in a coach which is practically unreachable which leaves my flirting skills untested. It is not that bad and there are always some positive things as well about a train journey, one can end up doing something which you always wanted to and you usually do not get time for that in a routine life. Coming to my case I ended in a scholastic conversation with my very much limited knowledge and impressing the rest who are less aware of that topic. This has helped me in getting myself in a comfortable position to strike a conversation if not chord with a not so amazingly looking but nevertheless decent looking girl siting nearby, my bad luck again took the driver seat as people switched off the lights so that they can doze. Perplexed by these sudden but inevitable consequences I just tried my hand using so called and claimed Zuckerberg invention on my not so smart phone, which was again challenged by the disappearing signal of my mobile’s network, as I got handicapped I just waited until the train iron metal wheels screamed and the train came to a halt. I rose from my position joyously as the train entered yet another station, much to my relief the place is lit and shops wide open, I took one cup of tea which tasted wonderful provided I have nothing else to gulp, as I helped myself by slowly sipping the brown water I relished the sight of diminishing moon and the cold breeze reminding me that I am not properly dressed for the Indian winter night. My train is already four hours late and thanks to Indian railways for making these things look pretty normal, technically I am left with another half a day to sulk on this iron vehicle.
I slowly slipped in to the sleep while the train swayed side to side regularly like a cradle rocked, I was greeted by morning pantry hawkers taking down orders for the meal they need to prepare with the same seriousness that politicians sport during election results, yeah I agree that this comparison did not turned out to be an apt one but I know you got the emotion behind that ill written line. Surprisingly half of the Junta got down in some stations that train passed while I was sleeping. I continued my journey as the countdown ticked for my journey to end and as the time remaining to reach my destination melted.
Oeuvre!!! 